March 8, 2006 Toronto, ON – According to a new Ipsos Reid survey conducted on behalf of Microsoft, a majority (59%) of Canadian professionals believe mobile devices that allow them to connect to information like email when they are away from the office can make them more productive. And 84% of those who use a mobile device for work say this increases their productivity and helps drive company profitability.
In addition, 65% of Canadian professionals feel it is increasingly necessary in today�s competitive environment to remain connected when out of the office. Together, these statistics illustrate how mobile work is changing, from a simple information exchange to an extension of business processes and applications, regardless of location. The majority of Canadian professionals also expect more from their mobile devices, indicating that applications need to go beyond basic email functionality.
Seven in ten Canadian professionals cited that access to their company�s information, such as customer information software or client files, would allow them to stay fully connected with their team and provide overall better customer service to their clients. In addition, more than half (54%) felt that access to work files on the road would allow them to relax without worry of missing a critical issue at the office.
Additional survey findings showed that among professional Canadians: 61% feel access to their organization�s information or business processes, such as company customer information software, or specific client files, would better enable them to make better or more informed business decisions Majorities feel their ideal mobile device should be able to go beyond basic email functionality and allow mobile workers to review and edit documents, connect to corporate intranet websites, surf the Web and make conference calls Nine in ten would like the opportunity to work from home and still be connected to information like email Of those who use a mobile device for work, 71% would like the ability to check email, customer data and listen to MP3s with their mobile device.
These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted for Microsoft and fielded from February 10th to February 13th 2006. For the survey, a representative sample of 1155 adult �professional� Canadians were interviewed via an on-line survey vehicle. For the purposes of this study, professionals were defined as though Canadians who are employed in work environment where computer access and email are relevant and active components of their job.
The sample used in this study has been weighted according to Census data to accurately reflect the population of professional Canadians. With a sample of this size, the aggregate results are considered accurate to within �3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had this entire population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within each sub-grouping of the survey population.
Ipsos-Reid
Ipsos-Reid is Canada’s market intelligence leader and the country’s leading provider of public opinion research. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos-Reid employs more than 300 researcher professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in Canada, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and on-line panels. Ipsos-Reid’s Canadian marketing research and public affairs practices are staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, offering the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada� �including the Ipsos Trend Report, the leading source of public opinion in the country� �all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Ipsos-Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group. To learn more, please visit www.ipsos.ca
