If the word "researcher" is not in your job title, your efforts at research probably suck, and if your researchers are asking customers what they want or to validate choices you have already made, then you need to find better researchers who know how to do the job.

If I want working code, I don't do it myself but ask an engineer. If I want something designed, I ask a designer.

I don't know where the idea came from that anyone can do research, but I've seen the results of non-researchers doing research and it's ... reassuring from a job security point of view.