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2000 "Maintenance and the Internet" Survey Results
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2000 "Maintenance and the Internet" Survey Results

Ó Plant Maintenance Resource Center

Overview

This survey of Internet usage by Maintenance professionals was conducted on the Plant Maintenance Resource Center website between March and June 2000. The survey highlights some interesting findings, which will form the basis for later, comparative surveys in future years.

Summary of Key Findings

Voluntary (and confidential) responses were sought to the survey, and 61 valid responses were received from a wide range of individuals working across a variety of industries.

The key findings are:

  • More than one third of respondents had spent, on average, US$1,700 on goods and services purchased via the internet during the preceding three months
  • Almost half of respondents considered that information gathered via the Internet had significantly influenced purchase decisions taken during the preceding three months. The average value of purchases influenced during this period was around US$9,000.
  • E-mail is the most frequent, and time-consuming use of the Internet, with over 90% of respondents having Internet e-mail access at work and at home, and reading and responding to E-mail consuming, on average, around 3.7 hours per week.
  • World-wide web access is highly prevalent, both at work and at home
  • The most common use of the internet is seeking information - mainly articles on Maintenance, and information on products and suppliers
  • General search engines, such as Altavista, Hotbot etc., and personal Favorites/Bookmarks are the most commonly used means of locating information on the web. Surprisingly, Printed Journals are also frequently found to be useful in locating valuable information on the Internet.

Respondent Data

Of the 61 valid responses, nearly half were based in the USA, with Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom also well represented.

Country Responses % of Total
United States3049.2%
Australia58.2%
Canada58.2%
United Kingdom46.6%
India34.9%
Croatia23.3%
Brazil11.6%
Finland11.6%
New Zealand11.6%
South Africa11.6%
Sweden11.6%
Other711.5%

Respondents came from a wide range of industries.

Industry Responses % of Total
Manufacturing: Food, beverages, tobacco69.8%
Manufacturing: Metal products58.2%
Services: Education/Academia46.6%
Manufacturing: Petroleum refining, chemicals and associated products46.6%
Services: Business Services/Consulting46.6%
Services: Property services/Building Maintenance46.6%
Services: Software Development/Sales46.6%
Manufacturing: Non-metallic mineral processing34.9%
Services: Transport 34.9%
Utilities: Electricity Generation34.9%
Manufacturing: Wood and paper products34.9%
Services: Contract Maintenance/Repairs23.3%
Services: Healthcare23.3%
Manufacturing: Other23.3%
Services: Research & Development23.3%
Utilities: Electricity Transmission and Distribution11.6%
Manufacturing: Textiles, clothing, footwear, leather11.6%
Oil and Gas: Oil and gas extraction11.6%
Trade: Retail11.6%
Utilities: Water, sewerage, drainage11.6%
Services: Other11.6%
Mining: Coal11.6%
Other34.9%

Maintenance line management positions and Maintenance Engineering positions were well represented in the survey.

Position Responses % of Total
Maintenance Manager/Superintendent 15 24.6%
Plant/Maintenance Engineer 8 13.1%
Maintenance Foreman/Supervisor 5 8.2%
CEO/Managing Director 4 6.6%
Maintenance Crafts/Tradesperson 3 4.9%
Maintenance Technician 3 4.9%
Teacher/Academic 3 4.9%
Reliability Engineer 2 3.3%
Maintenance Planner 2 3.3%
Marketing/Business Development/Sales Manager 1 1.6%
Process/Industrial Engineer 1 1.6%
Research Technician 1 1.6%
Consulting Manager 1 1.6%
Consulting Engineer 1 1.6%
Computer/IT Consultant 1 1.6%
Other 10 16.4%

Respondents generally came from larger and medium sized organisations.

No of Trades/Craftspeople Responses % of Total
Large(more than 100 crafts/tradespeople)2845.9%
Medium(10 to 100 crafts/tradespeople)2236.1%
Small(less than 10 crafts/tradespeople)1118.0%

Detailed Results

Internet E-mail usage

E-mail was clearly the most used Internet feature, both at home and at work. Based on the survey results, it would appear that, on average, respondents spend over 3.5 hours per week reading and responding to Internet e-mail. Is this a productive use of their time?

