Survey reveals surprising results – if you’re selling to generation z, pick up the phone!

A recent survey of British shoppers has found that a majority of people prefer to talk on the phone rather than go online to get more information about complex purchases. Perhaps most surprising of all, more 16-24 year olds (32%) prefer to pick up the phone to discuss a purchase than 35-44 year olds (24%). This suggests a trend away from online communication and towards phone interaction, surprisingly led by Generation Z.

The survey, carried out by Mediahawk, asked 2,000 people of all ages across the UK about purchasing habits and preferred means of seeking information about intended purchases. One of the key findings was that 60% of respondents want the option to speak to someone on the phone if they need to discuss complex, personal or expensive purchases, with less than 10% disagreeing. Furthermore, 45% of respondents find it quicker to call a company to discuss something in more detail, with only 15% taking the opposite view.

The results are evenly split between genders, however, they do reveal regional differences. For instance, Northern Ireland came out as the top region to prefer using the phone to gather more information; in Newcastle, just over half of users (52%) prefer the Internet to answer their questions before purchase; whilst the Welsh proved themselves to be the most independent, as the majority (39%) would not use any contact methods at all to get more information before their purchasing.

Mediahawk, a leading provider of call tracking software and solutions, has recently launched an improved and refreshed interface that makes phone call tracking, reporting and analysing as easy and intuitive as tracking customers’ online movements. It’s an essential tool for marketers that struggle to join the dots between the adverts they place and resulting phone calls.

Michael Morrell, CEO of Mediahawk, said:

“This survey has found that while many people want to do as much self-service as they can online, there are just some things in life that are easier and quicker to find out in a discussion with a human being. Businesses that offer complex, expensive, or personal products and services often experience a high volume of phone calls from prospects prior to purchase. These businesses have extremely detailed reports to measure their online enquiries and sales, but often neglect applying the same technology to the phone and so any analysis is based on guesswork.

At Mediahawk, we ensure our partners can make data driven decisions to improve conversions, reduce costs, optimise investment and uncover new opportunities for business growth.”

For the full data and more information please contact:
info@mediahawk.co.uk
0333 220 9041
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NOTES TO EDITORS

Survey Information

Research was carried out by Censuswide in 2019 using a nationally representative sample of 2,016 adults aged 16+ across the UK. Further results include:

- 45% of respondents found their phone queries are resolved as quickly as their online queries (versus 15% that disagreed) 47% of women agreed vs 43% of men.
- The retail sector is the least likely to need the phone across all age sectors apart from the 55+ in which it is pipped by car hire.
- The restaurant and hospitality sector are the most likely to receive phone calls from the public (22%) followed by healthcare (22%) and thirdly legal services (21%).

About Mediahawk

Launched in 2002, Mediahawk pioneered call tracking technology and remains at the forefront of the industry. Our expertise spans a whole range of sectors, including publishing, media, automotive, healthcare, legal, finance, retail, travel and technology. We work very closely with our clients to understand the challenges they face to ensure that we continually develop features that fit the needs of every marketer.

Mediahawk’s call tracking software can measure the value of inbound calls, since you can determine which channels customers with high purchasing intent are using to call your business. Consumer behaviour can be highly complex, but the ability to understand it can help you take your company to the next level. Not only can you track where incoming calls are coming from, but you can also take advantage of speech analytics to automatically detect which type of service is needed and direct calls based on voice inputs - revolutionising phone-based customer service.

About Michael Morrell

Michael Morrell is CEO of Mediahawk and a specialist in marketing and telephone analytics. He has over 15 years’ experience advising businesses in the use of marketing analytics to increase revenue through better capture, tracking and attribution of marketing leads. Prior to starting Mediahawk, Michael worked in the media, industrial and defence sectors.

To find out more visit
http://www.mediahawk.co.uk
https://twitter.com/mediahawk
https://www.facebook.com/Mediahawk1
https://www.linkedin.com/company/mediahawk
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmAoJBYGENi_erZvx_wBKzw