Online News: Study Shows Engineers Increasingly Rely on Web for Work Purposes
Ninety-one percent of respondents reported using the Internet to find components and suppliers, while 90% indicated that they have obtained product specifications online. Additionally, 82% reported using the Internet for research, compared to 68% a year ago. Plus, this audience is spending more time online for work purposes; 45% of respondents reported spending six or more hours per week online.
Results of the survey also indicate that engineers prefer to contact suppliers using online methods, yet many suppliers are not meeting expectations with their responses. Forty-two percent of engineers prefer to contact suppliers and manufacturers by visiting them on the Web, and another 36% prefer e-mail. But 40% of respondents indicated that they typically wait between 3-7 days to receive the information they request via e-mail, and 5% wait even longer.