It was the year that saw the launch of Eastenders, the invention of the mobile phone and the birth of both Lewis Hamilton and Wayne Rooney. In autumn 1985, Sandra Penfold and Julia Wilson founded Swift Research from a dining room table in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire.
The three decades since have seen Swift expand to our current home in Wetherby, which not only houses over 30 permanent staff, but also our call centre, laundry lab and recently renovated wet rooms and viewing facility, Innervisions, officially opened by HRH The Princess Royal.
No doubt when Sandra and Julia were surrounded by piles of paper questionnaires and telephone directories back in the 80s, they had no idea how lives would change over the next few decades. Whilst we may not have the flying cars and hoverboards "Back to the Future" predicted for 2015, there's no question that technological advancements over the past thirty years have significantly altered not just our lives, but also the market research industry.
With Swift Research now able to offer clients everything from online focus groups and panels to data collection by web, tablets and even SMS, we've adapted to the ever changing world we live in, whilst still maintaining our belief in the core values that have shaped the company over the years.
The most important of these values has always been our philosophy that Swift is about the people and we're all too aware that it isn't just the hard-working, dedicated staff based at our office in Wetherby who've helped to shape Swift Research over the years.
Thirty years of market research simply wouldn't have been possible without the obliging field force who pull out all the stops to meet our ever-changing demands, or the clients who have kept us on our toes, pushing us forward and encouraging us to venture into unknown territory along the way. And we certainly couldn't have achieved what we have done, without the hundreds of thousands of members of the public who, in the name of market research, have tasted yoghurts, tested fabric conditioner, sniffed flannels, eaten sweets and even drunk alcohol!
So, as we mark our 30th anniversary, we're raising a toast to the people who've helped make Swift Research what it is today, and the people who'll continue to make us what we'll be tomorrow.
Here's to another 30 years!
