Initiative Uncovers Factors Influencing Consumer Journeys

Interpublic-owned agency Initiative UK has developed a tool called Decision Trees, to uncover hidden factors that influence a customer's path-to-purchase, and measure buying against metrics such as the chances of repeat purchases and recommendations.

Decision Trees uses classification and regression tree (CART) modelling to understand and map observations. In a pilot, the firm partnered with sample and panel provider Respondi to find out what factors in the path-to-purchase affected whether British holiday-makers were happy or not happy with their holiday, using a series of CART models created for different consumer audiences such as hotel stayers, family city breaks and beach holidays. Initiative UK says that the process enabled it to better understand how the importance of different factors can affect the purchasing decision when booking a holiday, with insights uncovered including factors such as the more enjoyable the planning experience, the better the holiday; and that families taking city breaks have a better time when they use Trip Advisor to plan.

Ben Haley (pictured), Head of Insight, says that the new system can be applied to many different sectors that involve a customer path-to-purchase: 'The beauty of Decision Trees is that it unearths the hidden factors behind our choices. Not what we necessarily think is most important, but what's actually driving our decisions. The analysis can be applied to any category, revealing more about consumer decision making than standard surveys do, enabling marketers to use this to their advantage.'

Web site: www.initiative.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.