National Survey Assesses Consumer Acceptance of Technology; E-Commerce Faces Strong Skepticism

Gauging consumers’ acceptance and use of various technologies is the focus of a report, published by Rockbridge Associates, Inc., titled “National Technology Readiness Survey” (NTRS). The NTRS reviews the results from a survey of 1001 randomly chosen households across the U.S., providing objective data on how consumers view the impact of technology on everyday life. The survey includes a wide range of products and services, from cellular phones to e-commerce.

“Now organizations in a variety of industries have a quantifiable method for better understanding the customer’s viewpoint in evaluating technology-related products and services,” said Charles Colby, president of Rockbridge. “For example, while 74% of Americans believe technology gives them more freedom of mobility, 90% believe that the human touch is very important when dealing with a company. With the proliferation of business being conducted through machines – from ATMs to automated gasoline pumps – companies need to find creative ways to respond to this dichotomy.”

“E-commerce creates considerable concern in the minds of the public,” continued Colby. “Consumers are worried about the privacy and security of their online transactions; more than half (58%) do not consider it safe to do any kind of financial transaction online. In addition, 67% do not feel confident doing business with a place that can only be reached online, 77% do not consider it safe to give out a credit card number over a computer, and 87% want their electronic business transactions confirmed in writing. Success in cyberspace will be determined by how well organizations address these issues.”

The survey, developed over a two-year period, is based on a model designed by A. Parasuraman, the James W. McLamore professor of Marketing at the University of Miami and a leading scholar in the field of services marketing. Rockbridge and Parasuraman used the results to develop the Technology Readiness Index, so that companies may apply the same survey techniques to their own databases. The cost of the 100-page report is $995; for an additional $500, organizations may obtain a one-time license for the Index.

Established in 1992, Rockbridge Associates, Inc., is a market research and consulting firm that focuses on technology issues for Fortune 500 services companies.

For more information, contact Charles Colby, Chief Methodologist and Founder, at 703.757.5213 ext. 12 or ccolby@rockresearch.com.