Press release
Broadband scores extra-time victory for UK small
businesses
- High-speed Internet access saves UK workers more than 90
minutes a day
- Drives increased productivity by making an extra day available
every working week
- Workaholic Britons use time saved to pursue new business
opportunities
- Scottish businesses head the race to upgrade to broadband
11 May 2004 – UK businesses upgrading from slow and unreliable
dial-up Internet connections to broadband access are recovering a
mammoth 52 days a year in lost productivity, according to research
findings from ntl, a leading provider of communications services to
businesses.
In a nationwide survey, over half (56%) of the UK’s small
businesses have already upgraded to broadband with Scottish firms
leading the country with 62%.
Saving time and making money are cited as the primary benefits
of adopting broadband. Two thirds of the respondents said broadband
had significantly improved their ability to communicate effectively
with customers and suppliers, whilst half identified the ability to
implement new business applications as a key advantage.
In further evidence of the ‘workaholic’ culture in UK companies,
more than two thirds of executives use the time saved by broadband
for marketing and new business initiatives instead of reducing
their working hours.
In fact, over 60% of businesses would immediately increase the
speed of their broadband connection if they thought they could save
even more time. Less than 10% said they would invest spare time in
perks, such as watching the Olympics or Euro 2004 in office
hours.
Simon Tse, Business Services Director, Small Business, ntl,
said: “These results highlight just how valuable broadband is in
today’s business environment. With effectively another 52 days in
the year, not only are companies finding more time to win new
business, they’re transforming the way they service existing
customers and deal with suppliers. Broadband is an essential tool
for helping small businesses compete with much larger players.”
Despite the wide-ranging benefits cited by broadband users, over
one third of respondents felt broadband offered no tangible
advantage to their business.
“Encouraging wider uptake of broadband and raising awareness of
the benefits is an important challenge," adds Simon. “At ntl, we
understand that no two businesses are the same. We’re committed to
advising individual companies on how they can make the most of
technology for driving productivity and business growth.”
400 companies were interviewed across the UK in February –March
2004