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Doing the weekly shop, booking a medical appointment or sorting out paperwork no longer has to mean travelling across town. According to new research, moving those everyday tasks online saves people in Spain an estimated 177 hours a year, worth about €2,140.

 

The first Digitalization Barometer, produced by Línea Directa and consultancy Neovantas, is based on interviews with nearly 1,600 people. It values the time saved using the European Commission’s reference rate of €12.1 per hour.

 

The most common digital tasks are researching a purchase before buying, carried out by 87% of those surveyed, online banking at 85% and tracking an order at 84%.

 

Digital transactions are now part of weekly life for most people. The study found that 95% carry out at least one online transaction each week, while 70% see clear benefits, chiefly saving time.

 

The smartphone is the device of choice. Some 91% use one for digital tasks, compared with 70% who use a computer.

 

Security is what people value most, including dependable passwords, alerts when something goes wrong and the confidentiality of their information. Yet only half of respondents said they know how to resolve a problem if one occurs.

 

People reported an average of 5.4 digital transactions a week across commerce, banking, insurance and public administration. Each saves an average of 38 minutes compared with an in-person visit.

Banking offers the greatest saving, at 39.4 minutes per task, followed by insurance at 38.7 minutes. Public administration saves 38 minutes and retail 32.6 minutes.

 

Translated into money, banking leads with an estimated €88.5 saved each month. Insurance follows at €33, retail at €29.6 and public administration at €27.2.

 

Checking account movements and balances is the most common banking task, used by 94% of customers. In public administration, people mainly book appointments or complete procedures such as Income Tax declarations. In retail, 86% of digital activity is linked to buying.

 

Three in four people, 77%, already manage their insurance digitally. Checking a policy is the most common task, carried out by 48%, followed by filing a claim at 38% and tracking one at 36%.

 

Health insurance has the highest regular digital use, at 17.7%, almost double the rate for home insurance, 9.8%, and car insurance, 9.3%.

 

The study identifies the most digital users as people aged 35 to 54 living in large cities, who value time, convenience and control. Those aged 18 to 24 perceive less saving, the report says, because they have grown up with digital services and have less experience of queuing at a counter.

 

 

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