Internet is increasing our service expectations in the offline world
The internet age is eroding one of the most quintessentially British traits according to new research* from TalkTalk (www.talktalk.co.uk/freevotes), the biggest provider of broadband to Britain’s homes – and that’s our patience.
Indeed, Brits are so used to the speed and convenience of the internet that over 70% of us ‘lose it’ if we have to wait longer than one minute for an internet page to load. And interestingly, over half of us (51%) admit to reaching boiling point quicker than ever before, when waiting for things in the offline world to happen too.
The research has been commissioned to mark the launch of TalkTalk Pro – a new high-performance phone and broadband package boasting download speeds of up to 24meg, making it one of the fastest broadband products on the market.
But just how long does it take to boil a Brit nowadays? TalkTalk has identified the average ‘Point of Impatience’ for a range of scenarios.
Top of the tormentors is being kept on hold, with the average Brit reaching the ‘Point of Impatience’ after just five minutes and four seconds, less time than they’re prepared to wait for a kettle to boil at five minutes and six seconds.
Restaurant rage kicks in after only eight minutes and 38 seconds, when the average Brit will start to wonder whether the meal they’ve ordered will ever arrive.
If you’re running late to meet a friend, best not to leave it any longer than 10 minutes and one second if you don’t want to face their wrath. And if you’re a tradesmen arriving to a job more than 10 minutes and 43 seconds late, don’t expect a cup of tea.
Finally, when you receive a text or a voicemail, be warned that the clock is ticking as the average Brit expects you to take no longer than 13 minutes and 16 seconds to respond.
Mark Schmid, communications director at TalkTalk said: “The speed of the online world is making us less prepared to wait for things to happen in the offline world, causing people to reach the ‘Point of Impatience’ earlier than ever before.
“As the internet continues to quicken up it’s bound to place greater expectations on the offline world too. And with 37% of Brits saying they’ve cancelled a service after being forced to wait it poses some real problems for companies in the offline world.”
The research also found that those brought up with the internet are significantly less prepared to wait than the elderly. One third of 18-24 year olds expect to wait a maximum of 10 seconds for an internet page to load compared to only 10% of over 65s, the majority of whom (64%) were happy to wait up to a minute for a page to load.
Younger people are more impatient in the offline world too. Twice as many 55-64 year olds than 18-24 year olds were prepared to wait more than 30 minutes for a friend to show up for a meeting (19 percent vs. nine percent).
Frustrated youngsters are also more likely to get physical, with 19% of 18-44 year olds having thrown something in anger after reaching the ‘Point of Impatience’, compared to just 41% of over 45s.
TalkTalk Pro is available now and costs £14.99 a month.** It comes with download speeds of up to 24meg – making it one of the fastest broadband products on the market – as well as unlimited downloads and a free wireless router, plus free anytime UK calls to 01, 02, 03, 0845 and 0870 numbers.
Commenting on the service, Tristia Clarke from TalkTalk said: “Once again TalkTalk is challenging the market and providing unbeatable value by offering a premium broadband product at a much lower price than its competitors’ packages. So if you're one of the millions of people who now regularly use your broadband service to download and upload videos and images or stream media around the house, then our high-performance TalkTalk Pro package, offering you the fastest speed your line can handle, is perfect for you."
Customers who are interested in TalkTalk Pro should visit www.talktalk.co.uk/freevotes to sign up or find out more information.
Table one: Various ‘Points of Impatience’
Table two: Extreme reactions after reaching the ‘Point of Impatience’
* ICM Omnibus for TalkTalk Pro. Fieldwork conducted among 2050 people over 23-25 October 2009
** Plus £11.25 line rental. 18 month contract.