Insight-Driven Decisions: How Research Translates into Real Business Outcomes

By: Eric Sondergeld
4/23/2026

Leaders are under pressure to prove that research is not a cost center but a growth driver. The good news is that there is solid evidence that when organizations anchor decisions in customer insight and data, they outperform peers on the metrics that matter. McKinsey Global Institute research shows that data‑driven organizations are 23x more likely to acquire customers, 6x more likely to retain them, and 19x more likely to be profitable.

At Greenwald Research, we see these dynamics play out in segments of the health and wealth industries. The right research clarifies customer needs, mitigates risk, and points the way to experiences that create customer loyalty and lifetime value. Below is a practical, evidence-backed view of how to turn research into results.

Start with Decisions, Not Data

High-performing firms lead with business decisions it’s imperative to get right, then design research to precisely answer those questions. This aligns with McKinsey’s guidance that data initiatives must be tied to primary business goals to boost competitiveness. In practice, that means translating leadership objectives into specific researchable questions. For example, instead of “improve advisor engagement,” ask “which three service moments most influence advisor share of wallet and how do we measure them?” This focus increases the odds that research translates into measurable acquisition and retention gains, the very outcomes highlighted in McKinsey’s benchmarks.

Invest in Understanding the Customer Jobs to be Done

Companies that build customer-centric operating models are consistently more profitable, and this advantage is tied to truly understanding customer needs and behaviors. In financial services, this often means going beyond demographics to map the “jobs” customers are trying to accomplish, the frictions they encounter, and the triggers that move them to act. Qualitative in-depth interviews, journey mapping, and discrete choice modeling can reveal where guidance gaps or product complexity create friction that suppresses conversion. The payoff shows up in the acquisition, retention, and profitability increases associated with data-driven decision making.

Measure what Creates Long-Term Value Instead of Short-Term Clicks

Many marketing organizations still over-index on short term tactical metrics while under-measuring the strategic measures that track brand differentiation and customer lifetime value. The CMO Survey documents this imbalance and shows that longer-term, insight-rich metrics remain among the least measured, even as their use is starting to climb. Building a scorecard that pairs immediate funnel metrics with customer health indicators and willingness to pay helps leaders see the throughline from research to revenue and margin.

Make Insights Operational and Repeatable

Making insights part of operations helps to inform the cadence of planning, product development, distribution, and service. McKinsey’s analysis is explicit that impact requires a unified data and insight ecosystem aligned with business goals. For insurers and asset managers, that might mean quarterly voice-of-advisor pulses tied to specific service-level agreements, annual segmentation refreshes that update sales priorities, or post-launch concept testing that feeds agile iteration. A repeatable operating rhythm amplifies the acquisition, retention, and profitability advantages seen in data-driven organizations.

Collect Practical Data to Move with Confidence

• Validating Market Fit Before Scaling. Validate market demand, value proposition, and price sensitivity before committing full resources to distribution. This approach decreases the probability of false starts and focuses launch plans on segments with the highest conversion odds.
• Running Experience Diagnostics to Find the Moments that Matter. Identify the handful of moments that create or destroy value in the advisor and customer journey. Integrate those moments with experience metrics that correlate to retention and cross-selling.
• Message Testing to Earn Trust and Attention. Systematically test comprehension and distinctiveness of messaging across audience segments to increase effective reach.
• Creating a Feedback Loop Through Insights Programs. Run a pulse survey of what advisors need in order to sell with confidence, be it illustrations, service, or training. Operationalize a feedback loop so changes are visible and fast.

How Greenwald Research Helps

• Industry Knowledge. We have deep expertise in the health and wealth industries, including life insurance, annuities, retirement, health insurance, and employee benefits, where product complexity, regulation, and financial professional ecosystems require nuance. Our work is built to reflect the real choices customers and intermediaries face, so findings are credible with compliance and actionable with distribution teams. This alignment increases the chance research will drive the acquisition, retention, and profitability outcomes shown in the benchmarks.
• Methodologies for the Decision. We select methods that inform the decision at hand and can be repeated over time, such as focus groups, in-depth interviews, conjoint, maximum difference scaling (maxdiff), segmentation, journey mapping, and message testing.
• Executive-Ready Analysis. Our deliverables translate findings into “what to do Monday” recommendations and define the metrics to monitor to measure impact.

The Takeaway

Insight is not a luxury. It is a multiplier on every dollar you spend on product, marketing, distribution, and service. The organizations that outperform make research a repeatable capability tied to specific decisions and metrics. The evidence is clear that this approach improves acquisition, retention, profitability, and earnings.

If you are ready to turn research into measurable outcomes, Greenwald Research can help you define the decisions, design the learning plan, and operationalize the cadence that keeps you ahead.