Companies usually have tons of data on current customers who use their products and services, plus data about customer satisfaction, perceptions and preferences within the industry category. This type of data is mostly useful in learning how to do the same kinds of things a little better.

However, it's not very useful for learning what different things to do to serve current customers and rarely tells you anything about non-customers who avoid your brand or category completely.

Research that examines an activity from the customer's perspective, and looks for latent needs and desires not currently addressed, has a much better chance of providing insight into how to do things differently to attract customers and generate new revenues.