What SOM does

SOM inc. is a Quebec-based marketing research and strategy firm founded in 1986 in Quebec City, operating from headquarters at 3340 rue de La Pérade in Quebec City and a secondary office at 700 René-Lévesque Blvd West in Montreal. The firm collects, analyzes, and visualizes data to help primarily Quebec-based businesses, government agencies, HR departments, and sectoral labor committees (CSMOs) make informed decisions. Service lines span customer experience (CX) management, employee experience (EX) management, public opinion polling, sector diagnostics, market sizing, competitive analysis, focus group moderation (including Lego Serious Play), and statistical analysis, delivered through a mix of project-based professional services and recurring offerings such as the SOM-R quarterly telephone omnibus (1,000 Quebec adults, including non-Internet users) and SOMniweb monthly web omnibus drawn from the proprietary Gold Panel.

The technology stack is anchored by the Qualtrics XM platform, where SOM holds Gold Consulting Partner status, and by Bain & Company's MyCX suite, where SOM became the first certified implementation partner in North America in April 2024. SOM operates proprietary assets including the Gold Panel (one of Quebec's largest consumer panels), the Social Media Vox Pop tool that uses Facebook and Instagram behavioral segmentation, a web interception and mobile feedback system (SOM-UX), and the SOM Online Community platform supporting up to 15,000 members per community. The firm is SOC 2 Type 2 certified (AICPA) and has received Gallup USA's Best Global Supplier Award for data collection quality.

SOM monetizes through project-based marketing research engagements, recurring omnibus and online community subscriptions, focus group facility rentals in Quebec City and Montreal, Qualtrics/MyCX implementation and consulting, and digital training programs led by senior researcher Vincent Bouchard. Its GTM is sales-led, combining direct client engagement via the website and phone, partner referrals through Qualtrics and Bain & Company, and content marketing through its blog and social channels (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). Leadership includes President Julie Fortin and Vice President of Customer Experience and Innovation Francis Pelletier.

Name

SOM

Legal name

SOM inc.

Website

https://som.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SOM inc. is a Quebec-based marketing research and strategy firm, founded in 1986, that provides customer experience, employee experience, public opinion polling, and sector diagnostics to Quebec businesses, government agencies, and HR organizations via the Qualtrics XM platform and Bain's MyCX suite.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Market Research Services

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Competitive & Market Intelligence (Competitive Tracking, TAM/SAM/SOM) (MPAAALAL)

Keywords

• Market research services
• Customer experience management
• Public opinion polling
• Employee engagement surveys
• Focus group research

Headquarters

HQ city

Quebec

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Marketing Research Services: Professional services including market research studies, customer experience measurement, employee engagement surveys, public opinion polls, sector diagnostics, and program evaluations. Provided on project basis to businesses and government organizations.
2. Omnibus Surveys: Quarterly telephone (SOM-R) and monthly web (SOMniweb) omnibus surveys where multiple clients insert questions in same questionnaire, achieving cost savings through shared respondent pool of 1,000 Quebecers per survey.
3. Focus Group Facilities Rental: Rental of state-of-the-art focus group facilities in Quebec City including audiovisual equipment, observation rooms, moderator services, participant recruitment, and catering. Also available in Montreal.
4. Training Services: Digital training programs covering marketing research fundamentals, customer experience management, employee experience management, and industry analysis. Led by expert Vincent Bouchard with 25+ years experience.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SOM is a Quebec-based marketing research firm that collects and analyzes data to help businesses and government organizations make informed decisions. The firm delivers customer experience management, employee experience measurement, public opinion polling, sector diagnostics, omnibus surveys (SOM-R and SOMniweb), and focus group research. SOM operates as a Gold Consulting Partner for Qualtrics and the first certified MyCX implementation partner of Bain & Company in North America, providing both proprietary research instruments and partner-platform consulting.

