OMAHA, NEB., Sept. 25, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A report released today by Infogroup , the leading provider of high-value data and multichannel solutions, finds that 52 percent of consumers using local search services have visited a closed business and 44 percent have had a social outing ruined by outdated business listing information.
Based on a survey of almost 1,000 U.S. adults that polled consumers on their use of local business listing and navigation information, the study reveals that sources ranging from search engines to online maps regularly provide outdated data. Consumers also frequently visit businesses that have moved (44 percent), changed their posted operating hours (55 percent) or updated their listed prices (36 percent).
The frustrating user experiences are at odds with the expectations of increasingly mobile consumers, who rank real-time business listing information as more important than instant stock quotes.
"As mobile devices are transforming how consumers search for local businesses, timely business information will become even more important," said Jeff Khadavi, president, Data Licensing, Infogroup. "We invested in our real-time Data Axle™ platform because critical information about businesses changes every day and needs to be constantly updated."
The vast majority of consumers (72 percent) expect business listing information such as contact information, products and offers to be updated at least weekly. Other findings from the survey emphasize the importance of real-time data for local business listings:
- For most respondents (60 percent), search engines are the go-to source. Review sites come in second at 13 percent. Less than 1 percent of consumers use print directories as their primary source of information.
- Search engines are the most likely to give updated information about a business (41 percent), while online directories are the most likely to give outdated data (22 percent).
- Almost half of navigation system users (48 percent) get outdated driving directions at least monthly, while 40 percent of smartphone users and 32 percent of online map users get lost at least once a month. The majority of respondents (69 percent) blame the service or app when business information is outdated. Twenty-six percent blame the business itself, and 5 percent blame the device.
"Consumers want data to be right at the moment they need it; they don't necessarily care how that's done," said Mike Iaccarino, chairman and CEO, Infogroup. "In the age of mobile and local search, companies that adopt a real-time mindset and invest in the technology and data to make that happen for their consumers will win."
To download a copy of the full report, "Real-Time in the Real-World: Local Search Driving Need for Faster Business Data," please visit: http://www.infogroup.com/real-time-in-the-real-world . The survey of 953 consumers, which was conducted online between Aug. 9 and 12, has a 3.3 percent margin of error.
About Infogroup
Infogroup's 1,900 employees enable clients – from local businesses to the Fortune 100 – to increase sales and customer loyalty by leveraging our proprietary Data Axle™ of contextually relevant real-time information on more than 235 million individuals and 25 million businesses to deliver the complete spectrum of value added data and innovative targeted marketing solutions. For more information, visit: www.infogroup.com .
Sarah Dietze 312-241-1471
