Adobe Systems has announced the results of a national web-based survey conducted by Nielsen NetRatings into Australian's online interactions with public and private sector organisations. According to the survey, Australians want to use less paper forms.

The survey revealed more than 80% of Australians prefer using online forms with the most popular forms being travel enquiries (80%), event registrations (59%), Government forms such as tax returns or divorce papers (50%) and financial services applications such as credit card or mortgage applications (41%).

Mark Phibbs, senior marketing manager, Adobe Systems said the research was a clear message to private and public sector organisations that Australians want to connect with them online. "The most telling statistic for me from the research was that two thirds of people aged over 70 had completed forms online. No longer is the computer just an entertainment centre for the kids. Mum, Dad and the grandparents all want to use the internet to do their tax, obtain a car insurance quote or apply for a new credit card."

"This is reinforced by the survey's finding that one in two Australians complete at least one online form per month. This usage trend says that Australians find an online experience far superior to the shop front queues and paper forms. And while it is too early to claim a paper-less society, it is certainly a step in the right direction for the environment," Phibbs said.

The survey also looked at the most frequent drawbacks in using online forms. The most common were the slow speed of pages loading (90%), an inability to go back in the process (76%), the form timing out (71%), the inability to save details (60%) and being unable to print (53%).

"These are valuable concerns and tell us businesses need to use smarter forms with a small file format to speed up downloads that have the capability to fill out details if we are already a customer. The form must be able to be saved so that if the customer does not have the necessary information in hand they don't lose all their progress.

"Barcoding is also essential to bridge the gap between manual and electronic formats. All the customer information is included in the electronic barcode to allow the form to be printed out and faxed. The organisation can then scan it instantly and have the correct details without any manual data entry. 

"Australian customers want flexibility. With the majority of them now online daily, they are just one click away from the services and support that is right for them."

Adobe is currently working with public and private sector organisations including KAZ, Thiess Services, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources, Balfours and Family Courts to transform their customer service processes.