Any Time, Any Place Mobile Phone-Based Opinion Poll Service Launches

Leading pollsters MORI to be first users

One of the UK's leading wireless and e-business application developers, Synamic, today (May 23) announced a new web-based service that enables companies to run opinion polls via a mobile phone. Research houses, publishing companies and competition organisers will be among the users of the service.

Called PollPosition.net, the first company to use the new service will be MORI Technology, the specialist new media research division of MORI. Set up in 1996, the division is MORI's fastest growing area of research and boasts the largest team of specialist internet researchers in the UK.

PollPosition.net will provide clients and poll sponsors with a fully automated end-to-end service that incorporates both the wireless delivery as well as the hosting of responses and feedback to client web sites. This innovative service will revolutionise opinion collection, and marks the start of a new era in interactive marketing.

"PollPosition is a unique new service that opens a wealth of new marketing and promotional opportunities for companies - especially those that want to create greater interactivity or to shape their product offering based on instant customer feedback," says Huw Gwynn-Jones, CEO of Synamic. "Most significantly it brings with it the opportunity for people to respond to any form of poll 'on the move' enabling anyone with a mobile phone to give an instant response. What's more poll sponsors can monitor the instant feedback live as it hits their Internet site."

Nicky Perrott, head of MORI Technology, predicted a rapid uptake of surveys delivered to mobile phones: "On-line and web-based research is a fast growing area for MORI, and the booming interest in WAP and wireless internet is going to fuel that growth. With PollPosition, we will maintain our leadership in this area and will be able to offer our clients fast and accurate polling results - we see this as a major breakthrough."

With PollPosition, clients or poll sponsors are fully in control with automated processes that need no external mediation. Users can voice their opinions using SMS, WAP, Internet, voice, and interactive TV. Poll results are also available to users, sponsors and providers alike through these same channels. Data on poll results and poll users can be collated and utilised for additional marketing purposes.

PollPosition is set to become a leading polling approach alongside traditional 'clip-board' surveys, magazine and newspaper competitions, and sports and event-based polls. Consumer product rating surveys and public opinion gathering on local and national issues are set to dramatically change with the new functionality and creativity that PollPosition offers.

"A number of companies are excited by the immediate and powerful benefits PollPosition can deliver. For event organisers, publishing houses, and media groups, it offers a range of creative opportunities for live competitions, and interactive audience responses that could shape programme coverage or content," says Gwynn-Jones.

"It is a particularly exciting service for wired 'dot.com' companies or portals whose business model depends on turning lookers into bookers. PollPosition creates greater visitor interaction and involvement," says Gwynn-Jones, "and opens the way to generating new markets and services and displaying information on poll results instantaneously on web-sites. It is particularly relevant for partnership marketing and promotions."

For Synamic, this is the first of a number of innovative new Wireless Application Services for the consumer and business markets.

"We are fast establishing a European centre of excellence in wireless technology, delivering mobile solutions and products that provide a bridge to the new economy," confirms Gwynn-Jones. "PollPosition is the first of a series of products that, together with our other services offers solutions to power the new mobile economy."

PollPosition.net is the web site and Internet engine for the PollPosition service.