Internet Services for SMEs Ministry of Economy, Paris

1
Internet Services for SMEsMinistry of Economy,
Paris

• 8-9th February 1999Alan Reynolds DTI, London, UK

2
(No Transcript)
3
(No Transcript)
4
WWW.TradeUK.Com What is it?

• Searchable National Database of Exporters
• Automatic alerting of exporters to leads
• Database of leads searchable by exporters
• All delivered via the Internet and e-mail

5
WWW.TradeUK.Com Why do it?

• Fundamental role for any TPO to put buyer and
  seller in touch
• Market failure To meet needs not met by
  private firms
• Previous paper based system had cost impact
  ratio of 160
• Demand from some exporters for a continued
  service

6
WWW.TradeUK.Com Why the Internet?

• Recommendation from business that UK needed a
  technologically more modern system
• Wanted same system available everywhere
• Cheap to operate. Easy to amend so all users
  across the world access an upto date system.

7
WWW.TradeUK.Com Timetable

• JOCE ITT 19 July 1997
• 21 requests to pre-qualify
• 4 full bids
• Contract signed 13 February 1998 with The
  Dialog Corporation plc
• System live 1 July 1998
• System launched 1 September 1998

8
WWW.TradeUK.Com Why join?

• Their entry can be seen by anyone,
  anywhere, anytime -
  via the Internet
• Many competitors are already participating
• Its free - what is there to lose

TUK
9
National Exporters Database (NED)

• Usage
• Encouraging start Sept 1998-Jan 1999
• 54,000 companies listed
• 345,000 searches
• BUT, we finding difficult to persuade firms to
  join in huge numbers

10
Composition of NED
No. of employees
Cumulative Percent
11
(No Transcript)
12
Export Sales Leads Service (ESLS)

• Purpose
• To deal with valuable and complex inquiries, by
• sending e-mail alerts to firms who have requested
  them for these inquiries
• displaying these inquiries on the Internet

13
Export Sales Leads Service (ESLS)

• E-Mail alerts
• Embassies and buyers send leads via Internet to
  Dialog
• Firms on NED must register to get e-mail alerts
• Dialog match leads to registered customers
  interests and send them e-mails
• No charge for e-mails
• Registered firms choose which leads to read

TUK
14
(No Transcript)
15
Export Sales Leads Service (ESLS)

• Database search
• Dialog send e-mail alerts and add leads to
  database on Internet
• Anyone can search the Internet site for leads by
  country, product, type and dates
• Registered firms alone can look at buyers
  details No charge for 5 per month
• FCO Posts can see on-line which firms
• were sent e-mail alerts
• have seen buyer data (inc firms searching database

TUK
16
(No Transcript)
17
Export Sales Leads Service (ESLS)

• Usage
• 6,125 leads to mid-January
• 2,400 firms registered 1 September - 6,900 now
• 357,000 e-mail alerts plus 120,000 database
  searches
• Targets
• Increase firms registered to 10,000
• Minimum of 25,000 leads annually

18
Marketing Strategy in the UK

• Mailshots
• Articles in newsletters
• Leaflets/flyers in DTI mail
• Presenting TradeUK to audiences at seminars
  etc.
• Displays at events in the UK
• Considering compulsory membership for users
  of our other services

19
How can Business Links help?

• Encourage new companies to join Trade, by
• Including with correspondence details of TradeUK
• Supply sample leads or sample entries to whet
  the appetite
• Mention TradeUK at speaking engagements
• Include TradeUK in articles in in-house magazines
  or newsletters

20
Summary of benefits forUK businesses

• Free services (free entry on NED and free to
  become customer of ESLS)
• Global exposure through the NED
• Fast and efficient electronic delivery of
  information through ESLS (largely free)
• Puts flexibility and choice into hands of the
  customer
• Electronic commerce opportunities

21
Cost to DTI

• Monthly payment to Dialog, offset by
• share of revenue from selling contact details
• share of revenue from other information which
  Dialog might offer to sell e.g. market reports
• Total cost including staff time EUR 28 million
  over 5 years

22
Initial Findings

• Minimal resistance from SMEs to using Internet
• Difficult to reach SMEs to persuade them to
  join
• Worldwide service uneven because kit in our
  embassies varies and telecommunications
  insufficient quality in developing countries