Access to Internet E-mail

  At Work At Home
Access to Internet E-mail Responses % of Total Responses % of Total
Yes 56 91.8% 57 93.4%
No 3 4.9% 3 4.9%
Don't Know 1 1.6%    
N/A 1 1.6% 1 1.6%

Frequency of E-mail Use

Frequency of E-mail Use Responses % of Total
Daily4268.9%
Weekly1016.4%
Monthly34.9%
Occasionally34.9%
Never11.6%
N/A23.3%

Hours per week spent reading and responding to Internet E-mail

Hours Responses % of Total
011.6%
0-11118.0%
1-21321.3%
2-52236.1%
5-10914.8%
>1034.9%
N/A23.3%

World-wide Web usage

The World-wide Web was also extensively used, and available both at home and at work.

Access to WWW

  At Work At Home
Access to WWW Responses % of Total Responses % of Total
Yes 57 93.4% 57 93.4%
No 3 4.9% 3 4.9%
N/A 1 1.6% 1 1.6%

Frequency of WWW Use

Frequency of WWW Use Responses % of Total
Daily3862.3%
Weekly1118.0%
Monthly11.6%
Occasionally69.8%
Never23.3%
N/A34.9%

Internet Chat/Netmeeting

Although Internet Chat/Netmeeting functionality is available - particularly at home - it is rarely used for work purposes.

Access to Internet Chat/Netmeeting

  At Work At Home
Access to Internet Chat/Netmeeting Responses % of Total Responses % of Total
Yes 28 45.9% 48 78.7%
No 15 24.6% 5 8.2%
Don't Know 7 11.5% 1 1.6%
N/A 11 18.0% 7 11.5%

Frequency of Internet Chat/Netmeeting Use

Frequency of Internet Chat/Netmeeting Use Responses % of Total
Daily11.6%
Weekly58.2%
Monthly11.6%
Occasionally914.8%
Never3557.4%
N/A1016.4%

Popular Uses of the Internet

Searching for information - particularly Maintenance articles, and information regarding products and suppliers - appears to be among the most popular uses of the Internet.

Hours per week spent reading and participating in Discussion Forums

Hours Responses % of Total
03049.2%
0-11321.3%
1-246.6%
2-534.9%
5-1023.3%
>1011.6%
N/A813.1%

Hours per week spent finding and reading Maintenance articles

Hours Responses % of Total
000.0%
0-12337.7%
1-22032.8%
2-5914.8%
5-1023.3%
>1034.9%
N/A46.6%

Hours per week spent researching Products and Suppliers

Hours Responses % of Total
058.2%
0-12236.1%
1-21321.3%
2-51118.0%
5-1011.6%
>1046.6%
N/A58.2%

Hours per week spent researching Customers and Competitors

Hours Responses % of Total
02236.1%
0-11524.6%
1-2813.1%
2-523.3%
5-1046.6%
>1011.6%
N/A914.8%

Hours per week spent looking for work

Hours Responses % of Total
02642.6%
0-11829.5%
1-269.8%
2-511.6%
5-1011.6%
>1011.6%
N/A813.1%

Hours per week spent on other Internet activities

Hours Responses % of Total
046.6%
0-134.9%
1-211.6%
2-500.0%
5-1000.0%
>1000.0%
N/A5386.9%

Finding information on the Internet

The most popular means of finding information on the internet is via personal favourites/bookmarks, and general Internet Search Engines. Next most popular is from Website Directories - both general and Maintenance-specific, via links from related websites, from direct e-mail, and from printed journals.

