and support efforts to ensure that customers can shop cross-border in the single market.
Furthermore, it seeks stakeholders'views on how best to serve the interests of customers, businesses and end-consumers.
On the basis of the information collected, the Commission services are currently working on identifying solutions to help improve cross-border parcel delivery, notably with regard to prices,"convenience"for customers,
and,(4) those concerning in-building deployment connecting customers. High speed broadband Internet is the backbone of the digital single market.
For traders, e-commerce offers new ways to interact with their customers and to serve them through different channels and platforms.
Although each channel retains the unique characteristics that compel customers to engage with it be specialized that a or expanded merchandise assortment, a compelling and informative visual presentation,
This includes information about their customers. To deliver good services and meet consumers'expectations retailers need to know their customers and their preferences.
To ensure delivery of the right product at the right time and avoiding waste, retailers and wholesalers have,
retailers and wholesalers pay attention to satisfy their customers all the time. In the rare cases where customers are satisfied not
and a dispute arises, these are resolved mostly between retailers and consumers bilaterally. For the very few cases where they do not,
and the opinion of customers who have bought them. These instruments are known as: comparison websites/tools, trustmarks, review tools. 1 Also see the Commissions communication on the proposed Data protection Package:
which all their customers can use. All payment channels must operate with equal ease and security.
New markets and customers Companies developing and selling new ecoinnovative products, services and technologies are motivated by the opportunity to access new markets and customer segments.
and performance to customers New markets and customers Higher revenues and profit Cost saving Eco-innovations resulting in improved resource productivity save money by reducing costs of material
customers do need not necessarily to own products; services can meet their needs, perhaps even better.
What value do we deliver to customers? Which customers'needs are we helping to satisfy?
What are key the activities and resources that help us to develop and deliver value to customers (e g. skills, resources, strategic partnerships, Intellectual Property (IP))?
How much does our business model depend on our companies 'and our customers'access to and use of material and energy?
Could we consider an alternative way to satisfy the needs of our customers (e g. productservice systems?
A fundamental question for any eco-innovative company is how to deliver value to a customer in a way that is both profitable and less resource intensive.
functional sales in practice Swedish AGA Gas offers its customers the ability to continuously introduce safer chemicals at lower consumption levels and with less hazardous waste disposal.
AGA Gas reduces their customers'overall chemical procurement costs by reducing use of chemical products,
The main concept is that cars can be hired spontaneously (customers use a chip to unlock the car),
sustainable furniture The customers of Made can choose online what the company manufactures by voting on the designs they prefer most.
This allows for cost savings for customers of up to 70%.%The material choice for the furniture production is based on a comparative analysis of closest equivalent products in functionality,
Develop sustainable stories to increase customers, adhesion to the company and its products and services. 13 See Accenture, 2012:
Communicating data or information on a product's environmental impacts is not always a strong motivator for customers
and comparison e g. with competitors involving customers informs their relative importance. Tools for assessment help designers to directly inform their decision making.
Focusing on the environmental aspects of a product makes you start asking questions of suppliers and customers in the supply chain,
and services Key challenges for your business Customers whether they are end consumers or buyers in business or government are increasingly integrating environmental and social considerations into purchasing decisions.
or new business models driven by environmental considerations will require approaches outside of normal day-to-day R&d processes with dialogue with a range of stakeholders including customers,
Lifecycle considerations are increasingly important to customers e g. companies need to understand how products are manufactured sourced
Today's customers buy greener products, services or technologies because they work better, save money or enhance health.
Purchase how do customers purchase products and services? Delivery how do we deliver a greener value proposition to customers?
After sales how do we provide greener post-purchase support? Greener customers are influenced by recommendations of trusted peers and third parties.
There is a backlash against perceived greenwashing, therefore companies must be clear about the environmental impacts of products.
and others issues through engaging customers in meaningful conversations through a variety of media, especially via websites and online social networks, rather than by simply talking at customers through traditional media.
and ongoing communications with customers and other stakeholders can identify new opportunities for eco-innovation.
