National Research

To bring Human Understanding to healthcare by becoming the single source of truth for every patient journey.

National Research SWOT Analysis

Updated: October 6, 2025 • 2025-Q4 Analysis

How to Use This Analysis

This analysis for National Research was created using Alignment.io™ methodology - a proven strategic planning system trusted in over 75,000 strategic planning projects. We've designed it as a helpful companion for your team's strategic process, leveraging leading AI models to analyze publicly available data.

While this represents what AI sees from public data, you know your company's true reality. That's why we recommend using Alignment.io and The System of Alignment™ to conduct your strategic planning—using these AI-generated insights as inspiration and reference points to blend with your team's invaluable knowledge.

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The National Research SWOT analysis reveals a company at a critical inflection point. Its formidable strengths—an unmatched brand, a vast proprietary dataset, and deep client trust—provide a powerful foundation. However, these are juxtaposed with significant weaknesses in growth velocity and a market perception of being a legacy player. The primary opportunity is to leverage its data asset with AI to transition into a predictive intelligence platform, fending off tech-native competitors like Qualtrics. The greatest threats are not just direct competitors, but also complacency and the risk of being out-innovated or disintermediated by EMRs. The strategic imperative is clear: NRC must aggressively modernize its technology, messaging, and go-to-market strategy to transform its legacy strengths into a durable competitive advantage for the future, fully realizing its mission of bringing Human Understanding to healthcare through technology.

Press Ganey Qualtrics Medallia SPH Analytics Forsta

No past cycles

Mission & Vision SWOT Analysis OKR Plan Retrospective AI Strategy Data Acquisition

To bring Human Understanding to healthcare by becoming the single source of truth for every patient journey.

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Strengths

BRAND: Trusted by 75% of top 200 US hospitals, a massive moat
DATA: Proprietary database of 150M+ patient experiences for AI
RETENTION: High recurring revenue with strong net revenue retention
EXPERTISE: Deep, unparalleled domain expertise in healthcare PX
INTEGRATION: Growing number of certified integrations with EMRs

Weaknesses

GROWTH: Slowing organic growth in core markets, single-digit YoY
INNOVATION: Perception as a legacy survey vendor vs. a tech platform
COMPLEXITY: Product portfolio can be complex and difficult to use
SCALE: Limited international presence, heavily reliant on US market
MARKETING: Under-invested in modern GTM vs. tech competitors

Opportunities

AI: Leverage unique dataset with AI to create predictive insights
EXPANSION: Cross-sell newer solutions like Transparency to client base
PARTNERSHIPS: Strategic tech partnerships to enhance the platform
CONSUMERISM: Patients choosing providers based on experience data
WORKFORCE: Clinician burnout crisis creates need for employee tools

Threats

COMPETITION: Intense pressure from Press Ganey and tech-first Qualtrics
BUDGETS: Hospital budget constraints leading to vendor consolidation
DISRUPTION: EMR vendors (Epic, Cerner) embedding their own PX tools
REGULATION: Changes to CAHPS and other govt-mandated surveys
SECURITY: Constant threat of data breaches in the healthcare sector

Key Priorities

ACCELERATE: Platform evolution from surveys to predictive AI insights
EXPAND: Drive growth by cross-selling high-value solutions to the base
DIFFERENTIATE: Clearly message data and AI superiority vs. competitors
MODERNIZE: The go-to-market engine and product user experience

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National Research OKR

Updated: October 6, 2025 • 2025-Q4 Analysis

The National Research OKR plan is a focused and potent blueprint for transformation. It rightly prioritizes the evolution from a legacy service provider to a modern technology platform ('BECOME THE PLATFORM'). The objectives to 'GROW THE BASE' and 'WIN THE NARRATIVE' shrewdly leverage core strengths—client relationships and data—to fund and fuel this transition while fending off competitors. 'FUEL THE ENGINE' addresses critical go-to-market weaknesses that have historically constrained growth. This plan is not just about incremental improvement; it's a cohesive strategy to pivot the entire organization toward an AI-driven future, ensuring its relevance and leadership for the next decade. Success hinges on disciplined execution, especially in product velocity and sales enablement.

Press Ganey Qualtrics Medallia SPH Analytics Forsta

No past cycles

Mission & Vision SWOT Analysis OKR Plan Retrospective AI Strategy Data Acquisition

To bring Human Understanding to healthcare by becoming the single source of truth for every patient journey.

BECOME THE PLATFORM

Evolve from surveys to a predictive intelligence platform.

LAUNCH: The new AI-powered patient insights dashboard for 50 strategic pilot clients by the end of Q4.
DATA: Ingest and process 3 new non-survey data sources (e.g., operational, clinical) into the platform.
PREDICT: Develop and validate a predictive model for service recovery with at least 80% accuracy.
ADOPTION: Achieve 25% of top 100 clients actively using at least one non-survey analytics module.

