• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, July 13, 2016

According to the 2016 Call Intelligence Index published by Invoca, digital is now driving more calls to businesses than ever before. In 2015 digital channels drove 92% of these calls, up from 84% in 2014. Additionally, the report finds more customer calls come from mobile search than from any other channel.

The annual index analyzed more than 58 million calls across 40 industries, finding that search and social features, like Google call-only ads and convenient click-to-call buttons, are further blurring lines between channels, making it easier for customers to call businesses on mobile.

Kyle Christensen, VP of marketing, Invoca, says “… marketers speculated… the rise of digital would kill more traditional channels like the phone call… but… as people use their phones to interface with the world around them… they’re calling businesses more… the marketers who will thrive in this environment… those who optimize for calls as an integrated part of their omnichannel strategies…”

The report shows that 79% of people switch devices during an activity, and that 63% of people complete a purchase offline after searching online. Key findings from Invoca’s 2016 Call Intelligence Index include:

The Rise of Digital Increases Calls

• Calls are supplementing digital interactions as customers move between mobile search, web, social, display, email and apps. Online channels, including desktop search and display advertising, drove 38% of phone calls in 2015, representing a 23% rise from 2014 from 30% of all calls. Offline channels, including TV, radio and newspaper ads, drove half as many calls in 2015 (8%) as in 2014 (16%). Mobile search is the biggest driver of phone calls to businesses, responsible for 48% of call volume in 2015. Desktop search was the second biggest driver, nearly doubling in 2015 (17%) from 2014 (9%)

When and Where Consumers are Calling Matters

• The lunch hour is the most popular time for calling, and on weekdays, people call businesses most often in their respective time zones between 11-11:59 a.m. On the weekend, most calls occur from 12-12:59 p.m. People tend to call businesses most on Mondays, which receive 55% more calls than Sundays, the lowest volume day
• Call duration is a key indicator of a call’s quality. Calls driven by newspapers (6 minutes, 10 seconds), online review sites (5 minutes, 54 seconds) and online display ads (5 minutes, 23 seconds) resulted in the longest average conversation times. Across industries and drivers, the average call duration is 4 minutes, 52 seconds, an 18% increase from 2014

Omnichannel Mix Varies by Industry

• The research shows that phone calls are increasing across industries, and particularly for industries characterized by high-value purchases and/or customers who need personalized assistance. Phone calls remain a critical point of contact for customers who need additional information or are ready to make a purchase
• Home Services, as an industry, decreased its investment in offline channels in 2015. In 2014, offline channels, such as radio, TV and newspapers, drove 32% of calls. In 2015, only 6% of calls were the result of offline drivers. By contrast, calls driven by mobile sources increased from 53% to 62% in 2015, and those from other online sources doubled from 16% to 32%
• Automotive is undergoing a massive shift from offline to online and mobile sources; the industry saw a 119% increase in digital sources driving calls in 2015, compared to 2014. Financial Services migrated in 2015 from offline to digital spend. In 2014, the industry drove 44% of its calls from offline channels, and only 29% from online channels. In 2015, the trend flipped: only 26% came from offline channels, and 48% came from digital

For more charts and access to the complete report, please visit here.