Engage existing and potential customers, as well as other stakeholders, in conversations through a variety of media.
which means that customers energy bills are reduced by €z per month. What will the market pay?
and services Quick wins Determining the extent of customers and other stakeholders environmental awareness and understanding may help to reveal business opportunities or threats.
valid and clear environmental performance claims underpinned by fact based information will build trust and reputation amongst customers.
and generate new customers. Good practice Visionary Soap Company Ltd successfully established a brand of fair trade soap www. visionarysoap. co. uk/about-us-1-w. asp Elvis
and integrate positives into communications with customers. Ensure environmental performance claims are valid and understandable before you incorporate them into promotional messages.
service or technology deliver to your customers? Who are the potential customers for your product?
have done you any market research? Who are your competitors? have benchmarked you your product, service or technology compared to competitive products and services?
How are you going to create noise in the market and amongst your customers? What can you do yourself?
and customers and extend it to the likeminded crowd who have affinity with your product,
It allows web merchants to provide customers with relevant information. To limit the negative effects of Directive 2009/136/EC (the‘Cookie Directive')on both consumers and merchants
ICT-producing firms are believed to provide additional impetus to productivity growth in other sectors through the transfer of knowledge to customers and suppliers,
suppliers and customers) the confidence to use them. Elie Simon, president EMEA of Sun microsystems, believes regulators must seek to develop unified security standards to protect Europe's network infrastructure.
Vendors must make every effort to ensure that customers are not only aware of the benefits of a newly deployed technology,
will enable customers to become much more interactive with the networks. More customer-centric networks are the way ahead,
and proposes an ambitious strategy to make a reality of this vision for the benefits of Europe and its electricity customers.
fulfilling customers'needs whilst responding to the changes and challenges ahead; Accessible: granting connection access to all network users, particularly for renewable power sources and high efficiency local generation with zero or low carbon emissions;
Advances in simulation tools will greatly assist the transfer of innovative technologies to practical 1. Executive Summary 5 VISION AND STRATEGY I ELECTRICITY NETWORKS OF THE FUTURE application for the benefit of both customers
and enhance their services to customers; Ensuring the successful interfacing of new and old designs of grid equipment to ensure interoperability of automation and control arrangements.
products and services to create a strongly user-centric approach for all customers. 8 E u R O P E A n T E C H N O
Network owners and operators are called upon to fulfil customers'expectations in an efficient and cost effective way.
Customers will benefit from the opportunity to choose the energy supplier that best suits their requirements.
Customers, providers, researchers and lawmakers are implicated all in the future of electricity provision. 9 VISION AND STRATEGY I ELECTRICITY NETWORKS OF THE FUTURE Generators:
Fulfilling customers'needs whilst responding to the changes and challenges ahead; Accessible: Granting connection access to all network users, particularly for RES and high efficiency local generation with zero or low carbon emissions;
This will ensure that the networks of the future meet the needs of tomorrow's customers and a broader spectrum of stakeholders.
Increasing participation of customers in the energy field; European and national policies encouraging lower carbon generation, new and renewable energy sources and more efficient use of heat energy;
The desire to deliver benefits to customers at the earliest opportunity; The need to reduce uncertainty and risk to businesses making investment decisions;
and enhance their services to customers. Research is needed to help identify the most cost-effective technologies and measures.
local energy management and full integration of DG and RES with large-scale central power generation Extensive small, distributed generation connected close to end customers Harmonised legal frameworks
Extending the definition of generation to commercial and industrial demand customers and individual households allows demand management to be treated as a form of indirect generation.
and customers take on an active role. 20 E u R O P E A n T E C H N O L O G Y
modern communications means and the increased awareness of customers, local electricity supply management will play a key part in establishing new services that will create value for the parties involved.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and business process integration will be valuable tools in the real time management of the value chain across suppliers, active networks, meters, customers and corporate systems.
Supporting new initiatives Distribution companies will deal with customers who are more aware of the possibilities offered by the market and their on-line response.
which is ineffective in meeting the needs of tomorrow's European customers and businesses; It will guard against a lack of harmonisation of European technical standards, regulatory and commercial frameworks;
It is only through wide deployment (sometimes called‘roll out')that benefits will be seen by European customers
and strategies Lighthouse pilot projects Catalyst projects Matching processes and feasibility evaluation Commercial adoption with benefits delivered to customers
A total of 47 of the 50 fastest growing companies in Finland are Tekes customers.
