Frequently Asked Questions FAQ The Lounge

The Lounge FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – The Lounge

What is The Lounge?

The Lounge is an online community where members of the public can complete online surveys and take part in in-person sessions, such as online focus groups and depth interviews, to monetise their time and input. We want The Lounge to be more than just surveys or cash incentives; we strive to make it more rewarding than ever. Not only will you be entered into additional free prize draws and league tables over time, but you will also be contributing to saving the planet through our tree-planting scheme. For more paid surveys, you can visit websites such as MoneySavingExperts.

The Lounge is powered by Vision One Research Ltd, a full-service strategic insight agency with a history spanning over 20 years. Vision One is fully GDPR compliant (your privacy matters to us) and a Certified Member of the Market Research Society. We are also ISO 20252 accredited, which is the only specialist market research accreditation, with only 100 or so agencies worldwide being accredited. The Lounge was previously known as You-Say but has now been completely overhauled.

Yes! Anyone over the age of 16 living in the UK who is keen to share their views and experiences – so there are no restrictions and we welcome people from all backgrounds of life.

There are many benefits to joining The Lounge and our community. On one hand, you’ll have the chance to influence a range of companies from start-ups to charities and international household names.
But there is more to it than helping all kinds of organisations improve; you will also benefit from being part of it while earning rewards and incentives from the comfort of your own sofa! Active members will be automatically entered into any free prize draws and competitions.

Simply create an account by filling in your full name, email address, postcode, and year of birth. Once you have done this, you will receive an email asking you to activate your account. You will then be able to access your unique profile and answer different sets of questions giving as much or as little information you wish to. This will help us send you personalised online surveys and invitations to take part in in-person sessions.

If you have taken part in a survey in the period after the previous draw, you will be eligible for our regular prize draws and your name will be automatically added. You will be notified by email or by phone, and once confirmed, your payment will be made into your account.

Winners will be announced on our website, but full details will not be given – e.g. only an Initial and Surname and county will be provided to ensure anonymity. As a guide, the more members we have in the Lounge, the more frequent and more prizes we will hand out.

If you have accumulated any points/money with The Lounge, then this has effectively been transferred over so you will not lose any points unless your account has been inactive for over 12 months and will be closed. Contact support@cint.com if you have any enquiries.

Absolutely not! Some panels will ask you to pay a fee for joining, but this is not the case with The Lounge.

The reward depends on the length of the survey, but you will typically receive between 50p and £4 per survey. You will also be automatically entered into our free prize draws, which will take place from time to time with the chance to win spot prizes. You simply need to remain an active member of our community. To stand a better chance of being invited, sign up to our community.

The incentive depends on the type of research and length of the session, but you will typically receive between £50 and £100.

If you attend an in-person focus group, then these are typically paid immediately after the group. Online focus groups will be paid electronically within a week of the group

We collect only the information you choose to share with us. You decide what profile information you want to complete. The three broad types of information we collect are:

  • Information you directly provide us;
  • Information about your use and interaction with The Lounge and;
  • Information collected through the platform, application, third parties or other websites

Your profile information is stored in a cloud server system and is protected behind a powerful firewall. All sensitive data is highly encrypted and is only ever connected to your member ID to ensure high-level security for all of your information.

Your information is used to determine whether you are eligible for our research. We do not collect your information and sell it to third-party sources.

  • Your information is collected to determine your eligibility to participate in the research. This information is not sold to any third-party sources.

When you participate in a survey or other forms of research, the submitted responses are provided to businesses as anonymous data. This means we never provide answers or profile information in ways that would allow you to be personally identified (unless you provide us express permission to do so). Our full Privacy Policy is on our website.

We avoid informing people of the brand we are working for until the personnel are recruited for the role. There are a few reasons for doing this. The main issue is we don’t want you to have a pre-defined opinion. The work might be for a specific company but might be looking into the sector as a whole, so we don’t want any bias coming into how people answer the screening questions. Before the research begins, you will be informed of the brand.

We ask for a range of information in our forms is to ensure you are the right for the research! We ask for basic information such as your location and contact us details as standard. The questions afterwards determine whether you fall into the correct target audience or demographics needed to qualify. Without this information, we can’t ascertain whether you meet the criteria set by the client, and unfortunately, you may not be eligible for the focus group.

Your profile information is stored in our cloud server system, protected behind a powerful firewall operated by CINT and/or ourselves. All sensitive data is highly encrypted and is only ever connected to your Member ID to ensure high-level security for all of your information. Our Privacy Policy ensures the responses you submit during an activity are in a de-identified format when passed to the business. Contact support@cint.com if you have any enquiries.

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Your top 7 questions answered for The Lounge.

The Lounge is Vision One’s research community of curious, opinion-sharing people who want to shape the future of brands. By taking part in paid research — from surveys to focus groups — you help companies improve products and services. Your voice genuinely influences real decisions.

