What is it like working with Abacus Data?
When people ask me what it’s like to work with Abacus Data, I tell them it’s a bit like flying business class for the first time: suddenly you realize how smooth and easy the journey can be when you’ve got the right partner looking after every detail.
We’re not a vendor.
We’re not just researchers.
We’re your co-pilot.
We help you ask better questions, uncover the truths and unmet needs others miss, and tell stories that resonate because we know the real value of research isn’t the data, it’s the decisions it helps you make and influence.
Our entire approach is built around something we call enlightened hospitality. It’s not just about timelines and deliverables, it’s about how we treat people. We lead every engagement with professionalism, warmth, and responsiveness. You’ll get clear roles, real-time transparency and constant updates that helps you feel confident, not left in the dark.
What makes this possible is our team. We try to live by a set of fundamentals – from “do the right thing, always” to “deliver enlightened hospitality” to “go beyond description and tell them what it means.” These aren’t just posters on a wall. They shape how we show up every day: thoughtful, curious, rigorous, and relentlessly focused on our clients’ success.
We obsess over quality. Every report, every dataset, every slide deck is a reflection of our standards and we sign our work in bold. If something doesn’t feel right, we double-check it. If a number moves in a tracking survey, we pause and ask, “Why?” We’re not afraid to flag issues or tell a client that the data isn’t ready because trust is built in those moments.
Our senior team is hands-on. When you work with Abacus, you’re not handed off to juniors. I still read the toplines, write the debriefs, and get into the weeds of every project that crosses my desk. I’m like that chef whose restaurant you excited to try for the first time. You want that chef cooking in the kitchen. That’s me along with Ihor, Eddie, Oksana, and others on our team. That’s how we ensure clarity, consistency, and depth in everything we do.
Our analysis blends data science and human insight. We use advanced analytics, AI-powered coding tools, and rigorous methods, but we always ground our findings in context and experience.
We don’t just say what the data shows. We explain what it means and how to act on it. That’s why our work gets noticed. It’s why governments, media, and major brands listen when we speak. And it’s why our clients often tell us, “That’s exactly what we needed to hear.”
But it’s not just about the insight, it’s about how we deliver it. We’ve designed our project management around making your job easier. You’ll always know what’s happening next, what we need from you, and when you’ll get the next deliverable. We anticipate roadblocks, solve problems without blame, and stay flexible to your shifting priorities.
We work across sectors – from retail to healthcare to housing to tech to labour to public policy – but what ties our work together is a deep understanding of human behaviour. We sit at the intersection of consumer, citizen, and worker attitudes, which gives us a 360° view of how people think and feel. That perspective helps our clients get ahead of emerging trends, identify unmet needs, and make bold, informed decisions.
We’re proudly independent and fiercely non-partisan. We don’t work for political parties, and we don’t skew the data to fit a narrative. Our job is to tell the truth, even when it’s inconvenient. That integrity has earned us the trust of organizations like the Canadian Medical Association, Google, WestJet, Interac, and many more.
At the heart of it all, we’re endlessly curious. We want to understand what’s changing, what people care about, and how our clients can lead through uncertainty. And we’re generous with what we learn, through briefings, webinars, media commentary, and day-to-day client work. We don’t hoard insight. We share it.
So if you’re looking for a research and strategy partner who will challenge your thinking, deliver clarity in a noisy world, and treat your problems like our own, then Abacus might be the right fit.
Send me a note and let’s dig in.
About Abacus Data
We are Canada’s most sought-after and influential full-service market and public opinion research agency.
But what we really do is identify the unmet needs of your audience and develop strategies for you to meet those unmet needs first.
Through qualitative and quantitative research methods, our deep experience and and wide perspective, we ask the right questions that capture insights, show you where things are going to be, and help our clients navigate some of their biggest challenges, deepen relationships with customers and stakeholders, and better understand the road ahead.
About David Coletto
David is one of Canada’s best known and most respected public opinion analysts, pollsters, and social researchers. He works with some of North America and Europe’s biggest and most respected brands, associations, and unions andis frequently called upon by news organizations,
to assess public opinion as events happen.
In January 2024, The Hill Times recognized him as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Canadian Politics noting, “when David Coletto releases polling numbers, Ottawa listens.”
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