%to access customers outside local markets (69) %and to access finance (68%).%Specific challenges per dimension are shown in Table 4. Fostering Innovation-driven Entrepreneurship in Europe 27 Table 4:
Martin Vollmer, Chief Technology Officer, Clariant Developing culture and organization Promoting an R&d setup with specific organizational structures integrating employees, partners and customers Barclays Open Innovation:
know-how and a network to take the product to customers at a global level. Both parties participate in commercialization of the project through a profit-sharing agreement.
and to adapt easily to the needs of their customers. It is no surprise that innovative SMES are the main driver for growth.
and adapting existing products to the needs of customers. This explains why economists have reopened the debate on
and adapting existing products to the needs of customers. Small firms account for a disproportionate share of new product innovation given their low R&d expenditures (Acs and Audretsch
where they build direct links between manufacturers and final customers. But to properly take advantage of such internet-based financial and accounting systems
The digital world enables individual product customization The customers will directly interact only with the intermediary,
you have to find customers for your speciality all over the world in order to recoup your R&d investment."
the small and medium-sized enterprises consider it important to undertake such global investments because of the demonstration effect--to show potential customers
to customers. While such services could be contracted out, the asset specificity of the product, combined with its high technological sophistication,
While customers may be satisfied in a static sense, the enterprise is not engaging in dynamic product development,
Customers eventually reward technological leaders that can provide them with unanticipated product innovations and improvements.
Ideally in SMES scientists and engineers should have a deep understanding of what their customers actually need,
but this can only be nurtured through close and frequent contact with the customers. Such direct and repeated contact between customers and the engineering department is particularly important
so that the latter do not underestimate the problems of applying technology to commercial needs. Indeed, non-marketing employees in the German Mittelstand engage in direct contact with customers at twice the frequency as in the largest German corporations.
This is typical of the importance placed in German SMES on having customer interaction with engineering, manufacturing,
The interaction between customers, manufacturers, and capital good suppliers in Italy has created an environment that pushes innovation forward.
The same is true of the close relations between manufacturers and customers the latter providing rapid feedback on technical solutions.
which one meets new SME-customers. -Organisation of workshops. Workshops about specific technologies or organisational changes are given regionally (see training in figure 4). Workshops are oriented to restricted target group of SME who are already regular customers.
-Distribution of business information. All sorts of information dissemination is possible through web sites, production of newsletters, even regional television. 94.
and engineering knowledge available (from public research institutes, customers, suppliers) and their own dayto-day business activities.
and Intranet in SMES The analysis of the purpose why SMES use Internet & Intranet point out that in more than 75%of the companies'information technology is used for a better communication with customers
CNIPMMR, White Charter of Romanian SMES 11th Edition, Sigma Publishing house, 2013 75.89 67.17 50.59 45.71 39.5 3. 04 To communicate with customers
Usually enterprises use the IT application for communicating with customers and suppliers, to obtain information and for on-line transaction and payments.
whereby SMES are able to=piggyback‘on the backs of larger customers into international markets.
whereby small firms internationalise their activities by piggybacking on the backs of large customers. RETA Continue to coordinate policy actors in the Andalusian SME
2003) whereby SMES are able to=piggyback‘on the backs of larger customers into international markets.
and innovation tend to be customers or suppliers in their own value chains rather than external research bodies (either public or private)( Cumbers et al.,
number of customers; geography of markets supplied to and change over time; evidence of collaborative networking;
so have been reliant in the past on larger multinational customers (e g. IKEA in the furniture industry. Additionally, some industries face ongoing problems of uncertainty arising from the consumer markets they serve.
whereby SMES are able to piggyback on the backs of larger customers into international markets.
whereby small firms internationalise their activities by piggybacking on the backs of large customers. RETA Focus work on innovative firms,
differentiate themselves and/or substitute incumbents with better quality, cheaper price or other means that customers value (Richard et al.,
and exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities results from prior knowledge about markets and customers combined with the prior information on external problems (Shane and Venkataraman, 2000;
as well as the uncertainty and unpredictability of the actions of competitors and customers Chandler (1962); Khandwalla (1972) Environmental heterogeneity Which encompasses variations among the firm's market that require diversity in production and marketing orientations Khandwalla (1976/77;
Equally, in GEM survey the questions concerning innovativeness indicate the degrees of effort by the firm in an attempt for potential customers to consider their products
differentiate themselves and/or substitute incumbents with other 48 means that customers value (Wiklund and Shepherd,
2. 2. The moderating role of environmental hostility a contingency approach It is acknowledged that the discovery and exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities results from prior knowledge about markets and customers (Venkataraman, 1997.
