The Business Situation
A car sharing service had already launched into the military community. Service members frequently relocate, operate without a personal vehicle during deployments, and live in base communities where transportation access can be inconsistent.
But the results were mixed. The client did not have a clear picture of why uptake had not met expectations, what the community thought of the concept, or how to improve it. There was also a practical pressure: the company needed credible data on hand to address external inquiries into the appeal of car sharing for military audiences.
They needed consumer evidence on what was working, identify what could be improved, and make a stronger case for the service going forward.
The Business Question
We’re already in this market. But do we understand it well enough to succeed in it?
The client came in with three connected lines of inquiry. First, how much genuine interest exists in car sharing among active-duty service members and their spouses, and what would make the service more appealing to those who were not yet using it? Second, what specific improvements to the product or experience would increase adoption? Third, were their current marketing materials landing with this audience, and if not, where were they falling short?
Our Approach
Precision Targeting, Clean Data
We fielded a 10-minute online survey with 200 participants, all of whom were either active-duty military members or spouses of active-duty military. The survey was designed to be efficient and respectful of participants’ time while generating the depth of data the client needed across all three research objectives.
Reaching a specialized audience like the military community requires more than a general panel. Qualification criteria were applied rigorously to ensure every respondent genuinely reflected the target market. The result was a clean, high-quality dataset from exactly the population the client needed to understand.
The survey addressed both sides of the marketplace, renters and potential vehicle listers, and incorporated concept testing around the client’s existing marketing video. Three research objectives, one efficient instrument.
What We Found
Interest Is Real. The Gap Is in Fit and Visibility.
- Underlying demand is stronger than current results suggest. Respondents indicated meaningful interest in using a car sharing service when available in their area, with concrete data on the price points and rental durations that reflect how this audience would realistically use it. The mixed results were not a signal of low potential; they pointed to execution and awareness gaps.
- Specific improvements emerged. The research identified what would make the service more compelling for members who had not yet adopted it, including features, pricing structures, and aspects of the experience that were creating friction. This gave the client a direct product improvement roadmap grounded in the voice of their target user.
- The marketing video had real gaps. Concept testing revealed which elements of the current video resonated with this audience and, just as importantly, where the messaging was falling short. The research identified who within the military community represented the strongest targets and what those individuals needed to hear in order to engage.
- Supply-side interest was real. The research also surfaced the specific motivations that would drive listing personal vehicles on the platform. Understanding what makes a military member willing to share their vehicle is as important as understanding what makes them want to rent one.
The Outcome
The client left with a consumer-grounded diagnosis of where the service stood and a clear direction for improving it. They had specific product feedback to act on, a sharper understanding of the message adjustments needed to better reach their audience, and documented evidence of genuine interest in the concept.
That last point mattered beyond internal strategy. The data gave the client something concrete to point to when addressing external questions about the appeal of car sharing in military communities. Rather than relying on assumptions or anecdotal results, they could respond with evidence.
That’s what it looks like when research illuminates the decisions in front of you.