Product overview

SOM is a Quebec-based marketing research and strategy firm offering a portfolio of research products and services. The core offering includes CX Management (customer experience management) and Employee Experience Management solutions, both delivered through the Qualtrics XM platform with SOM's consulting expertise. The product suite also includes SOM-R and SOMniweb (omnibus surveys reaching 1,000 Quebecers via telephone and web), Social Media Vox Pop (social media-based surveys and recruitment), SOM Online Community (panel management platform), and Lego Serious Play facilitation. SOM operates as a Gold Consulting Partner for Qualtrics and first certified implementation partner for MyCX by Bain & Company in North America. The company provides a full range of research methods including surveys, focus groups, in-depth interviews, online groups, biometrics, data mining, usability tests, and web interceptions, complemented by professional services such as market research, public opinion polls, sector diagnostics, statistical analysis, and training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SOM-R: Telephone omnibus survey reaching 1,000 Quebec adults quarterly, including non-Internet users.
• SOMNIWEB
• Social Media Vox Pop
• CX Management
• Employee Experience (EX)
• SOM Online Community
• Lego Serious Play

Products and services

• CX Management (Customer Experience Management)

Quantifiable outcome

• Reaches 1,000 Quebecers per omnibus survey through rigorous sampling and weighting methodology
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Bain & Company / MyCXcoreTechnology or Integration · 23 April 2024SOM became the first certified implementation partner of MyCX by Bain & Company in North America in April 2024. This partnership enables SOM to offer Bain's renowned suite of predictive CX tools and technology including the Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Net Promoter System. MyCX develops tools that bring together Bain's customer-centric expertise in an accessible format for business leaders worldwide.
• QualtricscoreTechnology or IntegrationSOM is a Gold Consulting Partner in the Qualtrics Partner Network, one of a small number globally to achieve Gold status. As the reference for Qualtrics implementation in Quebec, SOM provides certified expertise across all Qualtrics XM platform modules including customer experience, employee experience, and core XM solutions. SOM attends Qualtrics X4 Summit annually to stay current with innovations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Environics Research: Environics Research is a Toronto-based social and consumer research firm known for public opinion and segmentation studies. Comparable to SOM on public opinion polling, social research, and consumer insights, though with a broader Canadian rather than Quebec focus.
• Angus Reid Group: Angus Reid Group is a Canadian market research and public opinion firm known for its Angus Reid Institute panel and polling. Directly comparable to SOM on Canadian public opinion polling, panel-based research, and consumer insights, with a national rather than Quebec focus.
• Maru/Blue: Maru/Blue is a Canadian technology-led market research firm offering sample, panels, and custom research. Overlaps with SOM on Quebec and Canadian panel operations, survey methodology, and CX research for enterprise clients.
• CROP (CROP Recherche): CROP is a Quebec-based market research firm with long-standing presence in Montreal. Directly comparable to SOM on Quebec consumer research, public opinion polling, and sector diagnosis services for Quebec businesses and government.
• Léger: Léger is the largest Canadian-owned market research and analytics firm, headquartered in Montreal with deep Quebec roots. Directly comparable to SOM across market research, public opinion polling, CX/EX research, and panel-based methodology. The clearest direct competitor for Quebec enterprise and government work.
• Abacus Data: Abacus Data is a Canadian public opinion and market research firm offering polling, surveys, and strategic research to Canadian organizations and media. Comparable to SOM's polling and research service offering, with overlap in political/policy polling and consumer research.

Others

• Qualtrics (Partner Ecosystem): Qualtrics is the experience management platform of which SOM is a Gold Consulting Partner. While not a peer in services, Qualtrics is an enabling ecosystem relationship that defines SOM's CX/EX research delivery model and a major source of referral flow.
• Bain & Company (MyCX): Bain & Company's MyCX is a customer experience offering of which SOM is the first certified implementation partner in North America. As with Qualtrics, Bain is an ecosystem enabler rather than a competitor; SOM's MyCX certification shapes its enterprise CX advisory positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Nielsen IQ: Nielsen IQ is a global measurement and data analytics firm covering consumer research, retail measurement, and consumer insights. Relevant overlap with SOM's consumer insights and market research offerings, though Nielsen's scale and product breadth go far beyond Quebec-specific research.
• Ipsos: Ipsos is one of the world's largest market research and public opinion firms with significant Canadian operations including Montreal. Overlaps with SOM on survey research, omnibus studies, public opinion polling, and CX measurement, but at much larger global scale and across many other verticals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SOM_inc
• Facebookfacebook.com/SOM-inc-565147403674666
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/10615522
• Instagraminstagram.com/som.ca

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SOM