Why take part in market research? Participants perspectives

Luci Talbot Clarke

Operations Manager

As MediVoice’s Ops Manager, I enjoy working on the systems and processes that enable our team to get out there and deliver great work. I love the diversity of my job and I’m lucky; I get to touch a little bit of a lot of projects. As a Type 1 diabetic myself, my role is something of a vocation; knowing that so much of what we do brings such life-changing improvements to people with a diverse range of medical conditions like me!

Out of the office, I’m a busy mummy of three unique individuals, so that fills a lot of time! I’m not very good at relaxing unless the sun is shining and I have a good book. I love nothing more than immersing myself in the imaginary worlds of others (preferably in a quiet corner of the garden!)

On-the-job highlight:

I’m particularly proud of driving our ISO certification; it’s a real privilege to be recognised for the professionalism that underlies everything we strive for as a business.

Helen Ramnought

Marketing Director

What I love the most about marketing is that it is always changing and you have to stay agile. In my 20 plus years of working in marketing and communications roles, I’ve had the opportunity to work across a diverse range of products (from cider to cereal and asthma inhalers to arthritis drugs) and sectors (nutrition, FMCG and healthcare) inhouse and within agencies. I’m most inspired when I’m mixing things up, trialling new trends and finding opportunities to deliver impactful campaigns to connect with our clients, including those that don’t know they need us yet! But the absolute best bit of my job is when I can build a brand identity from scratch, I love a good logo redesign.

Away from the office, I love baking, going to the theatre, staying fit and finding a great TV series to binge-watch. I also tend to send myself broke buying house plants. Keeping them alive remains my ongoing challenge!

Most unusual request:

Organising the company to compete in a supermarket dash for charity! I’m always up for arranging something a little different and having a bit of fun.

Hayley Algar

Managing Director

My passion is in customer service – meaning I love working closely with clients on projects and helping them achieve their recruitment targets by solving problems and building strategies. As a result of my studies in forensic science and strong portfolio of work in healthcare information analysis, I have a keen eye for detail and pride myself on anticipating everything our clients might need during fieldwork.

Outside of work, I love adrenaline sports such as downhill mountain biking, windsurfing and horse riding – although since becoming a mum to lively twins, the high-risk activities have taken a back seat. As a family, we love the great outdoors and I’m never happier than when in my wellies

Laure Beavan

Recruitment Project Manager

As a global project manager, I’m the ultimate multi-tasker. I enjoy delivering projects from start to finish on an international scale, and certainly love a challenge and a to-do list!

I’m a French-English bilingual PM with over 10 years of experience in global, logistically complex projects. At MediVoice, I specialise in managing worldwide fieldwork and recruitment for human factor research and usability studies. I’m also the team whizz on Excel spreadsheets.

When I’m not at work, I’m a busy ‘maman’ of 2 young boys. When we aren’t out and about as a family or jumping on the trampoline in the garden, I really enjoy sewing, soft furnishings and upholstery.

Biggest Recruit:

A summative study over 4 US locations with 240 face-to-face time slots to fill. But smaller studies regularly keep me on my toes when snowstorms, tropical hurricanes and wildfire evacuations get in the way of the plans (let alone a global pandemic).

Maria Ethridge

Recruitment Project Co-ordinator

My background is in the insurance industry, where I’ve worked in a variety of roles including employee relations, corporate event management and process improvement. Now, as a healthcare recruitment co-ordinator at MediVoice, I ensure each of our complex recruits is organised down to the last details. I’m inspired by the participants we work with, who despite their health conditions, are so willing and keen to contribute towards medical research and help others. I also love our close-knit team: we pull out all the stops to make things happen, and when the going gets tough, we keep our spirits up with cake and cookies!

Travelling is my passion out of the office. I’ve tracked elephants across the savanna in Africa, helped at a Yoga Retreat in Costa Rica, and enjoyed tacos, tequila and teaching English in Mexico. When I’m not planning my next adventure I love to create art with sea glass, and you can often find me at my favourite place on the beach looking for fossils, sharks teeth and tipping my toes in the sea.

Best part of the job:

One of the things I love most about working at Medivoice is that no two days are the same, there is always something new to learn and a chunky project to get my teeth into!

