iPerceptions - Customer Satisfaction Measurement

Analysis of Nearly 2.2 Million 4Q Surveys Indicates That US Websites Are Sacrificing Sales and Loyalty by Not Operating at Peak Efficiency

NEW YORK, Mar 31, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) — iPerceptions Inc. (TSX-V:IPE ) , a leading provider of web-focused Voice of Customer analytics, today announced the results of its detailed analysis of international 4Q survey data collected in more than 100 countries over the past 12 months. The analysis, which covered more than 2.2 million surveys and nearly 9 million data points, revealed that American websites are lagging behind in task completion. American sites collectively ranked 9th out of 17 industrialized nations with a score of 74, meaning that more than 1 in 4 visitors to US websites were unable to complete the specific task that brought them to the site. The full international rankings can be found at http://blog.iperceptions.com/archives/2009/03/american_websites_falling_behi.html

This is a significant finding for US businesses at a critical time for the economy, as task completion is a tremendously strong ROI predictor among visitors with a purchase horizon of 3 months or less. Earlier iPerceptions research has found that site visitors who are able to complete their primary task on a site are twice as likely to make a repeat visit, while 67% of visitors who complete their primary task report enhanced brand opinion (vs. only 18% for those who do not). Additionally, 60% report a higher future likelihood to purchase the product or service in question either online or offline (vs. only 14% for those who do not).

"Task completion is a sensible, simple and powerful metric," said Jonathan Levitt, vice president of marketing at iPerceptions. "It ties back to hard actions taken by visitors and forms the basis of true site accountability. While respondents can be more forgiving when reporting their satisfaction with a website or their loyalty patterns, when they are asked about task completion, it’s a cut-and-dried equation–they either did or they didn’t. Our 4Q users universally tell us that they agree, and at the end of the day, task completion is the metric driving their business forward."

iPerceptions also ranked task completion across 20 of the 30 industry verticals represented in the 4Q user base. The analysis found that content-heavy sites are delivering superb value to their visitors, while more than 30% of visitors in both the retail and automotive sectors reported that they were unable to complete their primary onsite tasks. Retail and automotive websites are clearly facing more complicated challenges than in years past, as the recession continues, accompanied by declining consumer confidence and tightening household budgets.

About 4Q
Launched in March 2008, the free 4Q website survey solution was developed by iPerceptions in collaboration with noted web analytics author and blogger Avinash Kaushik. Thousands of companies in more than 30 industries are currently using 4Q to tune in to the voices of their website visitors and use the feedback to improve their sites and plan for success. To date, more than 2.2 million 4Q surveys have been completed by website visitors in 16 languages and in more than 100 countries.

4Q helps companies understand why and how people interact with their websites by asking the 4 most important survey questions:

- What do visitors come to my website to do?
- Are they completing what they set out to do?
- If not, why not?
- How satisfied are my visitors?

Companies can also choose to include additional survey questions on path-to-site and frequency, gaining the ability to segment responses by visitor group and type. 4Q requires a single line of code and can be installed in minutes on any website. All surveys are permission-based and employ a two-stage invitation process that minimizes session interruptions. A real-time results dashboard is available 24/7 through a secure online reporting tool to help 4Q users apply their findings and make website changes that engage, retain and convert more visitors. For more information or to sign up, please visit http://www.4qsurvey.com/.

About iPerceptions
iPerceptions is one of North America’s leading web-focused Voice of Customer analytics providers. Its webValidator Continuous Listening solution, free website survey solution 4Q, and proprietary iPerceptions Satisfaction Index (iPSI) turn thousands of data points into easy-to-understand strategic and tactical decision support for website marketers. iPerceptions’ clients include such well-known brands as InterContinental Hotels, General Motors, Dell, Hyundai, LG Electronics, Choice Hotels International, BMW and Monster Worldwide. iPerceptions has offices in New York, Atlanta, Toronto, Montreal and London.