1. Copyright © 2004 by Common Sense Advisory, Inc. All rights reserved. Insight for global market leaders Enhancing Electronic Competitiveness: Two Surprising Datapoints Donald A. DePalma, Ph.D. Président et fondateur Common Sense Advisory, Inc.

2. C O M M O N S E N S E A D V I S O R Y, I N C. Copyright © 2004 by Common Sense Advisory, Inc. Today’s presentation Two surprises relating to competitiveness: The English web: Perhaps not such a bad thing depending on where you are E-mail response: Common behaviors that we might find at Canadian companies

3. C O M M O N S E N S E A D V I S O R Y, I N C. Copyright © 2004 by Common Sense Advisory, Inc. Review of global website practices 400 companies 16 countries 25 companies in each country – biggest by revenue Dozens of vertical markets

4. C O M M O N S E N S E A D V I S O R Y, I N C. Copyright © 2004 by Common Sense Advisory, Inc. Data:Common Sense Advisory, Inc. September 2003 Canada – not the best, not the worst: Top 25 companies by revenue 72% have more than just one language Most reference 2 languages or countries At least 1 points to 48 countries or languages Average company points to 6.1 countries or languages

5. C O M M O N S E N S E A D V I S O R Y, I N C. Copyright © 2004 by Common Sense Advisory, Inc. The languages of the Web Data:Common Sense Advisory, Inc. September 2003

6. C O M M O N S E N S E A D V I S O R Y, I N C. Copyright © 2004 by Common Sense Advisory, Inc. How we interpret this data Global lingua franca still English: –Most lucrative buyers transact in English –Certain disciplines require English –Every speaks English (cf. “resort English”) –English intermediates the Babel of languages Planners outside the Anglo Zone grasp this reality: –90% pitch their wares in English –They optimize for home-market language + English –Anglophone countries miss the point: 42% of U.S., 50% of U.K., and 80% of Australians speak English only

7. C O M M O N S E N S E A D V I S O R Y, I N C. Copyright © 2004 by Common Sense Advisory, Inc. International business is more profitable than domestic business Global business = 40% of assets 45% of corporate profits

8. C O M M O N S E N S E A D V I S O R Y, I N C. Copyright © 2004 by Common Sense Advisory, Inc. Our experiment with contacting these global companies via U.S. website Review of the websites of the 100 most valuable global brands for Spanish content Why Spanish? –38M U.S. residents are of Latino origin –70+% prefer Spanish in informal and family situations –Continuing influx of Spanish-preferent immigrants more than balance residents who assimilate into mainstream –Big money: Lots of discretionary consumer spending –Bigger influence: Political, cultural Possible analogue in other multicultural countries?

9. C O M M O N S E N S E A D V I S O R Y, I N C. Copyright © 2004 by Common Sense Advisory, Inc. How these companies solicit further interaction at their websites

10. C O M M O N S E N S E A D V I S O R Y, I N C. Copyright © 2004 by Common Sense Advisory, Inc. What we found in the form of content targeted at different language groups

11. C O M M O N S E N S E A D V I S O R Y, I N C. Copyright © 2004 by Common Sense Advisory, Inc. Summary of response to our inquiries

12. C O M M O N S E N S E A D V I S O R Y, I N C. Copyright © 2004 by Common Sense Advisory, Inc. Response time ranged from seconds to weeks

13. C O M M O N S E N S E A D V I S O R Y, I N C. Copyright © 2004 by Common Sense Advisory, Inc. Companies with Spanish content provide incomplete customer service

14. C O M M O N S E N S E A D V I S O R Y, I N C. Copyright © 2004 by Common Sense Advisory, Inc. … and limited interactivity in Spanish

15. C O M M O N S E N S E A D V I S O R Y, I N C. Copyright © 2004 by Common Sense Advisory, Inc. Electronic channels need to be integrated with other messages

16. C O M M O N S E N S E A D V I S O R Y, I N C. Copyright © 2004 by Common Sense Advisory, Inc. Cross-channel example

17. C O M M O N S E N S E A D V I S O R Y, I N C. Copyright © 2004 by Common Sense Advisory, Inc. Merci. Don DePalma don@commonsenseadvisory.com +1.978.256.7621 www.commonsenseadvisory.com Insight for global market leaders