Sarah Weir

Recruitment Project Manager

I love the challenge of recruiting for studies where the brief is a little out of the ordinary – wheelchair users who travel by train regularly, bad back sufferers who refuse to use a hot water bottle to ease discomfort, people willing to have an ultrasound performed on their bottom! I thrive in a pressurised environment of meeting quotas and deadlines and particularly enjoy recruiting large, and short notice studies.

Out of work, my happy place is with my family and friends. If there’s any time for a hobby, I love all things crafty, from lifelong loves of knitting and sewing, to newer pastimes such as calligraphy and floral origami!

Best part of the job:

Talking to participants. Their ability to keep smiling despite difficult and often life-limiting health conditions is both humbling and inspiring. I feel very privileged that people will trust us, and our clients, with their stories.

Nicola Watkins

Recruitment Project Manager

I’ve worked in the industry for a number of years now, but have loved the challenges of my role from the very beginning – literally no two days are the same. As a recruitment manager, I’m known for being able to ‘think outside the box’ in order to find exactly the right participants for a particular study.

Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family, although as older teens, they’re not so keen! I love to travel to interesting cities and keep fit by cycling and swimming. In particular, I can’t resist a bit of ‘wild’ swimming, but only when the weather permits! Having taken part in the Great North Swim, I’m now contemplating my next challenge…

Best Part of the Job:

Together with my colleagues, I really enjoy getting to know patients and learning about various health issues which affect people, and the steps medical consultancies are taking to make patient lives easier.

Susan Hughes

Recruitment Project Manager

I joined the team back in September 2019 having gained over 20 years of experience in customer support roles within finance, IT, retail and the education sectors. I’ve since developed a reputation for having a consistently positive and approachable manner – certainly a skill required when meeting a challenging recruit!

I have a real passion for excellent customer service. The best part of the role for me is building strong relationships with both clients and participants. I love that we are able to give a voice to our participants, making them feel valued.

In my free time, I love to keep fit by running, boxing and spinning.

Biggest recruit:
Over 50+ participants with a range of health conditions to take part in a usability study for a new injection device.

Sabrina Tartaglino

Recruitment Project Manager

After a long career in advertising, I made the decision to take on a more meaningful role and found my place at MediVoice. As their participant recruitment manager, I get to contribute to the greater good, helping medical companies in their journey to develop devices to improve patients’ lives. Now, I utilise my experience in events organisation and marketing strategy to manage a wide range of projects, from brief to realisation, across the globe.

Outside of work, I have a passion for cooking meals from scratch, and even have my own sourdough starter. I like the idea that by slightly changing the proportion of simple ingredients like flour and water you can get such different results, from crunchy ciabatta to breadsticks!

Best part of the job:
I’m always up for a challenge, and like jumping from one project to another – after all, I thrive under pressure.

Arthur Marcondes de Salles

Recruitment Project Manager

I built my experience in market research through completing five years of work at a viewing facility in Central London. There, I had the opportunity to meet some of the team at MediVoice Recruit as my clients. Their efficiency, professionalism and friendliness always stood out to me – and now, as a part of the team, I get to enjoy creating the same experience for our clients, suppliers and colleagues. As a participant recruitment manager, I get to utilise every aspect of my skillset to ensure the MediVoice team finds just the right respondents.

When I’m not managing recruits, I spend time building my skills in a PC game called CS:GO – I’m part of it’s community hub. The game requires excellent communication, teamwork, and deliberate practice; skills I try to transfer to my life and work outside of the screen. I also enjoy travelling with my partner, and developing our lifestyle in general.

Best part of the job:

Getting to be a member of such a dedicated, hardworking, and friendly team. It’s great to be surrounded by people who love their roles just as much as I love mine on a daily basis.

George Ashford

CEO

Having built over 23 years of experience in the market research industry (half of which has been spent in the healthcare sector), I’m able to confidently lead the Medivoice team through any project. During my time as CEO, I’ve worked with recruiters across the globe to meet even the most niche project requirements in locations from the UK to Kazakhstan, and have developed a unique understanding of what constitutes good quality recruitment.

Outside of the office, I’m a big football fan, and enjoy supporting my local team, Ipswich Town, alongside practising my own skills on the pitch on a weekly basis despite my ‘advancing years’. Aside from football, I enjoy travelling with my wife, Emily and my two betweenage daughters.

Best thing about the role:

Knowing that the work we’re doing is engaging people for a really positive reason, feeling that through our work we help people have hope, and being able to speak with different people from different cultures all over the world.