Our new research for Ulster Bank – to coincide with the launch of their new app – points to a huge dependence on apps among Irish smart phone users. Among the main findings from the Ulster Bank App Survey:

- 3 in 5 people have become smartphone users and the average person has downloaded 22 apps.

- The most popular apps downloaded are those for news, maps, travel and gaming, which 6 in 10 smartphone users say they have, while over half have apps for weather, music, photo and video.

- Over half (53pc) of all smartphone users claim that apps have made their lives a lot easier and about one hour a day is spent using them.

- Though many apps are intended for use on the go, 56pc of users said they use apps most when they are at home – perhaps a reflection of the preference for Wi-Fi connectivity.

- The survey also provides a profile of Irish smartphone users, who are predominately male, aged 25-34 and living in Dublin

- When asked what their dream app would be, top choices included a home budgeting app, a financial advice app and an app that can generate an income for its owner.

Amárach Research has worked with Delphi Analytics to create a unique, visual report on our Economic Recovery Index for the period April 2009 to April 2012.

You can view an online version of the report here.

To access the full version, simply download a free copy of Tableau Reader here, and then email:

info@amarach.com

with your contact details (name, company, email), requesting the full ERI data file, and we’ll send you a copy.

Amárach Research did the fieldwork for the recent HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme report. The methodology comprised a statistically random telephone poll of 3,002 people, giving a very impressive response rate of 69% for a survey of this type on this topic. Furthermore, another 261 women from Nigeria and Poland participated in a supplementary survey.

The full report can be download here.

The latest European Commission forecasts for Ireland point to recovery for Irish consumer markets, finally. The table highlights the real or volume rate of growth in consumer spending – which turns positive next year. It also highlights the rate of inflation: which will mean no change this year in the nominal amount of consumer spending (as inflation cancels out the decline in volume); but the two combine for a positive outcome in 2013. Albeit a modest 1.5%. Still, after 6 years of decline we’ll happily take it…

We’ve been tracking the mood of the Irish nation for three years now – the April 2012 edition of our Economic Recovery Index is just out.

Today sees the launch of the Microsoft/Amárach Cloud Index – an innovative look at the state of Cloud Computing in Ireland and prospects for the future (and for the economy).

The Microsoft / Amarach Cloud Index is designed to measure progress toward adoption of Cloud Computing by tracking actual adoption in Ireland today. Following a survey of organisations across the public and private sector the inaugural index stands at 3.2 out of 10. This is based on the mean score for all responses to a question specifically on adoption of cloud computing today. Four in ten organisations score their status as ‘1’ which reflects no deployment therefore bringing the overall Index down. The Index rises to 4.0 for the largest organisations, though it is only 3.0 for public sector bodies. Microsoft plans to measure Ireland’s progress toward cloud adoption over time by tracking what will hopefully be continuous improvement in the Microsoft / Amarach Cloud Index score when revisited.

The State of the Cloud

Nearly two fifths (37%) of the organisations surveyed have already deployed Cloud Computing. This rises to over half (53%) of the largest category of organisations (employing more than 250 people). The same proportion (39%) of public and private sector organisations has deployed Cloud Computing. Nevertheless, the majority of businesses (and public sector organisations in our survey) have not yet deployed Cloud Computing.

Cloudonomics

Although only a minority of Irish businesses have implemented Cloud Computing, over three quarters (77%) agree that Cloud Computing is a tool that can play a part in getting the Irish economy back to growth. Similar proportions of small, medium and large-sized enterprises agree with this perspective, rising to 83% of public sector bodies.

The potential benefits of the Cloud don’t just stop at the ‘macroeconomic’ level. There is a clear perception that the Cloud matters in terms of microeconomics, i.e.: to individual firms. Over half (55%) of Irish organisations agree that Cloud Computing could play a role in helping to address the external and internal challenges that they foresee in the year ahead. Agreement rises from 42% of small firms to 72% of large firms, and again to 83% of public sector organisations.

Skills also play a part in the Cloud agenda in Ireland. Nearly one in seven (13%) of those surveyed consider the availability of the right IT skills to be a barrier to Cloud adoption for their organisation. This is consistent by size of firm, though is slightly less of an issue for public sector bodies.

Cloud Impact

For those who have moved to the cloud, the majority (56%) of Irish businesses using the Cloud have already experienced cost savings as a result of its implementation. Specifically 44% of public sector bodies using the Cloud Services have benefited already from cost savings. Other benefits stated by participants include:

·        Nearly half (47%) have seen productivity gains from the Cloud (57% of large firms)

·        Over a third (35%) have developed a service based in the Cloud (half of large firms)

·        Three in ten (31%) have been able to expand without additional capital investment because of leveraging the Cloud (44% of small firms)

Another key benefit is that of jobs: just under 1 in 10 (7%) of Cloud adopters have created new jobs as a result of Cloud Computing, including 11% of small firms. Again, it is very early days, but already jobs are being created directly as a result of Cloud Computing, and against a background of significant cost savings and productivity gains.

Methodology

In April 2012, Amárach Research conducted a telephone survey of 151 organisations on behalf of Microsoft, comprising a range of small, medium and large-sized enterprises, as well as public sector organisations.

The focus of the survey was to ascertain adoption levels of Cloud Computing within organisations and to establish the business, operational and growth impact of Cloud Computing by those who have adopted. Levels of awareness of the potential of Cloud were also tracked as were issues relating to delays in adoption.

Interviews took place with senior decision makers in each organisation, including financial directors and managing directors, as well as IT directors.

Our latest research for the Association of Online Publishers in Ireland is now available on the AOP Ireland website:

Our research for the Association of Catholic Priests, based on a survey of 1,000 Catholics in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, has just been launched. Fascinating stuff: it points to a very different type of Catholicism in Ireland in contrast to previous generations.

Our latest research for the National Consumer Agency paints a detailed picture of the state of customer service in Ireland. A couple of issues stand out: consumers are feeling empowered and confident about asserting their rights (or switching their suppliers); and large minorities are unhappy with the service they are getting across a range of sectors.

• Supermarkets and shops selling clothing or footwear had the highest level of satisfaction with customer service, both at 91%. The interaction tended to be face-to-face, 87% and 90% respectively
• The lowest level of satisfaction, at 64%, applied to those contacting airlines’ customer service, where the interaction was predominantly via the web. Airlines also had the highest proportion of consumers claiming dissatisfaction at 30%
• Nearly three in five consumers (57%) stated that they would stop doing business with a provider if they received bad customer service

That won’t end well for the incumbents, unfortunately.

Amárach’s latest Economic Recovery Index for March 2012 presents a different take on the mood of the nation. Instead of comparing sentiment about the economy and emotional wellbeing across different demographic groups, instead we compare the mood of consumers in terms of:

- their main supermarket
- their mobile network
- their health/life insurer
- their main bank
- their daily newspaper

The results are fascinating – and they beg the question: is your brand benefiting from the shifting mood of the nation?