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Study Reveals Mobile Not Yet Ready for Primetime
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Majority of Scientists and Engineers Not Using Mobile Devices to Communicate with Organizations
Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.—February 14, 2012—A new study among scientists and engineers indicates they do not use mobile devices to communicate with organizations as often as one might think. Nearly two-thirds of respondents rated the importance of mobile-based communications or applications in a relationship with their respective organization as neutral to not at all important.
The study was conducted in November 2011 among members of two leading associations, the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening and the Society of Women Engineers. David James Group (DJG), an integrated marketing communications firm, along with answers2action, a marketing research and decision support company, developed the study and analyzed the findings.
Results indicate that these technical professionals are still more comfortable communicating via their desktop or laptop computer. Fifty-seven percent say they prefer to view email messages on the computer versus only 9 percent on the phone and 4 percent on an iPad or other tablet. In addition, when it comes to communicating with their organization, 91 percent currently use email, 75 percent use the organization's website and only 25 percent use phones. Only 28 percent currently use mobile technologies to make purchases off of the internet.
As most mobile research in the past has focused on the general business-to-consumer sector, this study concentrates specifically on mobile usage and perceptions among technical association members. Results from the study, "Use of Mobile Communications among Science and Technology Professionals," show these association members are not clear on what to expect from their respective organization as it relates to mobile communications, nor are they aware whether or not it offers a mobile website or app.
Other highlights include:
Of mobile technology owned, 27 percent have an Android smartphone, 25 percent have a mobile phone with voice and text only and 25 percent own either an iPhone 4 or 3. Fifteen percent own an iPad or other tablet.
Sixty-seven percent download smartphone apps, but only 11 percent prefer to use these apps to communicate with an organization.
According to these respondents, snail mail is almost dead; although 21 percent currently use snail mail to communicate with an organization, only 1 percent chose it as the preferred method of contacting an organization.
"These results are surprising," says David Laurenzo, DJG president. "With all the hype and attention mobile marketing is getting, we expected to see a higher utilization and preference for mobile-based communications, but that is not the case—right now. However, we think these statistics will change very rapidly, and marketers should be in the planning stages now to determine how they can capitalize on mobile technologies when they do hit the tipping point."
There were 825 respondents representing both associations. Although both are international, the majority of respondents are from the United States. Fifty-six percent of respondents are aged 35 or under.
Questions addressed topics and issues such as types of preferred mobile devices, current frustrations associated with mobile communications, for which activities respondents use mobile devices and what mobile utilities the respondents expect their associations to offer in the future.