For instance, entrepreneurs who use their customers and suppliers as sources of support in the gestation period are more likely to grow faster (Capelleras and Greene, 2008).
) Sometimes, close ties with customers can cause performance disadvantages, as pointed out by Burt (1992),
differentiate themselves and/or substitute incumbents with better quality, cheaper prices or other means that customers value (Richard et al.,
who capture the importance of entrepreneurial export orientation considering as a relatively high foreign market rate, more than 50%of customers in other countries.
The questions concerning innovativeness indicate the degrees of effort by the firm in an attempt for potential customers to consider their products
or some in an attempt for potential customers to consider their products or services new and unfamiliar;
or none of your potential customers consider this product or service new and unfamiliar? Technology available Were technologies
Considering the role of the product/service innovation, our findings show that firms which apply their efforts to convince customers to recognize the company's output as new and unfamiliar raise the probability of exporting and even increase the export intensity.
(or has few) competitors offering the same product or service to their potential customers. The results are in accordance with those expected, that is,
because the fewer or no other businesses offering the same product or service to customers,
and retailers are perceived by customers and how this perception translates to sales we can show the impact the user's experience has on the final decision.
Ben Rund Senior Director Product Marketing at Informatica Corp Information Must Be Relevant to Customers Omnichannel Tomorrow Means Predicting The next Logical Purchase Everywhere To be able to do this
and invest sufficiently in reaching customers through the several touch points. This way, they will be able to create a flawless customer experience,
and holding on to customers. Real-time experience The biggest challenge for companies will be real-time experience.
For customers it will not be enough to receive information tomorrow or even later today; they want it right away.
In order to achieve this, retailers must be able to predict the next purchases of customers. When shoppers are about to make a purchase,
customers should later receive recommendations through all channels regarding products and/or services that might be interesting to them.
Possibilities What web merchants can do is using the information that online customers leave behind when browsing the Internet,
their websites think along with customers. Potential buyers are now provided with reasonable suggestions based on previous site visits and purchases.
Making their customers feel special is one of the reasons why Amazon and Netflix are so successful nowadays.
Personalization Is Vital Making Customers Feel Special Is the Key to Increasing Conversion Rates Henning Heesen Cross-Border E-commerce Specialist
This way, your customers in Latin america or Asia do not have to wait until the business day gets underway in Europe.
Ecommerce Europe estimates the annual number of B2c parcels sent to customers domestically and cross-border to other (European countries at 3. 7 billion
suppliers and customers are clearly more important, as are internal sources. Figure 2-1: Information sources for innovation (per cent of innovative enterprises citing the respective source as highly important), 2004-2006 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Internal sources
Customers Suppliers Competitors Scientific journals Consultants Universities Public research institute manufacturing total R&d intensive industries Note:
and the impulses from suppliers, competitors and customers are much more important than pure technology impulses.
but also from ICT use by business partners (suppliers and customers) since ICTS have allowed to design external business processes more efficiently.
This research specialisation makes it easier to get the major enterprises as lead customers or to establish more applied research collaborations.
and customers also shows the cluster's strong market orientation. Conclusion The Kyoto nanotech cluster is a relatively young cluster,
and commercialisation) They act as lead customers for the smaller specialist companies in the cluster They provide the international connections for new knowledge inflows They are a platform for international marketing, sales and distribution In other words,
biofuel and sensors Large companies play big role in funding new developments and acting as lead customers Market structure There are relative many small companies
and processes that leverage the potentials of nanotechnology while at the same time fit to the needs of customers in terms of performance and costs.
