A FRENCHMAN in the Rennes area of France was the first to wake up to a new era of virtual sales service being offered by York-based Portakabin.

Before dawn - at 4.48 am - the anonymous Frenchman was the first to comment on the modular builder's revamped website at www.portakabin.com

"Bien fait, on ne s'y perd pas," he e-mailed. ("Well done, it's easy to find your way around.")

Coincidentally, his enthusiasm was announced in a hastily-organised Parisian-style Internet caf in the marketing office on Portakabin's 60 acres - a room where staff were invited to browse the new Internet site.

Mike Sherwood, market planning manager responsible for the Internet project said that Portakabin was the first-ever modular builder to have its own website. Now the site is being brought up-to-date with a simple "three clicks and you'll be where you want to be" design which was reached after extensive market research.

Among the places prospective clients might want to be, is studying "off the peg" building products ideal for specific uses such as conference suites, lecture rooms or even children's nurseries, complete with images of the plans and detailed statistics. The site appears in a choice of languages - French, German, Dutch and Flemish - as well as English, representing countries were Portakabin has major outposts.

As the Frenchman was among the first 100 people to submit the feedback form, he will receive a "limited edition" Internet Caf gift pack .

Updated: 09:25 Tuesday, February 05, 2002