You might join online focus groups, relaxed discussions, one-to-one interviews, product tests, or quick surveys. Topics range from food, travel and tech to finance, retail and lifestyle. No two studies are the same — which keeps things interesting. We also do mystery shopping, accompanied shopping trips, depth interviews or online surveys.

Not at all! We don’t want “experts” — we want real people. Your everyday opinions, habits, and experiences are exactly what businesses need to hear. If you can share honest feedback, you’re qualified.

Not all research is paid and there are times we are reliant on the public to help for free. However, in such cases where possible we do like to offer a free prize draw to give everyone the opportunity to win. However, our qualitative projects do pay well as they typically require 30mins up to a few hours. Focus groups typically pay around £70-100 for a 90-minute session.

It’s quick, free and simple. Complete a short registration form so we can learn a little about you. This helps us match you with relevant opportunities. Once you’re in, we’ll email you when suitable studies arise. More details here on how to join.

Absolutely. Your personal details are secure and used only for research purposes. We never sell your data. Anything you say is anonymised before being shared, so your privacy is always protected. (Note, We do not ask you to provide any official documents)

Vision One is an established, professional research agency working with leading brands. Our studies are well organised, respectful of your time, and fairly rewarded. The Lounge isn’t just about surveys — it’s about meaningful participation with real impact. We truly value your input and support.

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Market research is beneficial for a wide range of businesses, from small startups to large multinational corporations. It helps companies understand their target audience, identify market trends, and refine their marketing strategies. 

Industries such as retail, finance, technology, and healthcare can leverage market research to enhance customer satisfaction, improve product offerings, and make informed decisions. 

By investing in market research, businesses can better align their products and services with consumer needs, ultimately driving growth and profitability.

We deliver a comprehensive suite of market research solutions designed to drive strategic growth. Our top market research company services include

Our market research services are enhanced by advanced analytics, including sentiment analysis, regression modelling and predictive insights. This ensures a holistic understanding of your audience and market trends, tailored precisely to your research objectives.

Our research methodologies include:

Vision One is a leading customer research agency helping firms truly understand their audiences and deliver exceptional experiences. Our services include customer experience (CX) research, customer satisfaction studies (cSat), and customer segmentation to reveal what drives loyalty and behaviour. Combining advanced analytics with qualitative insight and customer journey mapping, we uncover the ‘why’ behind customer decisions—empowering businesses to enhance experiences, build stronger relationships, and drive sustainable growth.

Data integrity is at the heart of our research process. We are ISO 20252-accredited and utilise robust sampling frameworks, meticulous data validation techniques and continuous quality monitoring throughout the research lifecycle. 

Every dataset undergoes thorough checks to ensure accuracy, reliability, and compliance with industry standards, including MRS, ESOMAR and GDPR guidelines.

Project timelines depend on the complexity and scope of the research. However, most projects are completed within 2 to 6 weeks, balancing speed with rigorous quality standards. Clearly, cSat and brand tracking projects last for the duration of the contract. 

We work closely with your team to establish timelines that meet your goals without compromising data depth or analytical precision.

We work with companies of all sizes, from small businesses (SMEs) to the world’s largest international brands, and market research is important to them all. 

Our clients include advertising and PR agencies, financial servicesfood and drink,packaging research, FMCGhousing, local government, luxury and fashionsocial researchtravel and tourism, manufacturing and brands, service providers and associations.

For any business, market research agencies possess a deep understanding of research and how to achieve the desired results. It’s about understanding customer needs, market demand, pricing strategies and industry trends. It supports innovation, validates business ideas, and ensures that marketing messages are effectively targeted. Businesses that invest in consistent market research are better positioned to respond to market changes, create and attract loyal customers and maximise ROI.

Here are the addresses for  some of the  UK’s top market research companies in London, specialising in full-service research

  1. Vision One Research – 85-87 Bayham Street, Camden, London, NE1 0AG
  2. Brandspeak – 1st Floor, London, W8 6SN
  3. Ipsos – 3 Thomas More St, London, E1W 1YW
  4. Savanta – 60 Great Portland St, London, W1W 7RT
  5. System1 – 52 Bedford Row Holborn, London, WC1R 4LR
  6. Kantar – 30 Stamford St, London, SE1 9LQ
  7. B2B International – 10 Triton St, London, NW1 3BF

Vision One is committed to ethical practices in market research by adhering to industry standards and guidelines set by organisations such as the Market Research Society (MRS) and ESOMAR. This includes obtaining informed consent from participants, ensuring data confidentiality, and maintaining transparency throughout the research process. 

By prioritising ethical considerations, Vision One builds trust with clients and participants alike, ensuring that the research conducted is not only effective but also responsible and respectful of individual rights.

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