When looking for information on the internet, how useful do you find Search Engines

Frequency Responses % of Total
Frequently4167.2%
Occasionally1423.0%
Rarely46.6%
Never11.6%
Don't Know00.0%
N/A11.6%

When looking for information on the internet, how useful do you find Website Directories

Frequency Responses % of Total
Frequently2236.1%
Occasionally2236.1%
Rarely1219.7%
Never23.3%
Don't Know00.0%
N/A34.9%

When looking for information on the internet, how useful do you find Maintenance Website Directories

Frequency Responses % of Total
Frequently1727.9%
Occasionally2032.8%
Rarely1219.7%
Never711.5%
Don't Know23.3%
N/A34.9%

When looking for information on the internet, how useful do you find Favorites/Bookmarks

Frequency Responses % of Total
Frequently2947.5%
Occasionally2134.4%
Rarely46.6%
Never23.3%
Don't Know23.3%
N/A34.9%

When looking for information on the internet, how useful do you find Links from related websites

Frequency Responses % of Total
Frequently1727.9%
Occasionally2947.5%
Rarely58.2%
Never34.9%
Don't Know23.3%
N/A58.2%

When looking for information on the internet, how useful do you find Discussion Groups

Frequency Responses % of Total
Frequently58.2%
Occasionally914.8%
Rarely2236.1%
Never1626.2%
Don't Know00.0%
N/A914.8%

When looking for information on the internet, how useful do you find Usenet/Newsgroups

Frequency Responses % of Total
Frequently34.9%
Occasionally813.1%
Rarely1727.9%
Never2439.3%
Don't Know00.0%
N/A914.8%

When looking for information on the internet, how useful do you find Direct E-mail

Frequency Responses % of Total
Frequently1829.5%
Occasionally2541.0%
Rarely914.8%
Never69.8%
Don't Know00.0%
N/A34.9%

When looking for information on the internet, how useful do you find Direct Mail

Frequency Responses % of Total
Frequently1118.0%
Occasionally1626.2%
Rarely2032.8%
Never69.8%
Don't Know00.0%
N/A813.1%

When looking for information on the internet, how useful do you find Printed Journals

Frequency Responses % of Total
Frequently1727.9%
Occasionally2845.9%
Rarely1016.4%
Never00.0%
Don't Know00.0%
N/A69.8%

When looking for information on the internet, how useful do you find Advertising

Frequency Responses % of Total
Frequently69.8%
Occasionally1118.0%
Rarely2541.0%
Never914.8%
Don't Know00.0%
N/A1016.4%

The Internet and E-commerce

In the preceding three months, over a third of respondents had directly purchased work-related goods or services over the Internet, and almost half considered that information gained via the Internet had significantly influenced a work-related purchase decision. The average value of work-related goods and services purchased directly via the Internet during the preceding three months was approximately US$1,700. The average value of work-related goods and services purchased where the purchase decision was significantly influenced by information gathered via the Internet during the preceding three months was approximately US$9,000.

In the past three months, have you purchased any work-related goods or services over the internet?

  Responses % of Total
Yes2236.1%
No3963.9%

What is the approximate value of all the work-related goods or services that you have purchased over the Internet in the past three months?

  Responses % of Total
< US$100711.5%
between US$100 and US$20023.3%
between US$200 and US$50011.6%
between US$500 and US$1,00046.6%
between US$1,000 and US$2,00011.6%
between US$2,000 and US$5,00058.2%
between US$5,000 and US$10,00023.3%
N/A3963.9%

In the past three months, have you purchased any work-related goods or services over the internet?

  Responses % of Total
Yes2845.9%
No1931.1%
Don't Know34.9%
N/A1118.0%

What is the approximate value of all the work-related goods or services that you have purchased over the Internet in the past three months?

  Responses % of Total
< US$10069.8%
between US$100 and US$20034.9%
between US$200 and US$50023.3%
between US$500 and US$1,00046.6%
between US$1,000 and US$2,00046.6%
between US$2,000 and US$5,00069.8%
between US$5,000 and US$10,00000.0%
between US$10,000 and US$50,00023.3%
between US$50,000 and US$100,00000.0%
> US$100,00011.6%
N/A3963.9%

Popular Websites

Respondents were asked to nominate up to three maintenance-related websites that they found valuable. Besides this website (www.plant-maintenance.com) :-), other websites that received more than one nomination included:

Ó Plant Maintenance Resource Center 2000
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