Last Night a BlackBerry Saved My Life

- BlackBerrys - a business lifesaver for 90% of users
- More than 1 in 10 would be ëdevastatedí if their BlackBerry was taken away
- 68% think their BlackBerry improves how customers perceive them

According to research from T-Mobile and YouGov, 90% of BlackBerry users say it’s a business lifesaver helping them to avoid a variety of damaging business situations, particularly when it comes to customer service.

40% of respondents said a customer relationship would have been compromised if they had not responded to an email quickly, whilst a third found the ability to access email on the move enabled them to respond to enquiries more rapidly.

The findings proved that BlackBerry-enabled businesses were better able to meet Service Level Agreements, therefore avoiding compromising and potentially damaging situations with their customers.

68% also thought that their BlackBerry handset made them look more professional and improved the way they are perceived by customers.

BlackBerry has also been a deal maker for a number of users. 15% of respondents have won new business, and 12% were even able to avoid a tricky legal situation because they could send and receive emails on the move.

However, fear of having their BlackBerry handset taken away was a big concern - more than one in ten respondents said they would be devastated if it happened, while 50% said they would be worried about missing important emails and calls. More than a third of respondents said they would feel more stressed when out of the office and a further 18% felt that they would be unable to cope with their current workload.

Other key findings from the research include:

- 36% of respondents said that having BlackBerry has helped them out of a compromising business situation on more than five occasions;

- 88% of users that surf the Internet from their BlackBerry handset use it to keep up to date with the news;

- 61% of users find BlackBerry helps to strike a work-life balance by being able to stay on top of both business and personal lives whilst out of the office.

Derek Williamson, Head of Business Marketing, T-Mobile UK says, ìBlackBerry is no longer simply a nice to have - it is a crucial ingredient in businesses success. We live in a world where business is done anywhere, anytime, and the ability to check emails on the move is keeping BlackBerry users one step ahead of the game. It is helping businesses to avoid legal issues, improve customer service and even convert new business leads. Mobile working has truly come of age.î

BlackBerry, developed and manufactured by Research In Motion (RIM), is the leading wireless solution providing seamless access to email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and other applications.

The research was commissioned by T-Mobile UK and undertaken by YouGov PLC. It was based on a study of 251 BlackBerry users in the UK. The research was carried out online between 21st June - 5th July.