1. Marketing of Statistical Information in a Modern Statistical Agency SSSU – Enhancing the Capacity of Official Statistics Petteri Baer, Marketing Manager, International Consultant

2. The role and essence of Statistical Information (1) － We statisticians are a special and specific group of people –We produce information on the state of affairs of our country and on different phenomena of the society – so we are supposed to know much about much － As we need to do our work efficiently and as we cannot know, nor communicate, everything about everything, we have developed specific methodologies to arrive at a correct understanding of the state of affairs: –sampling methodologies –how to deal with non-response –imputation methodologies … and other useful methodologies － As statistical information needs to be comparable, a big part of the methodologies and classifications are agreed upon internationally: United Nations, UNECE, Eurostat, ISI, IAOS Petteri Baer212 November 2015

3. The role and essence of Statistical Information (2) － Also good knowledge of mathematics and statistical science is needed － To ensure the correctness of the produced statistical information methods of quality control are needed － Additionally –To be trusted, the methodologies used need to be transparent, made available to the public, to researchers, to the users in general –In order to be easily found and correctly used, good metadata on the statistical information needs to be produced, published and used together with the statistical data － As a result of everything mentioned above, the work and the life of statisticians gets … COMPLICATED Petteri Baer312 November 2015

4. － Too much focus on internal production issues –Domestic methodology –International methodology –The challenge of good metadata –The challenge of producing the information timely － Forgetting the needs of the users & of the potential users –Easy accessibility –Clarity, understanding different needs for statistics –Needs of Statistical Literacy With all the preconditions and complications mentioned, our work may be… 4Petteri Baer12 November 2015

5. Stereotype of a Finnish statistician － Produces figures on something that is not important － Too many theoretical concepts and indexes, out of touch with reality － Statistics is a special brand of history that has nothing relevant to say about the present － Says nothing or, if does, denies it in the next sentence － How are things in SSSU. Ukraine? 12 November 2015

6. Lesson 1. － Statistical Agencies need to be interested in their potential users & customers. To know well the production side of statistical information is not enough. 12 November 2015

7. How do we statisticians perceive ourselves? How do the users perceive our services? － Are we too content with the present state of affairs? － Do we know enough about our potential users, about our potential customers? － Do we have enough information even on our present users? 12 November 2015

8. It is not enough to be content with the high status we may have… － We should learn to know the need structures of our important users and user groups － We should make our information easily accessible for them － And we should put ourselves in continuous interaction with them in order to develop our abilities to satisfy their statistical needs better 12 November 2015

9. If we don’t know our users… (1) － We will have difficulties in learning to know their needs － We can interact with them only sporadically and unsystematically – mainly only when they contact us － Our possibilities to invite them to our occasions or to send them questionnaires will be limited 12 November 2015

10. If we don’t know our users… (2) － …They are almost as good as dead for us － We cannot customize or mass customize anything for them without interaction － We cannot approach them with our interesting offers if we don’t have the contact information to do the contacting work 12 November 2015

11. If we don’t know our users… (3) － We will not know how satisfied or dissatisfied they are with the present services we provide － We will not know about any unmet needs in the field of statistics － It will certainly be difficult to develop services which will be better fit for their information needs. 12 November 2015

12. Wise words of W. Edwards Deming (1942) – a prominent developer of Quality Management － ” Data are not taken for museum purposes; they are taken as a basis for doing something. If nothing is to be done with the data, then there is no use in collecting any. The ultimate purpose of taking data is to provide a basis for action or a recommendation for action ” Petteri Baer1212 November 2015

13. Lesson 2. － Statistical Agencies need to be interested in their potential users’ & customers’ need structures. This is a challenging and continuous learning process. 12 November 2015

14. Three magic letters in support of a systematic approach towards users C R M ” …is an approach to managing a company’s interaction with current and future customers. It often involves using technology to organize, automate, and synchronize sales, marketing, customer service, and technical support” (Wikipedia)customers salesmarketingcustomer servicetechnical support Petteri Baer1412 November 2015