GROW THE BASE

Deepen our partnership with existing clients.

ATTACH: Increase the attach rate of a second solution to 40% of our enterprise client base this year.
PIPELINE: Generate $15 million in new cross-sell and upsell pipeline from the existing customer base.
CHURN: Reduce gross logo churn by 15% through proactive, data-driven engagement and value campaigns.
EXPANSION: Achieve a Net Revenue Retention (NRR) rate of 108% for the fiscal year through value delivery.

WIN THE NARRATIVE

Own the market category of Human Understanding.

MESSAGING: Launch and roll out new corporate messaging focused on our AI and data differentiators globally.
ANALYSTS: Secure a 'Leader' or equivalent top position in one major industry analyst report (e.g., KLAS).
WINS: Achieve a 60% win rate in head-to-head competitive deals against Press Ganey and Qualtrics.
CONTENT: Publish 3 data-driven research reports that become the industry benchmark for PX trends.

FUEL THE ENGINE

Build a modern, scalable growth engine.

PIPELINE: Increase marketing-sourced pipeline contribution to new business bookings from 20% to 35%.
SPEED: Reduce the average time from initial prospect inquiry to the first product demo to under 48 hours.
ONBOARDING: Redesign the new client onboarding experience to decrease the customer's time-to-value by 30%.
ENABLEMENT: Certify 100% of the sales and success teams on the new platform messaging and demo flow.

METRICS

Net Revenue Retention: 108%
New ACV Bookings: $35M
Customer NPS: 55

VALUES

Empathy
Courage
Curiosity
Passion

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National Research Retrospective

AI-Powered Insights

Claude

Gemini

GPT

NRC Health Q4 2023 Earnings Report & 10-K Filing
NRC Health Investor Relations Website
Public financial data from Yahoo Finance/Bloomberg
Analysis of competitor websites (Press Ganey, Qualtrics)
NRC Health official website for mission, leadership, and products

Press Ganey Qualtrics Medallia SPH Analytics Forsta

No past cycles

Mission & Vision SWOT Analysis OKR Plan Retrospective AI Strategy Data Acquisition

To bring Human Understanding to healthcare by becoming the single source of truth for every patient journey.

Toggle Theme

What Went Well

RETENTION: Net revenue retention remains strong, proving client loyalty
TRANSPARENCY: Continued adoption of the Transparency solution suite
MARGINS: Maintained healthy EBITDA margins through cost discipline
PARTNERSHIPS: New EMR integration partnership announced with Meditech
CASHFLOW: Solid operating cash flow generation for the recent quarter

Not So Well

GROWTH: New logo acquisition was below target for the quarter
BOOKINGS: Total contract value of new bookings showed slight decline
INNOVATION: Delays in launching the next-gen analytics dashboard
COMPETITION: Lost two key deals in competitive bake-offs to Qualtrics
HIRING: Key engineering and product leadership roles remain unfilled

Learnings

DIFFERENTIATION: Must sharpen competitive differentiation beyond surveys
VELOCITY: Product development cycles need to be accelerated significantly
SALES: Team needs better enablement on newer, tech-focused products
PRICING: Legacy pricing models may not be competitive for platform deals
TALENT: The market for top tech talent is incredibly competitive

Action Items

ENABLEMENT: Launch mandatory sales enablement on AI differentiators
PRODUCT: Create tiger team to accelerate next-gen dashboard launch
RECRUITING: Engage specialized firm for key engineering leadership roles
PRICING: Initiate a review of our platform pricing and packaging
MESSAGING: Update all marketing collateral with new AI messaging

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Organization	SWOT Analysis	OKR Plan	Top 6	Retrospective

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National Research Market

AI-Powered Insights

Claude

Gemini

GPT

NRC Health Q4 2023 Earnings Report & 10-K Filing
NRC Health Investor Relations Website
Public financial data from Yahoo Finance/Bloomberg
Analysis of competitor websites (Press Ganey, Qualtrics)
NRC Health official website for mission, leadership, and products

Founded: 1981
Market Share: Leader in US hospital patient surveys
Customer Base: 9,000+ healthcare organizations
Category:
Healthcare Analytics
SIC Code: 8732 Commercial Economic, Sociological, and Educational Research
NAICS Code: 541910 Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Zip Code: 68508
Congressional District: NE-1 LINCOLN
Employees: 600

Competitors

Press Ganey Request Analysis

Qualtrics Request Analysis

Medallia Request Analysis

SPH Analytics Request Analysis

Forsta Request Analysis

Products & Services

No products or services data available

Distribution Channels

National Research Business Model Analysis

AI-Powered Insights

Claude

Gemini

GPT

NRC Health Q4 2023 Earnings Report & 10-K Filing
NRC Health Investor Relations Website
Public financial data from Yahoo Finance/Bloomberg
Analysis of competitor websites (Press Ganey, Qualtrics)
NRC Health official website for mission, leadership, and products

