• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, December 5, 2008

The Nielsen Co. normally conducts research that helps advertisers and agencies better understand who their customers are and how best to reach and influence them. Beginning today, will conduct some research to do the same thing for itself.

In a notice sent to clients Thursday, Nielsen President of Media Client Services Dave Thomas invited Nielsen's top media research customers to participate in a new "client satisfaction" study, and called the effort "vital to ensuring Nielsen continuously meets your needs and expectations."

The study comes amid some unrest in Nielsen's customer base over a series of data processing glitches that have caused the firm to re-process and reissue various ratings reports, and as other customers remain frustrated that Nielsen's core methods are not sufficient to adequately measure the current TV viewing environment. One such customer, Theresa Falcon, the head of research at digital tier cable network Current TV, made a case during MPG's Collaborative Exchange on Wednesday that Nielsen's ratings for smaller cable networks are wildly erratic, unstable, and insufficient for them to use as ratings currency (MediaDailyNews Dec. 3).

The Nielsen customer satisfaction study also comes as Nielsen announced plans to cancel its annual national client meeting in 2009, citing economic concerns by its customers (MDN Nov. 20).

Thomas said the Internet-based survey would be conducted via Nielsen's online research division, and that email invitations with a link to the questionnaire would begin coming to client inboxes today.

"By participating you help to shape the direction Nielsen pursues in improving and driving client satisfaction, and in return we commit to sharing with you what we have learned and how we intend to respond to your specific company needs," he wrote.