UK Internet Penetration at Work 

Businesses use web sites to communicate with a variety of audiences, such as staff, suppliers, customers and business partners. Each site will provide at least one or a number of the four functions that follow.

Information – For an increasing number of people the Internet is the first place they refer to find information about a business, or a product or service. A web site that presents basic company information is increasingly considered as essential as a company letterhead.

Communication – Web sites can also form a direct interface between an organisation and its customers, facilitating two-way communication. Emails, faxes and text messages can all be simply sent direct from a customer to a company via a web site.

Transaction – Customers and suppliers can complete a transaction online without the need for a dialogue or meeting between the two parties. Credit card payment and a secure company account facility are two ways a customer can pay.

Distribution – Certain businesses can use the Internet to actually provide their product or service to their customer, so that the web site becomes their distribution channel. Information, document templates, how-to guides are samples of products that can be distributed to customers directly from web sites.

Use of the Internet by businesses

67% of SMEs have Internet access, that’s just under 7 out of 10 businesses.

This breaks down into 66% of small businesses and 96% of medium.

Oftel Key trends in Internet business consumers, published 4 February 2003.

UK Internet penetration at home

42% of people have access to the Internet from home. However, a further 8% of UK adults access the Internet from locations other than home. Combined with those accessing from home this equates to half of all adults using the Internet.

Household uses of the Internet (prompted)

Research into for what purposes consumers are using the Internet:

Shopping scores highly at 74% - nearly 7 out of 10.

The proportion of homes with Internet access is 42% and PC ownership is at 53%. These figures have been broadly similar for the last 12 months. The main groups connecting to the Internet are:

• Young to middle age consumers (15 to 55)
• Higher income groups (£17.5k and over)
• and higher social grades (ABC1s).