In Germany about 55 percent of the population make currently use of the Internet. In the age bracket from 14 to 49 years this figure is even 75 percent. The recent »Digital Life Report 2006«, a survey carried out by TNS Infratest, reveals how much the importance of the Internet for private decisions has grown. The survey questioned Internet users of a minimum age of 14 years.
58 percent of users say that the Internet was a very important tool on the basis of which major investment and other financial decisions are made. 47.1 percent of people questioned declared that the Internet plays an important role in their career planning. One third of those users who had decided to change jobs over the passed 12 months said that the Internet had been relevant to this decision. »At the touch of a button the online world provides the possibility to compare e.g. prices, to find experts, to seek advice of other people, etc. etc. This new “consumer power” provided by the Internet is intensively made use of and will continue to grow in the near future«, says Mr. Andrew Mairon, senior manager with TNS Infratest. The entire study is available from TNS Infratest.
MittelstandsBlog.DE would like to add: There are three conclusions to be drawn from that by SMEs:
- Products and services which are not offered over the Internet and are therefore not comparable with regard to value for money are not taken into consideration any more by an ever increasing number of potential clients.
- Products and services which are not localized to a special region have, to a large extent, to compete with other manufacturers over the Internet.
- Not only does the importance of the Internet for SMEs grow with regard to the recruiting of qualified staff, but due to the Internet it will also become more difficult to keep this qualified staff.