Problem

Healthcare lacks a single source of truth
Patient feedback is fragmented and delayed
Clinician burnout is at crisis levels
Hospitals struggle to build reputation

Solution

Unified Human Understanding data platform
Real-time feedback and service recovery
AI-driven insights to improve workflow
Transparency tools to showcase quality

Key Metrics

Net Revenue Retention (NRR)
Annual Contract Value (ACV)
Customer Lifetime Value (LTV)
Gross & Net Logo Retention

Unique

Largest proprietary patient journey dataset
40+ years of exclusive healthcare focus
Deep trust with top US health systems
Regulatory expertise (e.g., CAHPS)

Advantage

Network effects from benchmark data
High switching costs for clients
Brand reputation built over decades
Longitudinal data is hard to replicate

Channels

Direct enterprise sales force
Inside sales for smaller organizations
Strategic partnerships (consultants, tech)
Digital marketing and thought leadership

Customer Segments

Large, multi-state health systems
Academic medical centers
Community and critical access hospitals
Payers and government health agencies

Costs

Personnel (Sales, R&D, G&A)
Technology infrastructure (Cloud hosting)
Data acquisition and processing
Marketing and sales program expenses

National Research Product Market Fit Analysis

Updated: October 6, 2025

NRC Health delivers Human Understanding to healthcare systems. It transforms fragmented patient feedback into AI-driven, actionable insights, empowering providers to improve experiences, enhance their reputation, and drive organizational growth. The platform provides the definitive source of truth for every patient journey, ensuring no voice goes unheard and every moment of care is improved.

DATA: Unify experience data to reveal insights

ACTION: Empower teams with AI-driven actions

GROWTH: Improve reputation to attract patients

Before State

Fragmented, delayed patient feedback
Reactive problem solving, not proactive
No clear view of patient journey gaps

After State

Unified, real-time understanding
Proactive service recovery actions
Holistic view of care experience

Negative Impacts

Poor patient loyalty and retention
Clinician burnout from inefficiencies
Reputational risk from bad reviews

Positive Outcomes

Improved HCAHPS scores and loyalty
Reduced staff turnover, higher morale
Stronger brand reputation and growth

Key Metrics

Net Revenue Retention

~105%

Net Promoter Score (NPS)

Est. 40-50

User Growth Rate

Low single digits

G2 Reviews

~30-40 total reviews

Repeat Purchase Rates

High via SaaS

Requirements

Executive buy-in for transparency
Integration with EMR/clinical systems
Commitment to acting on insights

Why National Research

Seamless data collection and analysis
AI-driven insights pushed to frontline
Benchmarking against peers and best

National Research Competitive Advantage

Largest patient experience database
Decades of healthcare-specific focus
AI models trained on proprietary data

Proof Points

75% of top 200 US hospitals are clients
Published case studies on client ROI
Industry awards for culture & products

National Research Market Positioning

AI-Powered Insights

Claude

Gemini

GPT

NRC Health Q4 2023 Earnings Report & 10-K Filing
NRC Health Investor Relations Website
Public financial data from Yahoo Finance/Bloomberg
Analysis of competitor websites (Press Ganey, Qualtrics)
NRC Health official website for mission, leadership, and products

Strategic pillars derived from our vision-focused SWOT analysis

Evolve into a unified Human Understanding platform

Lead the industry in AI-driven patient experience analytics

Expand data network across the entire care continuum

Be the gold standard for security and trust in patient data

What You Do

Provides experience data & analytics

Target Market

Hospitals, health systems, payers

Differentiation

30+ years of healthcare focus
Unmatched patient experience data

Revenue Streams

Recurring SaaS Subscriptions
Professional Services

National Research Operations and Technology

AI-Powered Insights

Claude

Gemini

GPT

NRC Health Q4 2023 Earnings Report & 10-K Filing
NRC Health Investor Relations Website
Public financial data from Yahoo Finance/Bloomberg
Analysis of competitor websites (Press Ganey, Qualtrics)
NRC Health official website for mission, leadership, and products

Company Operations

Organizational Structure: Functional with business unit focus
Supply Chain: Primarily digital; tech vendors
Tech Patents: Proprietary analytics and methods
Website: https://nrchealth.com/

Top Clients

Board Members

National Research Competitive Forces

Threat of New Entry

MEDIUM: Data, trust, and regulatory expertise are high barriers, but a well-funded tech startup focused on an AI-first approach could enter.

Supplier Power

LOW: Key inputs are skilled labor and cloud infrastructure. While top talent is competitive, there are no dominant suppliers to dictate terms.

Buyer Power

MEDIUM: Large hospital systems have significant negotiating leverage, but high switching costs and data integration create stickiness.

