Monday, May 14, 2012

The University of North Carolina Wilmington today announced a strategic partnership with OpinionLab, the pioneer and global leader in Voice of Customer (VoC) feedback. The new partnership empowers student learning and faculty research to advance the state of the industry, and creates new connections between UNCW and local technology leaders.

"UNCW students and faculty are known for their knowledge, excitement and excellence," said Rand Nickerson, CEO of OpinionLab. "This drove our recent decision to open a new office in Wilmington, and we've already benefited from our strong relationship with the UNCW community. As a company built on research and innovation, we're excited to take the next step and establish a formal partnership with this great institution."

"We're very excited about this opportunity for UNCW faculty and students to work with OpinionLab," said Drew Rosen, faculty member in UNCW's Cameron School of Business. "OpinionLab's leading Voice of Customer solution and rapidly-growing business offer exciting opportunities for hands on learning for our undergraduate and post-graduate students."

Community partnerships are a key element of Chancellor Gary L. Miller's vision for UNC Wilmington, and the agreement with OpinionLab resulted from Miller's focus on community partnership initiatives.

Elements of the partnership will include:

• 6-10 paid summer research grants with OpinionLab for UNCW students, with the option for the company to keep students on past the summer, as well as increase the number of students accepted each year. Student researchers gain hands-on experience to enhance their classroom learning while completing projects that are directly relevant to OpinionLab's Fortune 1000 customer base.
• Establishment of a four-member data analysis team of UNCW faculty to serve as an advisory council to OpinionLab, as well as student mentors.
• Funding for graduate-level student research focused on data analysis, VoC and marketing
• Access to OpinionLab's enterprise customer feedback system to be used in the classroom and for student projects
• Incorporation of customer service surveys through mobile applications developed by faculty member Ron Vetter and students.

About OpinionLab
OpinionLab is the pioneer and global leader in Voice of Customer (VoC) feedback innovation with over a decade of success and a dozen patents on major VoC advancements.  Starting with the familiar [+] feedback symbol, the company's end-to-end solution suite allows clients to improve the omni-channel experience with precise, real-time intelligence into what customers need and want. Nearly half of the Fortune 50 including Walmart, Bank of America, and Ford Motor Company, choose OpinionLab for actionable VoC insight across web, mobile, store and product touchpoints.  For more information, visit OpinionLab online, read the blog or follow Voice of Customer on Twitter.

About The University of North Carolina Wilmington
The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state's coastal university, is dedicated to the integration of teaching and mentoring with research and service. Our academic programs stimulate creative inquiry, critical thinking, thoughtful expression and responsible citizenship through an array of high-quality baccalaureate and master's degrees as well as doctoral programs in marine biology and educational leadership. Substantial research activity, combined with our hallmark teaching excellence and moderate size, advances distinctive student involvement in faculty scholarship. We are committed to enriching the quality of life through scholarly community engagement and strong community partnerships in such areas as health, education, the economy, the environment, marine and coastal issues, and the arts. For more information, visit www.uncw.edu.