LONDON, UK: 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 (SBs) fighting the recession; 45 percent of SBs 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 percent of SBs will use the web to grow their company profile with 52 percent  claiming that the web would put them on a level playing field with bigger companies.

When it comes to creating new opportunities, 46 percent are looking to create new products and services on the web and over 58 percent 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 percent of companies are looking to use the Internet to enable remote working, 33 percent are considering using VoIP to reduce telephone bills and over half (52 percent) are looking to use video conferencing to reduce business travel. Notably, a growing number of companies (23 percent) are considering adopting SaaS applications to help save on the cost of traditional software licenses.

Chris Stening, managing director of Easynet Connect said of the research: “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 SBs 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.”

“Our previous research has shown that 71 percent 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,” said Stening.