These are some of the comments members have made about the egroup:
"As a newbie, I'm struck by how lively and helpful it is on here!"
“From the egroup we have had plenty of new business opportunities; loads of help, advice and support; lots of new learning; so much fun and laughs; broadened horizons; great new contacts and companionship. And that is why the ICG is so popular, and why there is so much emotional warmth attached to belonging to it.”
"Since being part of the ICG I feel I have a brilliant 'team' of senior, trustworthy contacts with expertise in many more disciplines than I ever had at my fingertips when I was employed by one of the largest UK MR agencies."
"Thanks to all the very many indies who contacted me with help on the above. I really don't know how I managed before the egroup."
"Being part of such a supportive network has helped our business hugely... the e-forum proves to be so rich and vibrant on a daily basis."
"I think this is the best source of advice available, and I value it very highly indeed."
"I am so glad for this job [freelance researcher] and being lucky enough to be a pretty hands on parent [with young children] as well as continuing with a career! And thank goodness for organizations like the ICG that help so much too!"
"This is why this networker group is so useful - hadn't thought to ask this question but got some useful ideas from the discussion."
"Thanks to all who replied to me offline and so quickly, with the real lowdown on [topic]. As has been said many times before, once again the eGroup comes up with the goods. Manifestly, as a collective, the ICG membership has done everything or knows someone else who has, knows everything or everyone or knows someone else who does etc. It's a bit like having a highly specialised yet totally eclectic and far more authoritative Google at our disposal."
"Can I say just how impressed I am by the expertise, wit, and goodwill in this eGroup."
[After a request for help of a very specialist kind from members] "Many thanks to everybody who replied to this enquiry. Much appreciated. Some MOST impressive capabilities have surfaced!"
"Just to say how great I find this group. Any number of queries that I have, appear on the egroup and I get the answers."
"Thank you to all who replied to my e-mail regarding Security Software. I am extremely grateful. The advice and comments received were brilliant. This group is terrific. In a world where it can be all to easy to come across things to winge and complain about, it's a real joy to be part of something so positive."
"I can't help comparing the benefit I get from being privy to all this correspondence (often on issues which otherwise have not crossed my path, though you never know when they might) with what now seems to have been a rather insular existence when I worked for an international research company. Long may it - there are many issues where I feel privileged to have been able to benefit from others' experience."
"Great forum. It's worth being part of ICG just for this."
"It is the best source of support, advice and help in the whole market research industry."
"Hi all - with answers on and off line my problem is addressed in less than half an hour. Thank you e-Group"
"I couldn't have pitched for a recent job without the assistance and recommendations of the egroup, and now I've got it - I think the egroup is brilliant and is the main reason I recommend ICG to other indies I know."
"Thanks to all who sent in their suggestions. All those I've been in contact with have been very helpful. Well done the ICG egroup!"
"Thanks to everyone who has responded to my request - another fantastic example of the range and quality of suggestions that the egroup generates (and so quickly!)"
"I used to buy [a specific source], but now I just ask the egroup for recommendations for suppliers - MUCH more satisfactory."
"Wanted to thank everybody for their help and support with the requests for help I've sent out in recent weeks, the response has been fantastic. Very much appreciated."
"A big thank you to all those who have brought me into the twenty-first century, with PC based statistical tests and other suggestions. Long live the egroup !"
"Thanks to all who have responded to me on this... gives just what I need and the links supplied - were also appreciated - And all this over a weekend! Many thanks again."
"I've learned a lot from the replies to some queries on issues I'd never even considered before"
"Many thanks indeed to all who made a response to my request. As ever ICG delivers. I LOVE this resource!!"
"Thanks again for your help, the group has saved me from an emotional reaction, which as you say would not have achieved anything."
"I have never been part of a more knowledgeable, forward thinking supportive group."
“ICG provides me with a much valued group dynamic, shared experience and cameraderie. Most importantly, as a consequence of these (mainly virtual) connections I have been able to tell all my clients that, whenever necessary, I have access to a vast resource of the UK's/world's most experienced research professionals. This has certainly been beneficial to my business.”
"I love the way the group always has an answer for everything; I am certain no agency (however illustrious) could ever match our collective knowledge."
"I have just spent 3 hours revising a presentation only to see it disappear before my eyes as I tried to transfer it to a memory stick… Does anyone have any techie wisdom they can impart as to how on earth I can retrieve my file? Please tell me it's not lost for good, I can't quite believe it… Yours in nauseous anticipation… [A short while later] File recovered!! Thanks to the genius of the advice I received (and some recovery software that cost me £20 but who cares) my file is recovered!! I am speechless. And eternally grateful once again to the wonderful ICG. Thank you so much for all your lovely messages!”
"I feel that we are all here for each other, and quite apart from the expertise that is available on tap, we have the help and the co-operation, and that is a wonderful and reassuring feeling."