Studies

In addition to examining the communication channels from the customer's point of view, the analysis of the channels from the company's point of view is also of great importance. An essential success factor for companies is a targeted communication strategy. It is important to provide customers with the communication channels they prefer to use depending on their specific needs.

In 2017, promio.net GmbH already examined communication behavior from the customer's point of view. As a counterpart to this, students in the B2B Marketing major at the Bonn-Rhine-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, in cooperation with promio.net GmbH, investigated communication channels that are used for interaction between companies and their customers in the 2018 summer semester - and the whole thing from the companies' perspective.

Furthermore, e-mail is the most used communication channel and represents the most popular medium for companies to send advertising to customers. Due to a predicted increase in frequency of use, e-mail is also a communication channel with a future. The highest willingness to invest is found in the communication channel of corporate websites.

Another key finding is the high potential that companies see in WhatsApp. Nearly half of them expect to increase the frequency of use in the future. This is also supported by current developments regarding the commercialization of WhatsApp. In addition to the existing possibility to chat with customers via the WhatsApp Business API, it will be possible for companies to place advertisements via WhatsApp from 2019.

You can read more details about the study here.

To reach customers and establish communication, many channels are possible. Social networks, messengers, discussion platforms, classic offline channels or verbal communication - the possibilities are endless. But which channels promise the most success in terms of establishing a (long-term) relationship with the customer? Which channels are the most popular, what are the individual advantages and disadvantages of each channel?

In April 2017, promio.net conducted a representative online survey with 1028 participants from the company's own panel on the topic of "Communication channels from the customer's point of view" in order to find helpful answers to all these questions, which companies can use to build loyalty. The study also explores the future intentions of consumers with regard to the individual communication media. The focus was on 17 channels, which were divided into different categories. By far the most popular channel is communication via e-mail, followed by corporate websites. Furthermore, the e-mail channel has the highest frequency of use and the highest customer satisfaction. The respondents consider the documented and comprehensible process to be advantageous.

Telephone and mail as classic offline media are also very popular channels. However, in the case of telephone contacts, accessibility is limited and should be adapted to customer needs.

The least popular channels include blogs, chat bots and Twitter. In particular, sensitive issues and concerns are reluctant to be addressed via chat bots and Twitter from the perspective of the respondents. Here, the questionable data protection is in the foreground.

All in all, the study not only cites e-mail as the most popular medium today, but also rates it as a very promising communication channel. Three-quarters of those surveyed stated that they would like to make increasing use of e-mail for communication purposes in the future. If you as a company are currently in the process of improving your communication strategy, you should not neglect this channel.

Further exciting insights and facts can be found in the study.

Christmas is coming up soon - shopping for Christmas presents is waiting! But to save yourself the stress of the crowded city centers, online shopping is a good idea. Within working hours, Christmas shopping sounds even more tempting! According to a recent survey, conducted by promio.research with a representative sample of 1031 participants from the company's own panel, who were surveyed between November 10 and 30, 2016, one in five people do their Christmas gift shopping during working hours. The study also found that one in sixteen people does all their Christmas shopping at work - but is that allowed? We got to the bottom of this question.

In principle, it is permitted to use the Internet at work for private purposes for a short period of time. However, the employer can issue a warning if this period is significantly exceeded, such as when shopping for Christmas presents. Even with express permission for private use of the Internet, the employer is not entitled to issue a warning.

Depending on the length of private Internet use, this can even lead to a reduction in salary. At this point, of course, a clarifying discussion with the employer always helps. What about shopping on my own smartphone? It is more difficult to determine to what extent and for how long the smartphone was used for private shopping. Nevertheless, employees violate their contractual obligations by this activity - the employer may also issue a warning.

Even though according to the study, one in five people make online shopping for Christmas presents during working hours, the legal aspects should be taken into account. Sometimes it is also quite varied, if one exchanges on-line Shopping for the stationary purchase. From a legal point of view you are on the safe side in any case. In this sense - Merry Christmas and good luck with your shopping!

You can read the entire article here.

promio.research: Satisfied StudentsIn cooperation with one of the leading online portals for the procurement of student accommodation, promio.research conducted a study on the topic of student housing. Uniplaces is a platform where students can book accommodation in selected cities worldwide. For the study, promio.research interviewed 1000 students from the company's own panel throughout Germany in the period from August 3 to 8, 2017. The background of this study is the research question to what extent students are satisfied with their (current) housing situation and which factors are decisive for satisfaction.

Overall, 80 percent of the students said that they were satisfied with their current living situation: according to the survey, four out of five students show high levels of satisfaction. According to the students, important factors for satisfaction are a good location of the apartment / shared apartment as well as reasonable rents that correspond to the respective budget.

The clear majority (87%) are in favor of living in their own four walls - it is irrelevant whether it is their own apartment with / without a partner or a shared apartment (WG). Only 13% have not moved out of their parents' house to study.

Despite the high number of students who are satisfied with their (current) housing situation (80%), a fifth of those surveyed remain with a low level of satisfaction regarding their housing situation. Particularly important factors for the measured dissatisfaction are at this point the (high) price of the apartment / shared apartment, a too small size of the inhabited area or a lack of proximity to the university. Another reason is the lack of harmony with roommates or neighbors.

Further information on this study can be found under this link.

A representative survey of 1015 German participants was conducted by the cashback portal Qipu in cooperation with promio.research in February 2016.

After another new bill with a building as illustration was introduced at the beginning of last year, we asked ourselves which bills the German consumers would like to see. As you might imagine - buildings, bridges and the like would have been obsolete! In the days of the D-Mark, some personalities still smiled at us, but now the motifs of the current banknotes no longer change much.

The results of the study show that the altogether 1015 German asked persons would wish themselves again personalities. Particularly with the newly introduced 20€ bill, the humorist Loriot would have hit the mark. We also asked about the preferences for other banknotes.

If the consumers could determine over the organization of the 100€ bill, then you might be pleased about the printed Albert Einstein. Willy Brandt would have received according to 23% of the asked ones scarcely 45 years after its chancellorship now the honor to decorate the 50€ bill.

Regardless of the amount of the banknotes, 85% of those surveyed chose Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Poet friend Friedrich Schiller would also inspire 83% of those surveyed. Willy Brandt and Helmut Schmidt occupy with 82% and 81% the ranks 3 and 4. Excitingly enough, poets, politicians and important personalities are rather to be found among the more popular motives for banknotes. Current stars and starlets occupy the lower ranks - even pop icon Helene Fischer can't do much against Goethe, Schiller, Brandt and Co.

You can read more results, also in a country comparison, here.