SAN MATEO, Calif., — September 19, 2007 — Keynote Competitive Research, the industry analysis group of Keynote (Nasdaq: KEYN), today announced the release of a new industry research study examining leading auto insurance Web sites. The study contains two parts: an in-depth examination of the online customer experience and service levels (site responsiveness and reliability) of ten leading auto insurances Web sites, including the Allstate, GEICO, Progressive and State Farm sites. The unique data and insights uncovered by Keynote Competitive Research are acquired through the use of the company’s commercially available Web performance and customer experience test and measurement products. The study is available for purchase from Keynote. For more information or details on purchasing the complete study, please view: www.keynote.com/keynote_competitive_research/industry_studies/sep07_auto_insurance_study.html
Customer Experience Rankings for Auto Insurance Web Sites
The Keynote Customer Experience Ranking® for Auto Insurances Web Sites study examines the online experience of more than 1,500 consumers as they interacted with leading auto insurance Web sites. The study details how each site performs versus competitors across key business objectives, including customer satisfaction and customer acquisition, and captures more than 250+ metrics for each site. The study provides competitive rankings in dozens of categories, as well as specific and actionable steps insurers can take to improve their online performance, customer satisfaction, brand appeal and customer acquisition.
The company’s customer experience studies employ Keynote WebEffective™, an on-demand software platform for conducting in-depth user experience research which integrates the best aspects of usability, behavior and attitudinal research.
Service Level Rankings for Online Auto Insurance Web Sites
The Keynote Service Level Rankings study examines the technical performance of leading auto insurance Web sites, including site responsiveness and reliability. The study uses Keynote’s Transaction Perspective® solution, the leading subscription-based service for measuring and monitoring Web site performance. Transaction Perspective mimics the actions of consumers and examines performance from multiple geographic locations, collecting more than 6,500 data points for each site to detail online technical performance. The study offers auto insurance companies insight into their technical performance relative to their competitors, and provides detailed data on their site’s performance across seven key measures critical to the operational health of an online business.
Progressive Ranks #1 in Customer Experience
Progressive was ranked as the #1 Web site in the Keynote Customer Experience Rankings with the best overall ranking across the 250+ customer experience metrics measured in the study. Progressive was a consistently top ranked site in terms of product satisfaction; privacy and security; and in the quote and research process, as well as in providing shopping guidance. GEICO showed the most significant gains in online customer experience over the past year and was the number one ranked site in terms of product satisfaction and overall visual appeal of the site to consumers. The site’s most significant gains came in the privacy and security category.
| Keynote Customer Experience Rankings for Auto Insurance Web Sites (Overall Customer Satisfaction and Experience) |
|
|---|---|
| 1 | Progressive |
| Keynote Service Level Rankings for Auto Insurance Web Sites | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Site Reliability (Indicator of Being Highly Available, Low Downtime) |
Site Responsiveness (Indicator of How Quickly Pages Loaded, Transactions Completed) |
||
| 1 | Progressive | 1 | State Farm |
Progressive and State Farm Number One in Service Levels
In the Keynote Service Level Rankings study Progressive had the auto insurance industry’s best reliability, an indication the site was highly available and experienced little or no downtime. State Farm had the industry’s best site responsiveness, an indication of how fast sites were in downloading pages and completing transactions.
The Keynote study noted that almost every site measured reported a major outage; with two major brand name sites reporting over 30 hours of downtime in the 30 day study period. During these outage periods customers were unable to research insurance coverage or begin an online application. Two of the ten auto insurance sites evaluated had major load handling issues, slowing down by up to 60% each day.
The Keynote Customer Experience Rankings for Auto Insurance Web Sites study was conducted during June
and July 2007 and the Keynote
Service Level Rankings for Auto Insurance Web Sites study was conducted
during July and August 2007.
Companies Included in the Study
The AIG (NYSE: AIG), Allstate (NYSE: ALL), American Family, Esurance, GEICO, Liberty Mutual, MetLife (NYSE: MET), Nationwide (NYSE: NFS), Progressive (NYSE: PGR) and State Farm Web sites were included in the study.
For more details on how your organization can benefit from the study or for information on purchasing the study, please view: www.keynote.com/keynote_competitive_research/industry_studies/sep07_auto_insurance_study.html
About Keynote
Keynote Systems (Nasdaq “KEYN”) is the global leader in on-demand test & measurement solutions for continuously improving the online experience. As an independent and trusted third-party, Keynote provides IT and marketing executives with an unbiased view into their Internet services from around the world. For over a decade, Keynote has been providing measurement data and testing capabilities that allow companies to understand and improve their customer’s online and mobile experience. Keynote has four test and measurement businesses: Web performance, mobile quality, streaming & VoIP, and customer experience/UX. In addition, Keynote’s industry analysis group called Keynote Competitive Research publishes proprietary studies measuring customer experience and service levels across a wide range of industries.
Known as The Mobile and Internet Performance Authority™, Keynote has a market-leading infrastructure of 2,400 measurement computers and mobile devices in over 240 locations around the world. Keynote also maintains one of the most representative panels of online users consisting of 160,000 consumers. Keynote’s on-demand, hassle-free infrastructure allows businesses to access services they need, when they need them to pinpoint and fix mobile quality and Internet problems before they impact customers.
Keynote helps over 2,600 corporate customers become “the best of the best” by helping them improve online business performance and mobile communications quality. Keynote’s customers represent top Internet and mobile companies including American Express, BP, Caterpillar, Dell, Disney, eBay, ESPN Mobile, E*TRADE, Expedia, FedEx, Microsoft, SonyEricsson, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon and Vodafone.
Keynote Systems, Inc. is headquartered in San Mateo, California and can be reached at www.keynote.com or by phone in the U.S. at (650) 403-2400.
Keynote, The Internet Performance Authority, Perspective and Customer Experience Rankings are registered trademarks and The Mobile and Internet Performance Authority and True Experience are trademarks of Keynote Systems, Inc. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2007 Keynote Systems, Inc.
Editorial Contacts:
Dan Berkowitz, Keynote Systems, (650) 403-3305, dan.berkowitz@keynote.com
Dan Cahill, Roaring Communications, (415) 552-3999, dcahill@roaringcommunications.com