Industry overview
What is shaping software
Software and SaaS companies live and die by product-market fit, pricing and retention. Users' real workflows matter more than feature lists.
- Product-led growth relies on fast time to value
- Pricing and packaging strongly affect conversion
- Churn often starts with onboarding
Client background
A B2B SaaS start-up, working in United States, United Kingdom & Australia. Client identity is withheld to protect confidentiality.
- Organisation
- A B2B SaaS start-up
- Sector
- Software
- Team engaged
- Market Research
- Services
- Qualitative research, Business panel, Research consultancy
Client challenge
The start-up had paying customers in three countries and investors pushing it to scale marketing. Founders were unsure whether the product truly solved a painful problem for a clear segment, or whether early customers were simply enthusiastic adopters. Scaling too early would burn cash quickly.
Research objectives
- Deliver on the brief: testing product-market fit before scaling a SaaS product.
- Measure how widespread each pattern is, and explain the reasons behind it.
- Give the client evidence it can act on within 7 weeks.
Target audience
Scope: 35 interviews, 400 survey responses.
Audiences we typically reach in software
Trial and paying usersAdmins and buyersChurned customersProspectsPartners and integrators
Geographic coverage
Coverage: United States, United Kingdom & Australia. Markets: United States, United Kingdom and Australia.
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Australia
Research methodology
A mixed-method design: structured research measured how widespread each pattern was, and qualitative conversations explained why.
- 1Brief
- 2Customer and prospect interviews
- 3Product-market fit survey
- 4Insight
We interviewed active customers, churned customers and prospects who had chosen competitors, exploring the problems they were solving, alternatives they had considered and what they would miss if the product disappeared. A survey of verified professionals in target roles then measured how widespread the problem was and how strongly each segment needed a solution, including the widely used question of how disappointed users would be without the product.
Qualitative researchBusiness panelResearch consultancy
Sampling strategy
- Business respondents were screened on role, company size and involvement in the decision before being invited.
- Online respondents were drawn from verified panel members who matched the screening criteria, with quotas on key profile attributes.
- Qualitative participants were recruited purposively to cover the full range of experiences that mattered, rather than for statistical representation.
Data collection
- interviews
- 35
- survey responses
- 400
- The online survey was mobile-friendly and offered in respondents' languages.
- Interviews and discussions were led by experienced moderators using a guide agreed with the client.
Data quality & validation
- Digital fingerprinting and duplicate checks
- Attention, speed and straight-lining checks
- Review of open-ended answers
- Recordings and transcripts for every session
- Re-screening of qualitative recruits
- Logic and range checks on the final data
- Work carried out under our ISO 20252 quality procedures
Data analysis
- Cross-tabulation by key groups and locations
- Significance testing on the differences that mattered
- Thematic coding of interviews and discussions
- Journey and decision mapping
Key findings
- One segment, operations teams at mid-sized logistics companies, showed strong need and clear willingness to pay, while others were lukewarm.
- Investors supported the focused plan because it was backed by evidence.
Talking to churned customers and lost prospects revealed the truth that happy customers could not.
Recommendations
- Build on the core insight: talking to churned customers and lost prospects revealed the truth that happy customers could not.
- Focus effort where the evidence was strongest: one segment, operations teams at mid-sized logistics companies, showed strong need and clear willingness to pay, while others were lukewarm.
- Re-measure after the changes to confirm the effect.
Business impact
- The start-up narrowed its positioning, rebuilt onboarding for that segment and delayed broad marketing until retention improved.
What changed in the business as a result of the work. Impact is described qualitatively.
Deliverables & next steps
- Insight report and management presentation
- Cleaned data file and data tables
- Interview summaries and key verbatims
- Repeat the measure after changes are in place to track progress.
- A natural follow-on question: is there product-market fit in this segment?
Client identity is withheld to protect confidentiality.