"We've been using Pearlfinders for over 2 years in the US and about 4 years in the UK (I work across our global new business function and find it invaluable for our new business programmes in both markets).

Both in the UK and US we've won business as a direct result of Pearlfinders leads - more than that, we've found it critical to developing really strong relationships with prospects - the quality of the reporting means that I can go in with a clear view of what the issues are and a clear idea of where we can add value, without having to take time and establish this with the prospect myself. This allows me to cut to the chase and makes me look more knowledgeable! We've even found it really useful for monitoring news about our actual clients and their competitors (sometimes with stuff they haven't told us!)

I'd say there are at least 7 stories per week in the US that we will react to on some level - be it straightforward approaches, a feed into our database for an approach in the future, or a forward to one of our account teams. About 4 of these each week I will react to specifically with a tailored approach. Worth bearing in mind that there are also 'issues' based stories that feed into a new business programme at a less tangible, but no less valuable level.

Pearlfinders has become integral to our new business programmes in both the UK and the US - their database of contacts and archived stories is also massively valuable to us when planning. It's the quality of the stories and the investigation that really makes the difference. I've used a number of other services and it's clear to me that whoever is doing the reporting at Pearlfinders is clearly a new business person, not a 'researcher' - there's really a massive difference in what they pick up and get out of companies - and it's clear they really understand the sort of issues and challenges new business people face. It's really second nature now to consult Pearlfinders on a daily basis.

My only real criticisms are with the site itself, which I think is slightly less user friendly (and less pretty) than some of the others on the market - having said that, it's the quality of content that you're really paying for and that's really going to work for you - and the site is quite functional (I hear rumours they're going to be overhauling it at some point anyway...) 
We looked at their direct competitors in the States and in the UK. Like I said, the thing that really stands out (in both markets) is the quality of the Pearlfinders' content. In my view it boils down to new biz professionals vs. researchers who aren't really connected to the things they're trying to find out."

Zeyd Rahman
Group New Business Director