Internet The Most Important Tool For Small Business Survival

It seems the Web is the ‘critical difference’ between early 90s and current recession. It had barely been invented when the UK was last in recession, but less than 20 years later, the Internet is providing a life line to small businesses fighting the recession; 45% of small businesses surveyed by Easynet Connect believe the Internet will be an important tool in helping them survive and prosper during the recession with one in five believing it will be the most important tool in helping small businesses beat the recession.

Part of an upcoming report into SME survival, the survey of 255 IT Managers from companies with 10-250 employees, shows how small businesses see the Internet as key to boosting their profiles and unlocking new revenue opportunities. For example, 74% of small businesses 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. When it comes to creating new opportunities, 46% are looking to create new products and services on the Web and over 58% are looking to use the Web to expand into new markets at home and overseas.

SMEs are also keen on using the Internet to power modern working practices and cost-cutting technologies. A considerable 75% of companies are looking to use the Internet to enable remote working, 33% are considering using VoIP to reduce telephone bills and over half (52%) are looking to use video conferencing to reduce business travel. Notably, a growing number of companies (23%) are considering adopting SaaS applications to help save on the cost of traditional software licenses.

The Internet is one of the most powerful tools for companies of all shapes and sizes. For companies of all sizes it is critical that you have a fast, low-latency Internet connection, to ensure you receive split-second updates, and so maintain a competitive edge. The Internet enables you to trade the world's markets and expand your services as and when you see opportunities in the markets you operate in.

The critical difference between now and the recession of the early 90s is the Internet, which could easily be the most important tool in helping small businesses through the current down turn. The Internet has meant that businesses are much better equipped this time around. In the early 90s we were a world away from e-commerce, online marketing, or having a mobile workforce, let alone using cloud computing or holding video conferences with customers on the other side of the world. Previous Easynet Connect research has shown that 71% of UK SMEs 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.