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Press Release

Survey Finds Consumers Long for Return of Personal Service

April 3, 2001 at 10:36 AM EDT
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DAYTON, Ohio, April 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Eighty percent of Americans are willing to share personal information with companies if it means getting more personal service while shopping, according to a survey sponsored by Teradata, a division of NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR). Consumers reported that personal service has gone missing from their shopping experiences, and they would like it to return.

As further evidence of the importance of individualized service, a majority of consumers (60%) said companies that provide personal offers that combine online and offline information about their shopping preferences offer an advantage that "makes life easier."

With concerns about privacy, companies need to clearly communicate the benefits of personalization to build consumer confidence. Two-thirds (67%) of consumers "think a lot about privacy" as they surf the Internet. In addition, 79% of survey respondents said explicit guarantees that their personal information will be kept private would encourage them to purchase products or services online.

BuzzBack, an online research company, conducted the survey in March 2001 on behalf of Teradata. The survey is based on feedback from 187 men and women ages 21-65.

Commenting on their experiences with online personalization, consumers responding to the survey made comments like, "I like to be addressed by name. Some of the Web sites have e-mailed me after I got their product, telling me about other items I might like. I know it is only a machine programmed to do a follow up but it makes me feel like the company cares enough to remember my name and what I might like."

"Personalization has benefited me," said one consumer, "because I received e-mails letting me know when products I was interested in were on sale."

But some consumers warned businesses that they must earn their trust, stating, "I want to have a choice about what information a business collects about me. I would be much more willing to give that information if I had full control of how the information is used and who has access to it."

Additional survey findings:

  • More than one third of consumers had spent more than $500 online in the last 12 months, with most purchasing music CDs, computers and software, books, and apparel.

  • More than two-thirds of consumers said they spend 10 to 50 hours each week on the Internet, with the majority saying they frequently visit new Web sites.

  • Despite their concerns about online privacy, only 19% of consumers said they always read a Web site's privacy notice. But 62% said they read the notices "sometimes." Even so, the posting of privacy notices on companies' Web sites encourages trust, according to over 75% of Americans.

About BuzzBack

BuzzBack, based in New York, NY, is the premiere QualiQuant online research tool. BuzzBack leverages the power and speed of the Internet to provide marketers with desktop-based real-time qualitative insights, combined with a quantitative framework for more actionable results. BuzzBack provides a unique forum to tap consumers for key marketing decisions -- reducing costly travel and research costs -- and increasing the pace for innovation and improved customer satisfaction. For additional information, to demo BuzzBack, or to sign-up for a BuzzBack session please visit the company's Web site at www.BuzzBack.com or call 212-529-9104.

BuzzBack is a member of the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) whose mission is profitable marketing through effective research, dedicated to promoting the highest quality business and consumer marketing, advertising and media research by developing guidelines and standards, and by providing objective and impartial technical advice and expertise. www.thearf.org

About Teradata Division

Teradata, a division of NCR Corporation, offers powerful analytical solutions that help businesses drive growth. Teradata solutions include the Teradata database, and analytical applications for customer relationship management, operations and financial management, business performance management and e-business. To learn more about Teradata Division and its solutions, go to http://www.ncr.com/teradata .

About NCR Corporation

NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) is a leader in providing Relationship Technology(TM) solutions to customers worldwide in the retail, financial, communications, manufacturing, travel and transportation, and insurance markets. NCR's Relationship Technology solutions include privacy-enabled Teradata(R) warehouses and customer relationship management (CRM) applications, store automation and automated teller machines (ATMs). The company's business solutions are built on the foundation of its long- established industry knowledge and consulting expertise, value-adding software, global customer support services, a complete line of consumable and media products, and leading edge hardware technology. NCR employs 32,900 in more than 100 countries, and is a component stock of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. More information about NCR and its solutions may be found at www.ncr.com .

NCR and Teradata are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCR Corporation in the United States and other countries. SOURCE NCR Corporation

CONTACT: Holly E. Michael, Teradata Division of NCR Corporation, 937-445-6086, or holly.michael@ncr.com/