Threat of Substitution

MEDIUM: Substitutes include internal BI teams, generic survey tools, or native modules within EMRs, though they lack specialized data.

Competitive Rivalry

HIGH: Dominated by a direct rival (Press Ganey) and challenged by tech platforms (Qualtrics), creating intense price and innovation pressure.

Analysis of AI Strategy

Updated: October 6, 2025 • 2025-Q4 Analysis

The National Research AI SWOT analysis underscores that the company's proprietary dataset is its single greatest strategic asset in the AI era. This unique strength in data and domain expertise provides a powerful defense against generic tech competitors. However, this advantage is fragile and threatened by internal weaknesses in talent, infrastructure, and development speed. The opportunity to move from descriptive to predictive and generative AI is immense, promising to redefine the patient experience category. To succeed, NRC must urgently invest in AI talent and modernize its tech stack. The primary strategic focus should be on building predictive models and integrating AI-synthesized insights directly into clinical workflows, thereby proving indispensable to clients and neutralizing the threat from both fast-moving tech rivals and encroaching EMR platforms. Governance will be key to maintaining trust.

Press Ganey Qualtrics Medallia SPH Analytics Forsta

No past cycles

Mission & Vision SWOT Analysis OKR Plan Retrospective AI Strategy Data Acquisition

To bring Human Understanding to healthcare by becoming the single source of truth for every patient journey.

Strengths

DATA: Massive, proprietary longitudinal patient feedback dataset
DOMAIN: Deep healthcare context to ensure AI models are relevant/safe
CLIENTS: Established relationships for piloting & deploying new AI tools
TRUST: Existing brand trust is crucial for AI adoption in healthcare
INTEGRATIONS: EMR connections provide workflow for AI-driven insights

Weaknesses

TALENT: Lack of scaled, in-house AI/ML engineering talent vs. tech
INFRASTRUCTURE: Legacy tech stack may hinder rapid AI development
CULTURE: Potentially risk-averse culture slowing AI experimentation
DATA-READINESS: Client data may be unstructured and hard to use
SPEED: Slower development cycles compared to agile tech competitors

Opportunities

PREDICTION: Proactively identify at-risk patients and service failures
SYNTHESIS: Use GenAI to summarize feedback into actionable themes
AUTOMATION: Automate survey administration, analysis, and reporting
PERSONALIZATION: Tailor patient communication and education at scale
WORKFLOWS: Embed AI insights directly into existing clinician workflows

Threats

COMPETITORS: Tech-native competitors (Qualtrics) deploying AI faster
EMRs: EMR vendors building their own embedded AI analytics features
ETHICS: Risk of biased AI models due to gaps in training data
COST: High cost of developing and maintaining sophisticated AI models
REGULATION: Future AI-specific regulations in healthcare could add risk

Key Priorities

SYNTHESIZE: Deploy GenAI to turn unstructured feedback into insights
PREDICT: Build models to identify patient churn and service line risks
INTEGRATE: Embed AI insights directly into clinician workflows via EMRs
GOVERN: Establish a robust AI ethics framework to ensure fairness

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National Research Financial Performance

AI-Powered Insights

Claude

Gemini

GPT

NRC Health Q4 2023 Earnings Report & 10-K Filing
NRC Health Investor Relations Website
Public financial data from Yahoo Finance/Bloomberg
Analysis of competitor websites (Press Ganey, Qualtrics)
NRC Health official website for mission, leadership, and products

Profit: Net Income: $28.3 Million (FY 2023)

Market Cap: ~$1.4 Billion (as of early 2024)

Stock Performance

Annual Report: View Report

Debt: Minimal; primarily operating leases

ROI Impact: High client retention impacts LTV

SWOT Index

Composite strategic assessment with 10-year outlook

/ 100

Market Leader

ICM Index

STRATEGIC ADVISOR ASSESSMENT

NRC's high ambition is grounded in a strong, defensible market position. The Iconic Index reflects this balance: a world-class data asset (AI Leverage) and clear strategy (CSQ) are offset by moderate growth and significant competitive threats (SWOT Factors). The OKRs are well-aligned to address weaknesses, boosting Achievability. The resulting Growth Multiplier suggests strong, steady growth rather than exponential disruption, fitting for a market leader undergoing a significant but deliberate technological transformation.

SWOT Factors

Upside: 81.8 Risk: 83.6

OKR Impact

AI Leverage

Top 3 Strategic Levers

ACCELERATE product velocity for the AI-driven platform

MODERNIZE go-to-market to win the new market narrative

ACQUIRE top-tier AI and product talent to close internal gaps

AI Disclosure

This report was created using the Alignment Method—our proprietary process for guiding AI to reveal how it interprets your business and industry. These insights are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, legal, tax, or investment advice.

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