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    • CMI – History & Milestones


    In 1989, Chet Zalesky, an experienced marketing researcher, founded ConsumerMetrics Inc. (dba CMI since 2002) on the premise that other marketing research companies were providing their clients with facts and reports but not with the information they needed to translate facts into solutions to marketing problems.  Zalesky’s vision was for CMI to act as a consultant to its clients by using knowledge of their business, their industry and their issues combined with research data and analyses.  CMI could then provide clients an in-depth understanding of how to align their products, services and strategies with their respective customers’ needs.  Although CMI began as a home-based business, Zalesky soon rented 800 square feet of office space in north Atlanta.  For the first nine months, until CMI’s growth justified bringing on an employee, Zalesky was the “chief cook and bottle washer.”  He met with clients and prospects, pitched ideas and solutions to marketing problems and issues, wrote proposals, designed and wrote surveys, managed research projects, analyzed results, wrote project reports, and presented clients with his research findings along with information-based marketing solutions.

    Fast forward to 2008

    Today, CMI is a rapidly growing, full-service marketing research firm that fulfills Zalesky’s vision.  In addition to offering a complete range of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, web-based research capabilities and multivariate techniques, CMI provides strategic and tactical marketing insights and a consultative approach that help its Fortune 1000 clients gain an in-depth understanding of how to align their products, services and strategies with customer needs.  

    With five consecutive years of double-digit growth, and 2007 revenues of more than $13 million, CMI is one of the largest marketing research companies headquartered in Georgia.

    CMI’s growth has been characterized by several key milestones as described below.

    1989 – Chet Zalesky founds ConsumerMetrics Inc. (dba as CMI since 2002).  Zalesky’s vision is to provide clients with information-based marketing solutions.  First clients are Marriott Hotels, Marriott Management Systems (later Sodexho Marriott Services; now known as Sodexho Inc. and still a CMI client) and KBLCOM Inc., a cable television company since acquired by Time Warner Inc. in 1995.

    1993 – Marriott Management Systems awards CMI a large business tracking study.

    1994 – CMI wins a project from Marriott Hotels in which the company does research for a consortium of Marriott, AT&T and Steelcase.  The study serves as the basis for the highly publicized “The Room That Works,” in which selected Marriott hotels offer rooms equipped with a large table, mobile writing desk, adjustable office chair, task lighting, power outlets and PC modem jack.

    1995 – CMI wins four additional large business tracking studies from Marriott Management Systems.

    1996 – CMI revenues surpass $1 million.

    1998 – Southern Company awards CMI the customer satisfaction studies for most of the energy holding company’s subsidiaries and business units.  (Today CMI handles all customer satisfaction studies for Southern.)

    1998 – In response to its growth, CMI develops a project team approach for each project, creating a new dynamic that benefits clients through improved work quality and provides CMI employees with greater opportunities for professional development and a sense of ownership and accountability for their work.  The new approach gives each team member a specific role and responsibilities as well as shared knowledge of and information about the client and its project, i.e., each team member is treated as an equal.  CMI benefits from the approach through reduced bottlenecks as a result of multitasking, and by improved profitability due to budget accountability and improved efficiencies.

    2000 – CMI launches its custom Interactive Learning System, now known as the Web Insights Navigator, an easy-to-use, online reporting system that gives all levels of an organization’s management and all functional areas that touch the organization’s customers/clients access to research data from multiple sources.  The system allows users to gain a more intimate understanding of their customers’/clients’ demographics, attitudes, behaviors and needs.

    2000 – CMI wins member satisfaction tracking studies from Kaiser Permanente’s Mid-Atlantic and Ohio regions.

    2001 – CMI introduces QTabs?, an interactive web-based product that gives CMI clients 24/7 access to their survey data via the Internet, and more important, allows them to create a customized set of cross-tabulations that will help answer ad hoc questions outside the scope of a research study’s cross-tabs or report.

    2002 – In the aftermath of 9/11, when many marketing research companies floundered or went belly-up as a result of the many organizations that put marketing budgets on hold, CMI ended the year with a modest revenue increase of 5 percent to $2.5 million.

    2002 – In August, CMI formalizes a marketing function by bringing in a senior vice president of marketing whose role is to develop new clients.  As a result of this move, the company has grown by double digits every year beginning 2003.

    2003 – MetLife’s Institutional Business segment awards CMI customer satisfaction tracking research.

    2005 – CMI revenues exceed $8.8 million, a 30 percent increase from 2004.

    2003 – CMI growth necessitates the hiring of the firm’s first business manager.

    2003 – CMI revenues approach $4.5 million and increase an astounding 76 percent over the previous year.

    2004 – CMI revenues exceed $6.7 million, a 51 percent increase over 2003.

    2005 - MetLife’s Institutional Business segment awards CMI with additional brand tracking research.

    2005 – CMI revenues exceed $8.8 million, a 30 percent increase from 2004.  In addition, the company has over time succeeded in reducing its dependency on its three largest clients by growing its client base.  For example, in 1998, 92 percent of revenues were derived from CMI’s top three clients; in 2005 the company’s top three clients accounted for only 36 percent of revenues.

    2006 – MetLife awards CMI with its 2005 Supplier of the Year award in recognition of the firm’s consultative approach, creativity, strong analytics, client focus, value-add, and ability to deliver on high-visibility projects.

    2006 – CMI moves to new headquarters in north Atlanta, doubling its space to 20,000 square feet.  For the first time, the company’s employee headcount reaches 50.

    2006 – Allstate Insurance awards CMI with a large agency satisfaction study.

    2006 – Chet Zalesky receives Catalyst magazine’s 2006 Top 50 Entrepreneurs award.  The award recognizes Zalesky as one of 50 business professionals leading Atlanta’s best performing small to mid-sized companies with 2005 revenues between $5 million and $200 million.

    2007 – Revenues exceed $13 million, giving CMI a fifth consecutive year of double digit growth.

    2007 – The company brings a senior marketing consultant on board.  The position was created to enhance CMI’s ability to deliver strategic marketing insights and actionable recommendations that help its Fortune 1000 clients achieve their important