We have just updated our analysis for our final Environmental Choices report on telepresence and flying. One of the things we have discovered is how important 'heavy business flyers' are for telepresence companies - especially in America.
Here is some commentary from a much longer article which will appear in Greenline magazine.
Issue. “I am a telepresence provider. How can segmentation help me?”
A. It is vital to identify which groups of business people are most likely to use your services, and to take account of their opinions and needs, rather than other people. Indeed, people’s opinions outside your target group can sometimes be quite misleading. Our data suggests that current ‘American business flyers’ and especially ‘American heavy business flyers’ are important target groups for telepresence companies.
American business flyers are more ready to substitute at least some of their flights with telepresence than either Canadian or English business flyers. American Climate Citizen business flyers are particularly interested in switching away from business flights in favour of telepresence.
Around a half of American ‘heavy business flyers’ (take either 3+ short-haul business flights or 3+ long-haul business flights per year) already use telepresence to some degree – a much greater proportion than other business groups. They are already aware of a broad spectrum of telepresence providers.
Whilst American ‘heavy business flyers’ are a key group to target for telepresence companies, for airlines they are absolutely crucial. For short-trip business flights, the 9% of Americans who are ‘heavy business flyers’, we calculate are responsible for around 87% of airline seats in this category. For long-trip business flights, the 8% of Americans who are ‘heavy business flyers”, we calculate are responsible for around 89% of airline seats in this category.
