Global One and XTML survey reveals that 64 per cent of businesses look to the Internet to improve customer relationships

Citation

(1999), "Global One and XTML survey reveals that 64 per cent of businesses look to the Internet to improve customer relationships", Facilities, Vol. 17 No. 12/13. https://doi.org/10.1108/f.1999.06917lab.005

Global One and XTML survey reveals that 64 per cent of businesses look to the Internet to improve customer relationships

Global One and XTML survey reveals that 64 per cent of businesses look to the Internet to improve customer relationships

Keywords: Internet, Customer service, Business

Basingstoke, July 26, 1999 - a survey, taken at the Internet World show in May 1999, of 100 leading UK companies, reveals that 64 per cent of businesses look to the Internet to improve customer relationships and that 94 per cent of respondents either already trade over the Internet, or plan to do so in the next year,

The survey, conducted by Global One, the international joint venture of Deutsche Telekom, France Telecom and Sprint, and XTML, the UK's only permanent Internet access provider, examined the impact of the Internet on UK business. The results of the survey revealed the following statistics:

Business benefits

"Customer relationships" are seen by 62 per cent of respondents as a key benefit of the Internet. Despite respondents describing the Internet primarily as an information source rather than a sales tool, 63 per cent also listed new sales opportunities as a major benefit, demonstrating high expectations from e-commerce developments. Intranet capabilities was also listed as a major benefit by 38 per cent of respondents, information flexibility by 37 per cent and operating costs by 23 per cent.

Problems with the Internet

In line with this enthusiasm for e-commerce, security is no longer perceived as the biggest problem in adopting the Internet into businesses. Rather usability issues were paramount with "too much information" and "lack of speed" highlighted by 37 and 43 per cent of respondents respectively.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)

The survey also found high expectations of the impact of Voice over IP on the communications marketplace. Of those respondents familiar with VoIP, 32 per cent expect a powerful impact with only 6 per cent expecting little impact if any. Disagreement was apparent about the availability of VoIP as a technology. While 32 per cent of respondents perceived it as an existing technology in the market place, 26 per cent felt it would require another six months, while 19 per cent thought it could take up to two years to become established. None of the respondents believed that VoIP would take more than two years to establish itself however.

Global One offers a single source for the provision of seamless voice, data and IP services for businesses, carriers and consumers around the world. Set up as a worldwide joint venture of Deutsche Telekom, France Telecom and Sprint, Global One is a fully integrated company in its own right, with over 1,400 network access centers in more than 65 countries. Global One offers the world's most far-reaching ATM-based network and in 1998 had revenues of more than US$ 1.1 billion.

XTML Limited, based at Portland Tower, Manchester, was established in June 1997 and employs 27 people. It provides permanent Internet access solutions to businesses throughout the UK and has strategic business partnerships with "premier" partners such as Hewlett-Packard and Global One.

For more information please contact: Sarah Chukoury, Global One. Tel: +44 (0)1256 41 8104. Sarah.Chukoury@globalone.net