Bridging the gap between figures and real-world meaning is one of the hardest parts of any consulting assignment. Numbers tell us what is happening, yet they rarely explain why. That is why leading teams combine qualitative research and quantitative research from the very first scoping call to the final board slide. In this mix, the humble expert call often becomes the hidden hero. By connecting you with specialists who have lived the data on factory floors, trading desks or hospital wards, these conversations validate charts, flag blind spots and give senior clients the confidence to act. In the pages below we explore how you can add this powerful tool to your workflow. Learn more at gethiros.com.
Bridging the Gap: How Consultants Use Expert Calls to Validate Quantitative Research
Why consultants combine qualitative research and quantitative research
Five moments when expert calls validate quantitative findings
Mini FAQ on combining qualitative research and quantitative research
Why consultants combine qualitative research and quantitative research
Consulting projects move fast, budgets are tight and decisions carry weight. Relying on one research style rarely satisfies demanding stakeholders. Quantitative techniques offer scale and statistical power, while qualitative conversations provide nuance, context and the rich language that brings a finding to life. When both streams flow together, we obtain evidence that is simultaneously broad and deep, repeatable and persuasive.
The strength and limits of numbers
Surveys, econometric models and panel data reveal patterns at speed. They highlight correlations, growth rates and confidence intervals that help us size a market or rank drivers of churn. Yet numbers on their own cannot judge whether a four percent uplift is material in a given industry or whether a variable hides a structural bias. Without a lived perspective small misinterpretations can snowball into misguided strategy.
The human insight behind the data
Qualitative interviews explore beliefs, motivations and causal mechanisms. They unpack counterintuitive spikes, clarify terminology and surface the social or regulatory triggers that algorithms miss. By turning respondents into storytellers we translate metrics into operational levers. However, samples are typically small, which makes external validation essential.
What are expert calls and why they matter
An expert call is a structured thirty to sixty minute conversation with a vetted subject-matter specialist (for instance a former VP Operations at a battery gigafactory or a pricing director at a regional airline). You share a research deck or key hypotheses in advance, then walk through questions that test each quantitative claim. The result is a rapid injection of frontline knowledge that either reinforces or redirects your analysis. Consultants appreciate this format for four main reasons:
Speed and flexibility (you can schedule several calls in forty-eight hours and pivot the guide in real time).
Credibility (clients trust insights that come straight from seasoned operators rather than anonymous survey averages).
Five moments when expert calls validate quantitative findings
Instrument design validation
Before launching a large survey we invite two or three senior practitioners to review the questionnaire. They check that definitions, ranges and scenario wording reflect current reality. A quick voice note of “this metric is no longer tracked” can save thousands of fieldwork dollars later.
Unexpected outlier explanation
Imagine your regression shows an outlier region where adoption is double the mean. A local expert may reveal that a subsidy expired last quarter, instantly turning a mystery into a strategic insight.
Assumption stress testing
During a financial model build we often hard-code key input bands (for example average downtime in a Tier II steel plant). On a call, experts can judge whether the chosen band is plausible or too optimistic, then point us to operational data sources if needed.
Scenario calibration through performance weighting
Borrowing from classical elicitation methods, we sometimes pose calibration questions with known answers. Experts who score higher receive more weight when we blend qualitative judgments into Monte Carlo runs, boosting reliability.
Triangulation at the synthesis stage
When the draft deck is ready we organise a final round of three to five calls. The goal is not to fish for new ideas but to confirm that the story resonates with reality. If at least seventy percent of experts agree that a recommendation is implementable within current regulations, we gain a robust green light.
A step by step workflow that bridges the gap
Phase | Quantitative task | Expert call task | Output
|
|---|---|---|---|
Scoping | Build hypothesis tree and draft top-down market model | Identify high-leverage knowledge gaps | Refined scope and list of target profiles |
Design | Create survey instrument and sampling frame | Run instrument through two senior operators | Final questionnaire with field-tested wording |
Fieldwork | Collect 400 to 1 000 responses | None or ad hoc follow-up on anomalies | Clean data set ready for analysis |
Analysis | Run statistical tests and segments | Hold calls to explain outliers and validate assumptions | Adjusted model with contextual notes |
Synthesis | Draft storyline and recommendations | Conduct final validation calls using weighting if needed | Board-ready deck with combined evidence |
Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
Recruiting generalists instead of niche insiders
Even at C-suite level some executives lack hands-on exposure to the exact metric you study. Prequalify by asking for concrete examples of recent decisions tied to that metric.
Leading questions during calls
Quantitative analysts sometimes share a graph before hearing the expert’s unprompted view. Instead open with broad prompts, then reveal numbers gradually to test for independent convergence.
Over-reliance on a single star expert
One charismatic voice can overshadow the body of evidence. Weigh input across multiple specialists and use calibration techniques as described earlier.
Ignoring cultural or regulatory context
A dataset from North America may not translate to Southeast Asia. Select experts who understand the specific market or run separate calls for each region.
Failing to integrate insights systematically
Great quotes get lost if they live only in call notes. Tag each comment to the relevant slide or cell in your model so that qualitative insights flow through every deliverable.
Mini FAQ on combining qualitative research and quantitative research
Why not run more focus groups instead of expert calls? Focus groups capture consumer sentiment but they rarely offer the depth of operational detail that consultants need for industrial or B2B topics. Expert calls go deeper on unit economics, compliance and process bottlenecks.
How many calls are enough? For a mid-size strategy case we find that five to seven calls at design stage and three to five at synthesis stage strike a balance between speed and insight saturation. More calls add diminishing returns unless the market is highly fragmented.
Should I record and transcribe every conversation? Yes, provided confidentiality agreements allow it. Transcripts let analysts clip verbatim evidence into memos, boosting traceability during client review.
What tools make integration easier? A shared evidence matrix linking survey variables to expert comments keeps teams aligned. Many consultants also use expert network platforms that automate vetting and scheduling.
Can expert input bias the quantitative analysis? Any qualitative data can introduce bias, which is why calibration questions and multiple independent experts are important. When their feedback converges with statistical signals credibility increases, not the other way around.
Bringing it all together for consulting firms
When you weave expert voices into datasets you offer clients a story that combines the scale of quantitative analysis with the depth of qualitative wisdom. This dual lens turns sterile tables into convincing narratives and positions you as a trusted partner capable of seeing both forest and trees. If you want to explore how tailored expert calls can elevate your next engagement, visit our dedicated page for consulting firms or read more about the art of expert calls in our blog post on expert calls.