succeet: Many companies started in their own garage. What was it like for you? How did EARSandEYES come about?

Frank Lüttschwager: It wasn't a garage, it was living rooms and kitchens. The first project that eventually led to the creation of EARSandEYES was something we all did in our free time and weekends, in addition to our day jobs. It involved interviewing children and young people about games. Back then - in 1998 - we had the good idea (in retrospect, I suppose) to try it over the Internet. In the end, it worked so well that we decided to turn the project into a company and founded EARSandEYES in 1999. So we had a 100% home office phase long before Corona.

succeet: What have been the key milestones over the past 25 years?

Frank Lüttwschwager: It all started in 1999, of course, with the courage to set up a company and start our own business.  Just one year later, we were able to win over the first major brands. At least a few that were curious and willing to experiment; online research was still controversial and hotly and critically debated at the time. For me personally, 2006 is also important, it's the year the FAMS training programme was created and we were there from the start.  It continued in 2010 when we were one of the first institutes to relaunch our software and optimise all surveys for mobile devices.  In 2013, we released the first 3D version of our Virtual Shelf and since that first version, we have continued to develop this tool for a wide variety of shopping situations, so that today we offer checkout shelves, chiller cabinets, magazine racks, pharmacy shelves and, of course, a virtual online shop.

In 2017, we expanded our portfolio with our DIY/DIT market research solution kvest, which has been received very well in the market from the very beginning.  We actually had the idea for this back in 1999, but at the time it was not possible to realize it in this form in terms of technology or content.

In 2000, we won the BVM Innovation Award with our Touchpoint Optimizer, of which we are still very proud. And now we are celebrating 25 years of EARSandEYES and will of course continue to evolve and reinvent ourselves.

succeet: What unforgettable moments do you like to look back on?

Frank Lüttschwager: There are many little experiences. To name just a few: Founding the company, of course. Hiring the first employee. My first GOR in Nuremberg in 1999. Organizing the GOR 2008 in Hamburg. Being elected to the BVM advisory board. And various Christmas parties, which were often an experience.

succeet: What are your plans for the future? Where do you see EARSandEYES in 25 years?

Frank Lüttschwager: In 25 years, we will hopefully still stand for innovation, reliability, quality and service.  But we will certainly be a very different company than we are today. And it would be pure Spökenkiekerei (that is a northern german word for some sort of scrying) to predict this in detail , because I am convinced that market research will change in many ways over the next 25 years. Even more than it has changed over the past 25 years. The best thing for me would be to be invited to the 50th anniversary celebrations. That would mean that both the company and I will be doing well in 25 years' time.

succeet: Mr Lüttschwager, thank you for the interview and all the best for you and your team!