There is also evidence that businesses are adopting a more strategic approach to online trading.

So says the 2002 International Benchmarking Report.

This is the sixth year the research has been run and looks at use of e-business in the G7 countries, plus Australia, Sweden and the Republic of Ireland.

Its main focus is to assess the extent to which UK businesses are using information and communication technologies, to compare the UK’s performance against leading competitors and measure year-on-year progress, says UK Online for Business.

Take up of e-business technology has remained steady against figures from last year, with 91 per cent of business having access to the Internet, and 80 per cent having a web site.

However, businesses are making more sophisticated use of the technologies available to them and are using them to integrate their business processes. For example, there has been greater use of technology to track orders and check the availability of goods and more businesses are using it to provide information to customers and suppliers online, and to share information internally.

Other key findings from the report include:

• 50 per cent of business now order goods and services online, a 52 per cent increase on 2001
  
• Of those businesses that allow ordering online, 63 per cent have already or plan to integrate services into their internal systems
  
• One fifth of firms now pay online, an increase of 20 per cent on the previous year
  
• 33 per cent of business has adopted e-business solutions to reduce costs and increase efficiency and profits, and of these businesses 87 per cent realised the expected results.
  

On a regional basis, London leads the way in terms of technology uptake with business in this area are significantly more likely to have a web site, 91 per cent compared with the national average of 80 per cent.

London’s businesses are also more likely to let customers order and pay online. However, Scottish business tops the charts on having, or planning to have, their ordering systems linked to other internal systems and North Eastern and Northern Irish business is most likely to link stock control and ordering systems so supplies are automatically reordered when they reach a certain level.

Paying for goods and services online is most common amongst business in the East, and they are also most likely to have or plan to have integrated internal systems.

A copy of the 2002 International Benchmarking study can be found on the UK online for business web site in the publications section. To find out more click into the link below.


Thursday, December 19, 2002