15. What is Customer Relationship Management - CRM? － CRM stands for SYSTEMATIC work with existing and potential customers which are divided into different customer segments which are approached and interacted with in different ways because the need structures - and hence the service structures - for the customers in the different segments are different. － Part of CRM is the building up of and existence of a Customer Database into which all contact information and communication information is put with the aim of making it possible to build up the relations with the customers SYSTEMATICALLY. － This way of acting makes it possible to KNOW what has so far been done in building customer relations. － It makes it possible to PLAN and perform new interactions more effectively taking into account the accumulated experience. 15Petteri Baer 12 November 2015

16. CRM – A Technical Tool? － CRM is NOT only or mainly a technical tool… It is… － a sophisticated system and work culture, where customers and potential customers can be dealt with, assisted by modern information technology, according to –their own customer behaviour –the Statistical Agency’s own definitions of customer relationship levels and -policies –the self-expressed wishes of customers – recorded and taken note of by the Statistical Agency 16Petteri Baer 12 November 2015

17. Customer-oriented services and products by means of CRM － The goal of Customer Relations Management is to –Understand the needs of different user groups –Segment customers into groups with similar need structures –Keep the information on interaction with customers in good shape and order － All this helps to build relations between users and producers of statistical information in a good and for everybody more satisfactory way –Systematically and with good results obtained 17Petteri Baer 12 November 2015

18. How to find out users’ and customers’ needs? － Previous use and purchases of statistical information － Focus groups － Personal contacts (seminars, visits, customer training etc.) － Interviews － Development Projects － Simply comparing similar customers 18Petteri Baer 12 November 2015

19. Lesson 3. － It is worth while to build up a system and a corporate culture, which supports systematic work in developing customer and user relations. 12 November 2015

20. Setting up a Training Structure for external users of statistical information… － …Will increase the number of persons in user organizations, who have a deeper knowledge and understanding of statistical items － These persons will through their increased knowledge of statistics act as promotors of using statistics in their own organizations － They will become Ambassadors of Statistics in their own work environment Petteri Baer2012 November 2015

21. Potential target groups for training courses for external users are, among others, － Economists － Planning officers － Researchers － Managers and decision makers –Not only in the central and local public administrations, as so usually perceived –but in businesses, non-governmental organizations, trade unions, branch and employers’ organizations, media and educational institutions. Etc., etc… Petteri Baer2112 November 2015

22. Certain specific professional groups benefit a lot from training on statistical items, e.g. –Market researchers –Information officers –Environmental specialists － People working in these professions are in a constant need of updated and systematic statistical information in the fields of their actual interest － And there are numerous others –Just find out by exploring in practice! Petteri Baer2212 November 2015

23. Training is an important part of networking with users of statistical information － Training can be an important part in the process of building closer relations to users of statistical information –There is quite a big number of potential user categories of statistical information! Not only governmental organizations － Feedback received in training situations is often well to the point and therefore concrete and valuable for both the trainers & the organization –Teach AND listen! Petteri Baer2312 November 2015

24. Lesson 4. － Statistical training courses is a good start in building relations with users. Let’s see what other forms could be available and used… 12 November 2015

25. www-services & Internet provide today an incredible amount of statistical services － Printed publications with only tables - obsolete － Highlights the importance of –Timeliness –User friendliness Easy access Easy navigation Understandability –Metadata –International usage English !! 12 November 2015

26. Elements are usually found on a National Statistical Agency`s web site － Statistical releases, Press/Media releases － Statistics by topics and subject matters － Key figures － Access to the Service Databases of the Agency － Services in (a) domestic language(s) (b) English － Contact us / Feedback / Privacy statement － Search / Site map / Help － Links to other national and international statistical agencies － What’s new (on our web site)? － Frequency of names -service 26Petteri Baer 12 November 2015

