A ubiquitous market research/survey firm that is primarily known for web intercept surveys (pop-ups) on behalf of major clients, Ann Arbor, Michigan-based ForeSee has announced another downsizing, this time laying off approximately 14 percent of its workers, with approximately 10 percent located in its Ann Arbor Office. These layoffs come approximately one year after Foresee’s parent, Answers Corporation declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy that erased $471 million in debt obligations.
The announcement was accompanied by the usual corporate-speak, "The actions announced today include a realignment of our sales and services teams which will result in a leaner, more agile organization and support the progression of our strategy as a customer journey measurement company."
Bill Ruckelshaus Executive Chairman of ForeSee’s parent noted, "While the changes we're making today impact every department, you'll see the most in the form of a leaner sales team and a newly formed Customer Success organization which streamlines the current Support and Professional Services functions. We are also redefining our account management structure by introducing a new Customer Success Manager (CSM) role that will work hand-in-hand with our EAMs to manage client relationships and drive renewal and upsell."
It appears that the company is continuing to transition from services to software and further developing its CX (Customer Experience) product suite. I cannot help but wonder if ForeSee’s information-gathering strategy is being overshadowed by platforms that feature built-in analytics that track the user’s movements through a site, calculate the time-on-site, and continuously solicit feedback without annoying pop-ups.
