"...62% of respondents' firms do not currently use the Internet for
business transactions."
"...in two years, half of their firms' business transactions will be
done on the Internet."
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Dot-Coms Target Untapped Market
Engineering News Record, March 2000
ELECTRONIC COMMERCE has been making slow inroads
into construction, but that may soon change.
One in four of the 180 exhibitors at the AGC
Constructor Exposition 2000 in Seattle were information technology
companies. They were hawking online products to help contractors
administer the bidding process, buy and sell equipment, procure
materials, oversee safety programs and coordinate project
documents.
Some of these dot-coms have yet to ink their
first deal, but the lack of a firm track record does not turn off AGC
contractors. According to an electronic poll of about 150 chapter
presidents, vice presidents and chapter executives conducted by ENR at
the convention, 62% of respondents' firms do not currently use the
Internet for business transactions.
In two years, however, only 6% expect that no
business will be conducted on the Web, according to survey results.
Almost one-quarter of the poll's participants predict that in two years,
half of their firms' business transactions will be done on the
Internet.
Polling provided by Meridia Interactive of
Plymouth Meeting, PA.
The following is a portion of the survey:
What do you feel is your firm's
most important use of the Internet?
4.1% Project Management/Collaboration
19.0% Research
5.4% Bidding for jobs
0.7% E-commerce
2.7% Software downloads
68.0% Communication
0.0% Negotiating contracts
Which is your firm's main use
of e-commerce?
67.7% Do not use e-commerce
16.1% Buying office supplies
5.6% Buying Construction materials
3.2% Buying equipment
7.3% Selling my products
Currently what % of your firm's
business transactions are done
on the Internet?
62.3% 0%
29.7% 10%
5.8% 25%
1.4% 50%
0.0% 75%
0.7% 90%
0.0% 100%
In two years, what % of your
firm's business transactions will
be done on the Internet?
5.6% 0%
24.3% 10%
37.5% 25%
22.9% 50%
6.3% 75%
3.5% 90%
0.0% 100%
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