27. Other possibilities for improving the statistical services on the web － Statistics by popular themes and topics － First visit service for new visitors － Services made available by user group － Notifying special days with statistical information materials － Calculators of indices, personally defined indices － Geographic Information Services (GIS) － Links to (and from!!) Social Media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram… － Service pages with top actual themes, discussed in the society: What’s hot? 27Petteri Baer 12 November 2015

28. To develop easy access to statistical services may not be all that easy in the huge jungle of information… Petteri Baer2812 November 2015

29. Strengths and weaknesses of different formats: print / pdf A4 / tablet / mobile 29Petteri Baer12 November 2015

30. Lesson 5. － Access and navigation on the web site should be made easy and user friendly. Good metadata is a must. Promotion activities of the web services are also needed. 12 November 2015

31. Apps and mobile devices are today taking over the market of information services － The world of internet is characterized by very rapid development of new services － We all carry in our pocket mobile phones, which today also serve us with a great number of –Photo-, video-, news-, weather forecast-, alert-, discussion- map-, navigation-, GIS- and other services –New Application services can also provide us with modern statistical services - dynamic graphs, access to service databases, chat services with statistical specialists… － The challenge is often to “hang around” the rapid development － …and to be capable of providing services in ~all sort of devices Petteri Baer3112 November 2015

32. Lesson 6. － The need of mastering multifaceted distribution channels in a cost- efficient way. Paving ways for human interaction on statistical themes. 12 November 2015

33. Social media in communicating statistical information today － Discussion blogs –In Statistics Finland serves well as an informal forum, where statistical experts can provide interesting analytic articles on top actual themes –Also controversial themes for contemplation and discussion As the blog is not perceived as a too formal voice of “Official Statistics” － Attention to statistical services by activities in discussions on Facebook –In Statistics Finland – “The Doctor of Statistics” － Short Twitter messages for highlighting statistical news of the work and statements of “statistical gurus” － Numerous other possibilities in Social Media for promoting the role and importance of Official Statistical services Petteri Baer3312 November 2015

34. Lesson 7. － New communication tools emerge all the time. We need to know what is going on. A Business Intelligence system could provide good assistance for us? 12 November 2015

35. Conclusion – Questions of importance － Whose voice is heard in planning the development work of a Statistical Agency? － In which business does the Statistical Agency define itself to be and work? –The State Administration? – Sure. But is that the essence? –The Information Business – This comes probably closer. － A great deal of the work is related to the Statistical Agency’s Organizational Culture. Are the basics – Mission, Vision and Corporate Values oriented on –Development OR only on a manifestation of the organization’s importance? –What do we exist for? Which is our Vision of the closer future? Petteri Baer3512 November 2015

36. A good Vision definition for Official Statistics “Current and future users are the reason for and the purpose of the existence and development of the statistics system”. “Since user demands are of the highest importance for the development of the system, work must be done to meet these needs through the common effort of the users and the producers of official statistics.” –From the Development Strategy of Official Statistics of the Republic of Croatia 2004 – 2012, Zagreb 2003, First goal mentioned in the definition of the Vision of the Strategic Plan - pb Petteri Baer3612 November 2015

37. Another interesting and good Vision Statement on Official Statistics － As only used statistics are useful statistics, INSTAT strives to become the major source of statistical information providing decision makers, research and education in Albania as well as in the international community with relevant, reliable and comparable statistical information; with a learning attitude and systematic network for marketing and disseminating statistical information making use of modern networking structures and information technology. –This is the Vision Statement of the Statistical Agency of Albania, INSTAT Petteri Baer3712 November 2015

38. Last but not least – Short and excellent examples of basic strategic approaches － Mission The main task of Statistics Estonia is to provide reliable and objective information about Estonia － Vision Official statistics are the primary source of reliable information － Slogan Informed decisions! http://www.stat.ee/strategy Petteri Baer3812 November 2015

39. General Conclusion － You cannot learn to swim if you don’t go into the water! 12 November 2015

40. Remember: Only used statistics are useful statistics! Petteri Baer, Marketing Manager, International Consultant petteri456@hotmail.com +358 50 551 2309 petteri456@hotmail.com