OMAHA, NE., Nov. 11, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a new survey from Infogroup, a leading provider of high-value data and multichannel marketing solutions, 85 percent of consumers say they are unlikely to return to a business if the address or hours were wrong in search engine results or specials were not as advertised.
The survey found that a high percentage of consumers have been led astray by incorrect business listings. More than half (52 percent) of consumers say they have visited a business to find it permanently closed and an almost equal number have gone to a business to find that it has moved.
"Small businesses are more likely to be adversely affected by outdated information due to the high frequency of openings, closings and changes of address," said Amit Khanna, president of small and medium business at Infogroup. "Our database of local businesses sees over 1 million new businesses added to our database and about the same number of businesses go out of business every year. It's important for small businesses and first-time entrepreneurs to pay close attention to their online information and take extra steps to ensure that it is accurate."
The survey also indicated that businesses have one chance to get a new customer to try their product or service. Twenty-six percent of survey respondents said they blame the business itself if they are misled by incorrect business listings. Additionally, over 60 percent of consumers said if they arrived to find a restaurant closed, they'll simply find a different one on their mobile device or navigation system.
"Thanks to mobile technology, consumers who are upset about incorrect business listings have no reason to give that business a second chance or to keep quiet about their negative experience," said Khanna. "It's important that small businesses make it as easy as possible for customers to find them on the first try."
Small businesses can ensure their online information is accurate by claiming local listings, developing mobile friendly websites and regularly updating social media accounts. Additionally, investing in technology, like Infogroup's Express Update, will ensure that information is updated on hundreds of search and navigation engines. For more information on the survey, Express Update and Infogroup's services for small businesses, visit www.infogroup.com.
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.