Why Customer Insights Aren’t Driving Decisions

Everyone says they're listening to their customers. But… the latest data on modern research suggests otherwise.

HeyMarvin surveyed 309 researchers, research consumers, and research leaders across several industries and seniority levels. We wanted to understand how research is evolving, where it's breaking down, and what separates the good from the not-so-good.

In our brand-new State of Modern Research 2026 report, we uncovered four consistent patterns that show up regardless of seniority, company size, or sector. And they compound over time.

Download the full report today, or read on for a high-level overview of the biggest trends shaping the listening gap.

What is the listening gap?

We learned that 94% of the respondents say their leaders value research. But only 27% consistently use research when making major decisions. Companies say they want to listen to customers, but insights don't influence their business decisions. And that’s a huge gap. The one we call the listening gap.

It's not because leaders don't care. The actual reasons are messier (and more fixable) than that.

The data shows that companies are investing in research. Teams are running more methods, using more tools, and outsourcing more work than ever before. But the supporting systems haven’t scaled.

Most research teams don't have standalone authority, consistent cross-functional access, or a system that makes their work findable after a project closes. So research gets done. Then it gets filed. Then someone asks the same question six months later and the team starts from scratch.

Why research isn’t influencing business decisions

Senior leaders and practitioners describe the research process at their own companies in completely different terms.

Ask a director whether reviewing existing research is a formal step before major decisions. Then ask a researcher the same question. Their answers vary significantly, which has direct consequences on how they make decisions.

When leaders believe a formal process exists, they’re making decisions without the evidence they think they have.

We found 73 percent of directors say reviewing existing research is a formal requirement before major decisions. Only 37 percent of practitioners agree. And 43 percent describe the research review process at their organization as informal or inconsistent.

How researchers are using AI — and where it falls short

A whopping 93 percent of respondents told us they’re actively using or experimenting with AI. The productivity results are measurable: 72 percent are saving 25 percent or more of their time, and nearly one-third are cutting certain tasks in half.

No single AI capability is used by more than 52 percent of respondents. Most researchers are reaching for general-purpose tools like ChatGPT and Claude rather than purpose-built research AI. Only one-third are using AI features built directly into their research tools.

The researchers seeing the biggest gains have one thing in common: an active insights repository. Organizations with one are more than three times as likely to see significant AI time savings as those without one — 51 percent versus 16 percent. They also use more AI capabilities across the board, such as data synthesis, report generation, and competitive intelligence.

What modern research teams do differently

Not everyone is stuck in the listening gap. What separates research that gets used from research that doesn't? High-performing companies invest in insights infrastructure, reference research more often, measure its impact more rigorously, and get more out of their AI investments. Most importantly, they're closer to understanding their customers.

The report lays out what those modern research teams are doing differently, and how to start building toward them, regardless of where your team is today. Download the State of Modern Research Report 2026 to find out more.

Based on a survey of 309 researchers, research consumers, and research leaders conducted by HeyMarvin in April 2026.

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