Analysing the latest research from fast.MAP, which has uncovered which types of communication consumers value the highest, it would seem the landline is the most – and home internet least – expendable communication tool.  “People would give up their landline and mobile phone internet access rather than seal their letterbox,” says David Cole, MD of fast.MAP. “And surprisingly, when so many people appear to be constantly busy on their mobile, there is only a 1 per cent gap between those who would elect to give up their mobile and those who would abandon their letterbox.”

Akudo Ike, PR manager at Royal Mail products and services, says this research is not just great news for the Royal Mail, but is of particular interest to all those working in strategic roles in PR: “This research equips them with the information they need, when advising on the strategic direction of the company or advising clients. Decisions such as deciding whether mailings should be included in the advertising mix – to which the answer is evidently “yes” – and whether to migrate all customer communication online – which is clearly not what customers want – are made easier with the insight provided by this research.”

If I had to get rid of one communication channel completely it would be ...

Source: fast.MAP

Only one in 20 adults would choose to give up their home internet connection, while almost two in five would sacrifice their home phone and three in ten their mobile internet connection, if they were obliged to get rid of one communication channel. 

Most of the advertising I remember reading yesterday was ...

 Source: fast.MAP

When asked about marketing messages, consumers find on-screen messages the most memorable, but say they would miss print ads more in a world without advertising. The good news for PROs and marketers is that most consumers are happy to hear from businesses: “For three in five adults a world without physical contact from businesses would be a worse place – only one in ten would prefer it,” says fast.MAP’s David Cole. However he points out that businesses need to be aware of how much consumers rely on the online environment when they make their final purchase, particularly in certain sectors: “In some areas of their lives the majority have already switched to doing their business online – for example, arranging their holidays, organising their bank accounts and donating to charity.

“This indicates that as other sectors improve the availability, efficiency and ease-of-use of their websites and digital communication they too will attract more online use.” 

How would you feel about a world where there is no physical communication from businesses in the UK?

Source: fast.MAP

If you had to do the following activities either offline (e.g., using printed material, visiting a hop/dealership) or online (e.g., requesting email updates, browsing a website), but not both, which would you pick?

 Source: fast.MAP

Background
 

Data and analysis is from the eighth (2012) fast.MAP Marketing-GAP Report, launched by fast.MAP in 2005 and tracking annually since then. The report is sponsored by Market Reach, part of Royal Mail; and produced in partnership with the Institute of Promotional Marketing (IPM) and Institute of Direct Marketing (IDM). The questionnaire was broadcast during July/ August 2012 and completed by more than 1,000 consumers on the fast.MAP panel which mirrors the UK’s demographic profile.