While the cluster is very‘demand'driven customers are not directly co-located. Instead Grenoble concentrates on one aspect of the value chain, namely micro-and nanoelectronics design,
with customers of end-products globally dispersed across several industries. While work in the past was focused on‘demand pull'activities such as improved mobile phone functionality,
EN procurement strategy in the case of microelectronics might look like as many applications target market segments with industrial customers (B2b.
and processes that leverage the potentials of micro-and nanoelectronics while at the same time fit to the needs of customers in terms of performance and costs.
but did play a role as lead customers to give the cluster momentum. The recent development towards industrial biotechnology has gone not through such a well pronounced development yet.
serve as lead customers and finance new developments Bay Area supplies world wide to pharmaceutical enterprises Market structure Good mix of small and large firms.
For the diffusion it is also essential that the products fit to the needs of customers in terms of (sustainable) performance and costs.
On the other hand very few customers of European Competitiveness in KETS ZEW and TNO EN 230error! Unknown document property name.
But this does not mean that firms do not rely on the exchange of ideas, information and knowledge with customers for innovation.
On the contrary photonics firms spend long periods of time with customers (6 to 12 months) to develop customer fit solutions.
belong to international top Market demand Lack of lead-firm (s) Strong interaction with customers No local lead customer
and will serve as lead customers (e g. Solvay. That lead markets are difficult to identify is not surprising as the products sell internationally (75 percent)
They are mentioned not explicitly as playing a role as anchor firm though, nor as lead customers.
EN The companies do serve as lead customers though. They are large buyers with high quality demands that will increase the level of quality and capacities of its supplying firms.
Adjusting and using AMT also requires in-house capabilities for dealing with new technologies (skills of workers, coordination among departments, integration of suppliers and customers.
Adjusting and using AMT also requires in-house capabilities for dealing with new technologies (skills of workers, coordination among departments, integration of suppliers and customers.
in-house capabilities for dealing with new technologies-skills of workers, coordination among departments, integration of suppliers and customers-may be missing
Employees look forward to interacting with colleagues, customers and partners in the physical workplace. Business owners have to be careful to ensure that the free,
customers or specialists usually referred to as open source. These are all enablers of open innovation that coexist
Open source involves collaboration between firms, suppliers, customers, and policy-makers of related products to pool software R&d and generate shared technology.
and knowledge-sharing among innovating firms, customers, and other interested parties, have been recorded in the literature 94,96.
Customers expect to engage on a more real-time basis, using social media platforms. Staff members wonder why their work tools aren't all available as mobile apps,
and their customers interact. At the same time these technologies are releasing a wave of IT-led innovation,
Amazon, an online retailer, is using digital to invent new ways of interacting with its customers.
and end customers aren't as strong. For IT leaders who hold as much sway as they do to influence other parts of the business
CIOS must get closer to the firm's end customers, their needs and preferences. Half (52%)of digital-ready CIOS place a strong emphasis here,
we find that those who regularly meet with customers are still very much the exception, notes Informationweek's Preston.
or serve their customers any better, argues Informationweek's Rob Preston. Those who focus solely on this are just chief infrastructure officers,
including the customers and marketing side, he says. Later positions at National australia bank and Lloyds Group gave him the chance to develop his influencing skills
The early pioneers of digital have shown the disruptive potential that these tools hold from new ways to communicate with customers, through to wholly new business model opportunities.
and extending to the end customers. Build close relationships with the front of the business Be a compelling storyteller Be willing to move around,
but also in terms of access to skills and talent, access to markets and customers (whether physical or virtual), the innovative capacity and capability of the locale and a dynamic environment offering an 7 The concepts are outlined in Section 1 of the National
between firms and customers Economic Infrastructures Access and Connectivity transport and broadband infrastructures recent investments and ongoing infrastructure needs Quality of life based on factors relevant to the attraction of mobile investment
Based on Edquist (2005)‘ Systems of Innovation-Perspectives & Challenges'in Fagerberg et al (2005) The Oxford Handbook of Innovation More importantly, there is a lack of appreciation regarding the paradigm of open innovation (customers, suppliers, partners,
The current lack of a broader awareness hinders the development of an environment within the regions that stimulates greater company engagement-with each other, with customers,
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