Middle Market E-Commerce Usage Explodes; New PSI Study Finds 89% Use Web, Up 31% Since Last Year.

TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 14, 1999--

Middle-market companies have dramatically increased their use of the Internet to buy, sell and bank in the last 12 months. New research by PSI Global found that 89% of middle market companies are using the Internet, a 31% increase in the last year; 63% have a web site; and one in four makes online purchases.

PSI Global, an NFO Worldwide Company, recently conducted telephone interviews with 708 companies with sales between $10 million to $250 million for its annual Commercial Services Research Program (CSRP) survey.

"Mid-size companies have aggressively expanded their capabilities to market products and provide customer service online," said Maria Erickson, a PSI senior vice president. "The growth in these companies' use of the web for both e-mail and purchasing has been tremendous. Significant growth also has occurred in the usage of web-based banking services," she added.

According to the CSRP survey, 40% of middle market companies us PC banking applications. Six percent have moved to web-based delivery of banking services, compared to a scant one percent last year.

Ms. Erickson said "recent growth in Internet usage bodes well for financial institutions that are attempting to migrate PC banking applications to the web. Competitive pressures are driving financial institutions to develop web-based cash management applications. We see more products coming to market that are targeted to the needs of mid-size companies, and providers are offering price breaks to encourage migration to web-based delivery," she stated.

PSI Global, an NFO Worldwide Company, is a marketing information firm focused exclusively on financial services. For more than 30 years, PSI has provided unique "voice of the customer" insight and analysis across all types of market research. PSI products cover all aspects of retail and corporate financial services, including continuous studies devoted to brand equity, card services, payments, delivery systems and online financial services. PSI Global has offices in New York, London, Singapore, San Francisco and Tampa.

NFO Worldwide Inc. (NYSE:NFO) is a leading provider of research-based marketing information and counsel to the worldwide business community. With almost 13,000 full and part-time employees operating in 32 countries, in-depth expertise in all research methodologies, and in-field marketing experience across multiple market sectors, NFO provides clients with trusted insight into the behaviors, attitudes and opinions of customers around the globe. Key services include comprehensive counsel on market evaluation, product development, brand management, customer satisfaction, pricing, distribution and advertising effectiveness. The Company delivers custom and syndicated marketing information and counsel to over 3,000 clients in key market sectors such as packaged goods and foods, healthcare, financial services, high-tech/telecommunications, travel and leisure, automotive and business-to-business. NFO is the largest custom marketing research firm in North America and among the top three in the world. Visit NFO Worldwide on the Web http://www.nfow.com.

Copies of the graphics accompanying this release are available by e-mail, fax or at http://www.psi-global.com/press/.