TNS Partners With Sister Company Compete to Launch Web Performance Optimiser (WPO)

NEW YORK, Feb. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- TNS, the world's largest custom research company, today announced a new web evaluation service, Web Performance Optimiser, which not only identifies areas of a brand's website that are underperforming but also recommends how they can enhance their website for optimal performance.

The new service, WPO, combines the website evaluation capabilities of TNS WebEval™, with the dynamic web analytics of Compete.  TNS WebEval™ uncovers specific issues that are causing underperformance, as well as giving guidance on the best ways to enhance the site. And when combined with Compete's ability to analyze consumer behaviour across the entire Web, including search term usage and conversion activities within brand sites, WPO provides clients with an in-depth understanding of their visitors and precisely how to attract and engage with them.

"The WPO approach takes a holistic view that is unmatched in the industry.  With WPO we're able to optimise the online customer experience by understanding the current online environment in a given category, followed by in-depth website usability testing.  This helps our clients' on site organization, content, and design in the overall online context," said Melinda Smith de Borrero, Senior Vice President of TNS.

Compete's sample of two million U.S. Internet users is the largest integrated panel in the industry and provides marketers with deep insight into how consumers use the Web in their daily interactions with brands and media companies. Compete's panellists have given permission to analyse the web pages they visit across all of the sites they frequent -- whether they're watching, searching, shopping or socializing online. The combination of industry benchmarking, competitive web analytics and expert website evaluation creates invaluable information for companies who are looking to improve their marketing.

"An optimal on-line experience is the key driver for attracting and engaging consumers to websites and other digital touch-points," said Jordi Ferrer, Head of TNS Digital. "By being able to provide specific and actionable recommendations from the design and functionality to the usability and content of the site, we are able to help our clients optimise the on-line experience of their consumers and as a result maximise ROI in their digital assets."

About TNS

TNS, who recently merged with Research International, is the world's largest custom research agency delivering actionable insights and research-based business advice to its clients so they can make more effective business decisions. TNS offers comprehensive industry knowledge within the Consumer, Technology, Finance, Automotive and Political & Social sectors, supported by a unique product offering that stretches across the entire range of marketing and business issues, specialising in product development & innovation, brand & communication, stakeholder management, retail & shopper, and qualitative research. Delivering best-in-class service across more than 75 countries, TNS is part of Kantar, the world's largest research, insight and consultancy network.

For more information please visit us at: www.tns-us.com.

The Kantar Group

The Kantar Group is one of the world's largest research, insight and consultancy networks. By uniting the diverse talents of more than 20 specialist companies -- including the recently-acquired TNS -- the group aims to become the pre-eminent provider of compelling and actionable insights for the global business community. Its 26,500 employees work across 80 countries and across the whole spectrum of research and consultancy disciplines, enabling the group to offer clients business insights at each and every point of the consumer cycle. The group's services are employed by over half of the Fortune Top 500 companies.  The Kantar Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of WPP Group plc. For further information, please visit www.kantargrouptns.com

About Compete

Compete, a unit of TNS Media, helps the world's top brands improve their marketing based on the online behavior of millions of consumers. Leading marketers such as Carlson Hotels Worldwide, Hyundai Motor America, Upromise, Chrysler, and Verizon Wireless rely on Compete's services to create effective online experiences and highly profitable advertising campaigns. Compete's online behavior database -- the largest in the industry -- makes the web as ingrained in marketing as it is in people's lives.

Compete was founded in 2000 and is located in Boston, MA, with offices throughout the U.S. For more information about us, please visit http://www.competeinc.com/, or to join the conversation visit http://www.compete.com/.

SOURCE TNS