When an electric vehicle manufacturer needed robust feedback to help position a new vehicle launch in Europe, they required far more than slick recruitment.
This project called for high quality drivers in Germany, complex venue logistics, secure vehicle handling, specialist moderation, simultaneous translation, live streaming and full on the ground coordination in a market unfamiliar to the client. BEAM Fieldwork was asked to manage the recruitment and fieldwork logistics in Germany, working through a trusted local partner to deliver a tightly run automotive car clinic in Frankfurt in just five weeks.
THE BACKGROUND
An electric vehicle manufacturer needed robust feedback to help position a new vehicle launch in Europe.
The study required genuine German drivers of specific car makes, models and vehicle ages, alongside a venue and fieldwork setup capable of supporting a professional automotive clinic.
The research was focused on vehicle design. Respondents needed to get up-close to the vehicles, explore them in detail and imagine how they might feel to sit in and drive. That meant the quality of the environment, the quality of the sample and the quality of the moderation all mattered.
In operational terms, this was about much more than recruitment. The project required secure vehicle logistics, a suitable Frankfurt venue, simultaneous translation, live streaming, client viewing, catering, respondent hosting and detailed project management across countries.
THE BRIEF
We were asked to manage recruitment and fieldwork logistics for a 3-hour automotive car clinic in Frankfurt.
The target was 20 completed participants, with 3 additional over-recruits secured as contingency. All respondents needed to be genuine drivers in Germany, matching vehicle make, model, and age criteria.
Alongside the verified sample, the project required:
– Venue hire with space for 4 vehicles, 2 meeting rooms and 1 viewing room
– Vehicle delivery, placement and secure storage
– Specialist automotive moderation
– Simultaneous translation for plenary and breakout sessions
– Full AV capture, recording and live streaming
– Client and respondent hosting
– Catering and incentive management
– Full local coordination through a trusted German partner
End-to-end delivery in a five week trimeframe, from briefing through to clinic delivery.
THE APPROACH
We built the project around local expertise, respondent verification, operational planning and clear communication.
To protect the quality of the research, recruitment was managed through a client-approved and partner-vetted screener. Respondents were then manually verified, including checks of vehicle ownership and driving licences. This helped ensure the final sample was made up of genuine drivers who matched the required criteria.
The end client was unfamiliar with the German automotive market, so the selection of a trusted, local partner with direct experience of automotive car clinics was crucial. Our ongoing relationship with the specially selected German partners also gave access to experienced recruiters, moderators, operational teams and venue knowledge from the start.
Venue selection was also treated as a critical part of the research design. The space needed to function both as a research environment and as an automotive display setting, with room for four vehicles, breakout discussions, client viewing, AV capture and secure access.
FIELDWORK DELIVERABLES
We recruited 23 participants against a required 20, providing contingency and reducing risk on the day.
The clinic was structured across three key stages:
– 30-minute opening plenary discussion
– 1-hour vehicle assessment session with all four vehicles displayed in the main space
– Two concurrent 1.5-hour focus groups for more detailed discussion
Each stage needed to be captured, streamed and translated for the client, who was viewing from a separate room.
The fieldwork setup included multiple moderators, simultaneous translators, AV recording, internal and external streaming, respondent hosting and client-facing support throughout the day.
END-TO-END MANAGEMENT
International research can become difficult quickly if communication is not clear.
To keep the project moving, BEAM maintained central oversight across the full timeline, working closely with the local partner to manage recruitment, logistics, technical requirements and delivery expectations.
Regular updates were shared throughout recruitment, including quota progress and respondent grid management. This gave the client visibility across the sample and allowed the team to respond quickly if any area needed more focus.
The operational side was managed in detail too. Venue checks, technical meetings, AV planning, streaming requirements, translation setup and vehicle logistics were all reviewed ahead of the clinic. Backup solutions and contingency plans were put in place to reduce risk on the day.
This level of planning helped ensure that the client, respondents and delivery team all had a clear understanding of what was happening, when it was happening and what was required.
SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES
The project was delivered within the five-week turnaround, with recruitment completed to quota and the clinic delivered in line with the brief.
The project delivered:
– A high-quality, fully verified sample of German drivers
– Strong representation across the required car makes and models
– A venue suitable for automotive assessment and secure vehicle handling
– Specialist automotive moderation
– Simultaneous translation across key sessions
– Reliable AV capture, recording and live streaming
– Smooth client viewing and hosting arrangements
– Well-coordinated on-the-ground delivery in Germany
Most importantly, the clinic created the right environment for meaningful feedback on vehicle design, supporting the client’s wider business questions around a new European launch.
BEAM IN ACTION
This project is a strong example of how BEAM supports complex international fieldwork behind the scenes and on site.
The challenge was not only finding the right respondents. It was verifying them properly, managing a live automotive environment, coordinating vehicles, supporting client viewing, handling translation and keeping every moving part aligned across a tight timeline.
For BEAM, good delivery means combining structure with flexibility. In this case, that meant strong central project management, trusted local expertise, rigorous respondent checks and careful operational planning from the outset.
Each part of the process helped reduce risk. Together, they gave the client confidence that a complex clinic in an unfamiliar market could be delivered smoothly.
THE RESULT
The clinic was successfully delivered in Frankfurt, with the right respondents, the right environment and the right operational support in place.
BEAM and its local partner managed the key delivery requirements across recruitment, venue, vehicles, moderation, translation, AV, streaming, incentives and client hosting.
The result was a controlled, professional and insight-ready automotive clinic that allowed respondents to engage properly with the vehicles and provide considered feedback.
THE LEARNING
International automotive research needs more than a good venue and available respondents.
It needs trusted local expertise, robust verification, specialist moderation, secure logistics, technical planning and clear communication across every stage.
This project showed that when central oversight and local delivery work together, complex international fieldwork can be delivered at pace without compromising quality.
For automotive clinics in particular, the strongest outcomes come when recruitment rigour, venue suitability, vehicle handling, AV infrastructure and client experience are all treated as essential from day one.
Planning an automotive clinic or complex international fieldwork project?
We can combine high-quality recruitment, trusted local delivery, and close project oversight to deliver research that runs smoothly from brief to event day.
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