TEXT MESSAGING DRIVES INTERNATIONAL SURVEY RESPONSE RATES

New research by Pareas Associates, on behalf of UAL, has identified text messaging as the key to successfully driving response rates when surveying hard to reach international students.

Pareas Associates was commissioned to rollout the first stage of a first destination study on behalf of UAL amongst international students who had completed their studies and returned home.   The research would be critical in determining the real market prospects of graduating students in their local economies after the completion of study.   The challenge was that contact information and, in particular, email addresses held on file die quickly amongst this highly mobile group.   Pareas Associates was able to establish the means to drive high response rates by identifying SMS as the best way to communicate with them.

"Mobile numbers don't change as fast as email addresses" says Marina Pareas.   "UAL need to be able to say you won't all be the next Stella McCartney or Jimmy Choo ... but look at X - she is now designer in firm Y."   Previously it was really hard to find out what happened when students returned home.   By using this new channel UAL are able to ensure a really great response to their critical surveys and student communications.

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