Access to the Internet has been revealed as the most
important business survival tool for small to medium sized
enterprises (SMEs) according to new research from Easynet
Connect
The survey of 255 IT Managers from companies with 10-250
employees, revealed that
SMEs see the
web as key to boosting their profiles and unlocking new revenue
opportunities.
Nearly three-quarters (74%) will use the web to grow their
company profile with 52% claiming that the web would put them on a
level playing field with bigger companies. Nearly half (46%) said
that they will be looking to create new products and services on
the web and 58% were looking to use the web to expand into new
markets at home and overseas.
The result is, says the ISP who commissioned the report, that
web access will provide a lifeline to SMEs during these troubled
economic times and the survey revealed that 45% of firms believe
the Internet will be an important tool in helping them
survive and prosper during the recession with an additional
one-fifth citing it as the most important survival tool.
In terms of how SMEs would use Internet-based to grow,
three-quarters of SMES in the survey were looking to use the
Internet to enable remote working; a third considering using VoIP
to reduce telephone bills; 52% are looking to
use video conferencing to reduce business travel.
Interestingly, and in spite of being regarded as the preserve of
larger organisations, SaaS applications were cited by being
considered by 23% of SMEs in order to help save on the cost of
traditional software licenses.
Commenting on the ramifications of the research, Chris Stening,
Managing Director of Easynet Connect said, “Our previous research
has shown that 71% of UK could not survive for more than a day
without the Internet. With SMEs using the technology in more and
more innovative ways to help them out of the recession, it will be
interesting to see how this figure changes in the coming
years.”