A newspaper publisher is seeking to understand the needs of readers better after awarding a market research contract to a media consultancy.

Iliffe News and Media has appointed Press Ahead to oversee a significant research project, which will help it to broaden its services and maximise sales.

The specialist consultancy, which was set up in 2004 by former Trinity Mirror executive Russell Borthwick, will review Iliffe’s products across five marketplaces, covering Cambridge, Burton-on-Trent, Milton Keynes and two locations in Hertfordshire.

And the research will target readers, web users and non-readers with in-paper, online and on-street questionnaires, followed by a series of focus groups.

Andy Gough, managing director of Iliffe Digital, said: “We are really keen to attain a clearer view of our online customers’ profiles, interests and reading habits, and to identify ways that we can improve our product positioning to make our on and offline news and information services more appealing to them.

“It is increasingly important that we fully understand how best to utilise our various delivery channels to meet customer needs.”

Meanwhile, a continuing project by Press Ahead for DC Thomson, which started in 2008, is introducing a new customer relationship management system to help the firm develop non-traditional revenue streams.

DC Thomson has already brought in a direct-to-consumer sales department, a new telephony system and a new e-commerce website, while it has also established relationships with suppliers to assist with subscription services and orders.

John Thomson, business unit head at DC Thomson, said: “This project represents the first steps for us on a really important journey, and we already feel that we’ve gone some way towards improving our service and joining up our processes.”

Press Ahead has previously worked on schemes with Johnston Press, Archant, the Oldham Chronicle and the CN Group.