Over 20 organisations demonstrate how web sites enhance business
UUNET, an MCI WorldCom company and a global leader in Internet communications solutions, and the Financial Times have unveiled the names of the finalists in the Financial Times Business Web Site Awards of 1998. In its second year, this event sponsored and run by UUNET, attracted 120 entries out of which 27 organisations were selected as demonstrating how web sites can deliver real business benefits. Winners are announced on 30th November.
Organisations were invited to submit entries for one of five categories: Large Organisations; Finance; Small to Medium Enterprises; Public Sector; and Not for Profit.
The 27 finalists will be judged by a panel of experts from UUNET, which provides the connectivity for some of the world's key business web sites and solutions, and members of the editorial team at the Financial Times. They will decide on the winners of each category against a set of criteria that define best practice in business web site design, operation and evolution. The winners will be announced on 30th November at an awards ceremony at the Café Royal in central London.
The judging criteria comprise:
Business transformation: To what extent has the web site enhanced business processes in areas such as customer services, communications or strategic direction.
Innovation: The appropriate use of new technologies such as intranets and intelligent software tools.
Measurable benefits: The ability to demonstrate financial and/or other quantitative benefits arising from the use of the web site.
The 1998 finalists are:
Large Organisation
British Airways - http://www.british-airways.com
Note: Online tickets, fare information and flight availability
Cellnet - http://www.genie.co.uk
Note: Online delivery of tailored news and information for Cellnet customers
Dell Europe - http://www.dell.co.uk Note: Online facility for customers to review, configure, price, order and track delivery of PCs.
Eastman Kodak Company - http://www.kodak.com
Note: Online and hands-on customer information on new imaging technology
BP Chemicals Ltd - http://www.bp.com
Note: The BP Solvents Network is an online service to support its top 30 distributors.
DHL UK Ltd - http://www.dhl.co.uk
Note: Online service for DHL customers brand named Red Planet
Music Sales Ltd - http://www.musicsales.co.uk
Note: Online retail of sheet music, videos and books
RS Components - http://www.rswww.com
Note: Online ordering of 100,000 industrial products
Finance
Eagle Star - http://www.eaglestardirect.co.uk
Note: Online selling of home, motor and travel insurance
GNI Ltd - http://www.gni.co.uk
Note: Online provision of data on GNI's broking services and research in the global derivative markets.
ICICI Bank - http://www.icicibank.com
Note: Indian Internet banking service
The Co-operative Bank - http://www.co-operativebank.co.uk
Note: UK online banking service launched in March 1998
WISE Ltd - http://www.financewise.com
Note: The first finance specific Internet search engine
Small to Medium Organisations
EMAP Â- Bargain holidays - http://www.bargainholidays.com
Note: Part of EMAP Online, this site uses the web to sell package holidays.
Ministry of Sound http://www.ministryofsound.co.uk
Note: Internet shopping off the world's "best" club web-site.
PhotoDisc Europe Ltd - http://www.photodisc.com
Note: Customers can search, order and download images from a library of over 60,000 digital pictures.
Road Tech Computer Systems Ltd - http://www.roadrunner.uk.com
Note: Provides transport companies with a service to place and search for backloads anywhere in the UK and the rest of Europe.
Sea Net Ltd - http://www.seanet.co.uk
Note: Online service for international shipping community.
TIMBER Web - http://www.timberweb.co.uk
Note: A web site that brings together timber and forest product companies and buyers.
Adhoc Publishing - http://www.adhoc-guides.com
Note: A Cambridge city guide and publishing intranet solution.
Public Sector
BBC News Online - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news
Note: The largest and most wide-ranging news site on the web with over 400 live stories at any one time.
Foreign & Commonwealth Office - http://www.fco.gov.uk/
Note: Site with information for travellers, plus latest news on foreign policy.
Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency - http://www.miga.org
Note: MIGA's IPAnet is the World Bank's information centre on investment conditions and opportunities in emerging markets.
The Army Recruiting Group - http://www.army.mod.uk/army/recruit
Note: Provides accurate and reliable information to educate potential recruits about a military career.
Not For Profit
EMU Net - http://www.euro-emu.co.uk
Note: Provides information, guidance and debate on the euro, plus a gateway to other sites on the euro.
The Nature Conservancy - http://www.tnc.org
Note: A site designed to communicate to a membership of 900,000 and aid in fundraising.
