How Effective Are Market Research Services for Growing a Business Today?

[elevate]

I’m exploring different market research services to help with customer insights, competitor analysis, and brand performance tracking. There are so many agencies offering surveys, focus groups, data analytics, and full-service research that it’s hard to know which direction to take.
For those who’ve worked with a research firm before:

• What services actually made a difference for your business?
  
• Did you focus more on qualitative or quantitative research?
  
• Any recommendations for choosing the right provider?
  

Would appreciate any real-world experiences or tips!