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Internet Services for SMEs Ministry of Economy, Paris

Internet Services for SMEs Ministry of Economy, Paris. 8-9 th February 1999 Alan Reynolds DTI, London, UK. WWW.TradeUK.Com : What is it?. Searchable National Database of Exporters Automatic alerting of exporters to leads Database of leads searchable by exporters

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Internet Services for SMEs Ministry of Economy, Paris

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  1. Internet Services for SMEsMinistry of Economy, Paris 8-9th February 1999Alan ReynoldsDTI, London, UK

  2. 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

  3. 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 1:60 • Demand from some exporters for a continued service

  4. 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.

  5. 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

  6. WWW.TradeUK.Com : Why join? • Their entry can be seen by anyone, anywhere, anytime - via the Internet • Many competitors are already participating • It’s free - what is there to lose TUK

  7. 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

  8. 85% 50% 18% Composition of NED No. of employees Cumulative Percent

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. 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 buyer’s 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

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. 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

  16. 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

  17. 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

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