We are not just familiar with PEFC and FSC, but with the EUDR, the PPWR, the CSRD and everything in between. We talk regularly to pulp and paper producers, converters and consumers. We know the right questions to ask the right people. The next step for success is ensuring their answers are correctly understood, which is why we have a unique mix of industry overview with local voices.

Let's say your wanted confirmation that a new product concept had market potential and was commercially relevant. You need an objective second opinion but you're not sure where to start. You're short on time so you approach a general market research company. Product development is a complicated affair so you spend most of the first meeting explaining your company structure before you can get to the heart of the matter. But the agency is not familiar with the workings of forest industry companies, nor the sector's terminology, so that needs explaining too. And because the agency doesn't quite grasp how complex the value chain is, it advises you to do a general survey which doesn't quite get to the crux of the problem. Because we already understand the company and its value chain, we design the questionnaire with minimal input, saving the client time and money. Asking the right questions is the critical first step in extracting meaningful insight from data.

We often do a deep dive where the client isn't sure what to ask, they just know they have a question to resolve. We can turn a vague guideline into an actionable questionnaire, designed from scratch specifically for the client, which would be a near-impossible task for an industry outsider.

Some of the interviews we conducted in the case above took as long as 60 minutes, sometimes they last even longer.  That's because our expert interviewers are trained to probe. They know when to follow up and dig a little deeper.

We know this isn't common practice. At Opticom, we go beyond surface-level insights. That's why we're upgrading our survey and data management system - customizing it to handle open-ended, in-depth responses even more effectively while allowing us to revisit and transcribe interviews with the precision they deserve.

Unlike conventional surveys that settle for brief, predefined answers, our work requires capturing complex, technical perspectives. Transcribing and translating a detailed interview can take hours, and we refuse to rush the process. Our commitment to accuracy and depth is driving these innovations—because no one else in the industry has needed a system quite like this. When insights matter, three-word answers won't do. Opticom ensures that every voice is heard in full.

Of course, a detailed answer on a complex question can mean nothing if lost in translation. It's another reason why an industry specialist is important. You wouldn't dream of filing for a product patent with a general lawyer: the same applies to in-depth market research. Why settle for superficial data when making critical business decisions?