And finally, a question suggested by a panellist:
"To what extent has the tendency of banks to centralise business banking onto a call centre affected the efficiency of the operation?"
Over the next 3 months, do you expect your business to:
(1) Compared to November and December 2000, are your sales:
Response
Total answers: 134
%
1. much more buoyant
6.7%
2. more buoyant
26.1%
3. the same
29.1%
4. less buoyant
29.1%
5. much less buoyant
9%
(2) For the first three months of 2002, compared with the same period in 2001, do you expect your sales to be:
Response
Total answers: 134
%
1. much more buoyant
5.2%
2. more buoyant
36.6%
3. the same
29.9%
4. less buoyant
22.4%
5. much less buoyant
6%
(3) Compared to November and December 2000, are your stocks of finished products for November and December 2001:
Response
Total answers: 134
%
1. much higher
2.2%
2. higher
15.7%
3. the same
27.6%
4. lower
14.2%
5. much lower
5.2%
6. not applicable
35.1%
(4) Do you expect your stocks for the first three months of 2002 to be:
Response
Total answers: 134
%
1. much higher
0.7%
2. higher
13.4%
3. the same
31.3%
4. lower
18.7%
5. much lower
2.2%
6. not applicable
33.6%
(5) Compared to December 2000, are your present levels of planned investment in physical assets (excluding stocks):
Response
Total answers: 134
%
1. much higher
3.7%
2. higher
25.4%
3. the same
36.6%
4. lower
23.9%
5. much lower
10.4%
(6) Compared with December 2000, is your present investment in training:
Response
Total answers: 134
%
1. much higher
1.5%
2. higher
26.9%
3. the same
44%
4. lower
11.9%
5. much lower
4.5%
6. not applicable
11.2%
(7) And finally, a question suggested by a panellist:
"To what extent has the tendency of banks to centralise business banking onto a call centre affected the efficiency of the operation?"
Response
Total answers: 134
%
1. significantly improved the efficiency
0.0%
2. improved the efficiency
4.5%
3. kept it the same
24.6%
4. reduced the efficiency
31.3%
5. significantly reduced the efficiency
23.9%
6. no opinion
15.7%
(8) To what extent is your business constrained by skill shortages?
Response
Total answers: 134
%
1 Highly
11.9%
2
21.6%
3
28.4%
4
19.4%
5 Not at all
18.7%
(9) To what extent is your business constrained by a lack of finance?
Response
Total answers: 134
%
1 Highly
15.7%
2
23.9%
3
23.1%
4
17.2%
5 Not at all
20.1%
(10) To what extent is your business constrained by low market demand?
Response
Total answers: 134
%
1 Highly
22.4%
2
25.4%
3
25.4%
4
18.7%
5 Not at all
8.2%
(11) Over the last 3 months, has your business:-
Response
Total answers: 134
%
Expanded significantly (more than 10%)
6.7%
Expanded somewhat (between 5% to 10%)
31.3%
Remained static
36.6%
Declined somewhat (between 5% to 10%)
18.7%
Declined significantly (more than 10%)
6.7%
(12) Over the next 3 months, do you expect your business to:
