BT Business advises SMEs to prepare for London 2012 economic boost or risk missing out

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:15:59 GMT

BT Business has revealed that a lack of preparation could see some of the UK's small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) miss out on an economic boost from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Nearly a third (30 per cent) haven't yet taken basic measures according to new research by BT.

The new survey conducted by BT of 600 UK SMEs finds overall attitudes are positive despite tough economic conditions.

Fifteen per cent of SMEs said they are already involved in London 2012 and of those, 58 per cent are supplying products and services to the organisers. Even if they don't expect to be directly affected themselves, more than two in five (41 per cent) said they have customers in London who will be affected by the Games - and that this in turn will affect their organisation.

Around one in five expects to profit from the Games. 33 per cent in the private sector anticipate a sales hike and SMEs in the public sector expect service quality to improve. More than one in five (22 per cent) expect new international business opportunities both during and after London 2012.

64 per cent of SMEs expect some negative effects, with supply chain disruption, higher hotel costs, staff attendance and a knock to productivity high among concerns. Over a third of SMEs expect resourcing difficulties when staff want time off or are not able to get to work. Positively, more than three quarters (76 per cent) of the largest SMEs already have flexible working policies in place and one in ten will be asking logistics staff not to take leave during London 2012.

Asked about the impact on supply chains, 64 per cent expect some disruption but 40 per cent of these (25 per cent of the total) are not doing anything, seemingly leaving their business continuity to chance.

These issues could threaten hopes of a business boost in light of previous BT research on the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games, which found that roughly half (49 per cent) of local companies felt they could have done better from the event or missed out on opportunities.

Colin Hansen, the former British Columbia Minister responsible for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games, said: "British SMEs should be optimistic because the Olympics had a huge economic benefit in Vancouver and across Canada as a whole. But the scale of the event was much bigger than anybody expected and many companies just weren't geared up for how big the opportunity would be."

Graham Sutherland, managing director, BT Business said: "Despite the tough economic times, our customers tell us that they're positive about the opportunity to grow and develop their businesses during the Games. With less than seven months to go, we encourage them to prepare now to make the most of the potential profits on offer, by putting systems and processes in place that allow them to deliver an exemplary service to their customers."

For more information see http://business.bt.com/london-2012.

Notes to editors:
Survey conducted by Vanson Bourne in October 2011 on behalf of BT Global Services and BT Business.1200 senior representatives from small and large public and private sector organisations across the UK were questioned by the market researcher.

About BT:
BT is one of the world's leading providers of communications services and solutions, serving customers in more than 170 countries. Principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to its customers; business broadband and internet products and services including leased line internet, business email and a business phone line, as well as converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT consists principally of BT Global Services, BT Retail, BT Wholesale and Openreach.

BT offers small businesses a 'Kickstart'

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 16:11:21 GMT

BT Business has launched a finance scheme offering start-ups the chance to lease up to £15,000 worth of technology and telecommunications solutions. Under the 'Kick Start Scheme', in conjunction with Shire Leasing, new businesses trading for under three years will be eligible for funding subject to credit vetting.

BT's 'KickStart Scheme', available through BT Local Business, aims to help small businesses raise funds in a challenging economic climate and to avoid having to rely on bank loans, overdrafts or credit cards.

'KickStart' offers start-ups the opportunity to purchase a range of technology and communications products and services including business telephone systems, business mobiles, handsets, connection charges, software licences and IT equipment such as laptops, as well as small business IT support. The scheme is open to all industry types and has very flexible underwriting, aimed at delivering higher acceptance levels for new-start companies. An average £3,000 loan will cost less than £20 per week and can be added to as the business grows.

Declan McGlone, general manager of BT Finance, BT Business said: "The UK has an average of 270,000 start-up businesses every year. In light of the current economic climate we want to help these businesses access the products and services they need to get their new venture up and running. Our 'KickStart Scheme' offers finance over a fixed term, at a fixed rate, making it easier for customers to budget."

One business that has already benefitted from a similar scheme with Shire Leasing is A.I. Global Media Ltd. The publishing company, established in November 2010, needed funding to purchase a technology and communications solution for its eight staff working on a new corporate finance publication.

Jane Peter, director, A.I. Global Media Ltd, said: "When starting out, it was crucial to launch the business in the most cost effective way possible. We needed to install a BT Versatility phone and broadband system, so that staff could work on the magazine straight away, but couldn’t afford any major spend. The leasing scheme allowed us to get the equipment we needed at a fixed rate and also meant we keep what capital we had in the bank to ensure we had some cash flow. This scheme really helped us get our business off the ground and we now have over 53,000 subscribers to our magazine."

Karina Knudsen, Head of Business Development at the British Chambers of Commerce also welcomed the launch: "The BCC has long called for more support for small businesses. Financing that specifically helps start and grow new ventures will considerably reduce the current credit difficulties that owners face."

New and existing BT Business customers will be able to take up the 'KickStart Scheme' offers as long as they have been trading for under three years, subject to a credit check. For more information about 'KickStart' and other BT products and services, interested parties can contact BT Local Business at www.btlocalbusiness.co.uk.

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About BT
BT is one of the world's leading providers of communications services and solutions, serving customers in more than 170 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to its customers for use at home, at work and on the move; business broadband and internet products and services such as fibre optic broadband, and converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, BT Retail, BT Wholesale and Openreach.

In the year ended 31 March 2011, BT Group’s revenue was £20,076m with profit before taxation of £1,717m.

British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York.

BT Business connects CAN Media with schools and surgeries across the UK

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:02:30 GMT

BT Business and CAN Media have announced a new deal which means two million viewers in schools and GP surgeries across the UK will have access to a private TV information service. The three-year, £20 million+ contract will see BT take over the delivery, installation and operational management for the Life Channel Service from CAN Media.

The Life Channel Service, the UK's largest private television network with over seven million viewers, is used by local government agencies to showcase and promote health and educational initiatives to the local community. Research* has shown the channel is more than twice as effective as posters and up to three times more than leaflets in communicating health and well-being messages.

Life Channel campaigns help schools improve their Ofsted ratings, and the NHS in achieving the national priorities set out by the Department of Health and measured by the Care Quality Commission. Independent research** has shown that 1 in 2 primary school and 1 in 3 secondary school pupils positively modify their behaviour as a result.

Working with partner Croft Technology plc, BT Business will take over the operational management of the existing Life Channel network. It will also install and manage the service in 5,000 schools and 4,000 GP surgeries, provide broadband, PCs and up to four large panel TV screens at each site.

Mike Darcy, chief operations officer, CAN Media, said: "We needed a supplier that would not only support our hardware, software and helpdesk requirements today but could also support us as we develop the service in the future. BT offered us a wealth of technical experience and expertise at a competitive price."

Humphrey Penney, director custom solutions, BT Business said: "Communicating important information to local communities in this innovative way needs high bandwidth. As the market leader in digital out-of-home television, CAN Media were looking for a reliable supplier when taking the decision to outsource the delivery and management of their Life Channel Service."

The three-year contract will see BT begin installation in March 2010.

-ends-

Notes to editors:

* CAN Media research, 2009 of 200 exit interviews from two surgeries in 2009
** ROI research, 2009 of 700 interviews across 20 schools

About BT
BT is one of the world’s leading providers of communications solutions and services operating in 170 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to our customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband and internet products and services and converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and BT Wholesale.
In the year ended 31 March 2009, BT Group’s revenue was £21,390 million.

About Croft Technology (TSG)
Following the acquisition of Croft Technology plc by Technology Services Group (TSG) on 29 January 2010, the business is now owned by TSG and has been rebranded TSG Enterprise Solutions.

About CAN Media
The Life Channel is wholly owned and operated by CAN Media, a specialist in media management and organisational development company based in Preston, Lancashire.

Inquiries about this news release should be made to the BT Group Newsroom on its 24-hour number: 020 7356 5369. From outside the UK dial + 44 20 7356 5369

BT unveils priority business class fibre broadband

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:21:05 GMT

BT Business has unveiled its new fibre broadband service, BT Business Total Broadband Fibre, offering download speeds of up to 40Mb/s, from £30 per month. The service gives business traffic priority at times of contention and the UK’s fastest upstream speeds of up to 10Mb/s*, allowing users to get more than ever before from the internet.

The new service allows businesses to run multiple VOIP, high-definition video conferencing and business-grade cloud applications plus download emails, web-pages and FTP files concurrently, to reach new customers and better market themselves. It will also make home working a reality, allowing staff to remain connected to the office at all times.

A dedicated broadband "fast lane" also puts business user traffic first at times of contention to help firms continue to work faster, do more, reduce operational costs and boost productivity.

Nigel Stagg, managing director, BT Business, said: “28% of businesses are already using faster broadband to expand their website capabilities, and another 25% are using it to drive more processes online and employ more bandwidth-hungry technology according to our research last year**. BT Business Total Broadband Fibre gives businesses capacity and reliability, with the reassurance of a priority service, to enjoy the best possible online experience. We are committed to rolling out higher speeds and additional coverage across the UK during 2010.”

Businesses in Muswell Hill, Whitchurch and Glasgow Halfway have already been enjoying the faster 40Mb/s broadband service through a BT trial. The service will now be made available to approximately 500,000 homes and businesses from 31-enabled exchanges by late February. A further two million homes and businesses will be able to access the services by late summer following the roll out of the technology by Openreach, BT’s local access division.

This announcement sees BT Retail confirm that it will make fibre-based broadband available to 40 per cent of the UK – or some 10 million premises - by summer 2012. 2.5 million premises in total will have access by late summer and four million by the end of 2010.

From 26 January, new and existing BT Business customers in an enabled exchange area will automatically be eligible for the fibre service. 50 per cent of UK businesses can currently also receive ADSL 2+ broadband speeds of up to 20Mb/s at no extra cost to copper services.

Notes to editors
* Faster than Virgin's current 50Mb/s product
** The survey was conducted by Vanson Bourne on behalf of BT Business and included responses from more than 7,200 small and medium businesses across the UK

ENDS

About BT
BT is one of the world’s leading providers of communications solutions and services operating in 170 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband and internet products and services and converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and BT Wholesale.

In the year ended 31 March 2009, BT Group’s revenue was £21,390 million.

British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT

BT brings unlimited calls to businesses

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:27:09 GMT

BT has announced it is the first UK communications provider to offer unlimited fixed line calling packages for small businesses. The new high value BT Business One Plan Inclusive packages offer unlimited calling minutes to UK landlines, UK mobiles, international destinations and 0845 and 0870 numbers for a fixed fee*.

BT Business is also offering businesses greater savings by introducing 500 free UK calling minutes per calendar month per line (fixed or VoIP).**

Businesses opting for one of the new BT Business One Plan Inclusive packages can also combine unlimited calls with a range of communications options including broadband and mobile, consolidating their fixed, mobile and broadband spend under One Plan.

Bill Murphy managing director, BT Business, said: "Giving unlimited fixed line calling to businesses in this way is a first and will shake-up the market. Businesses are continuously striving to manage their costs better, but also need to stay connected to their customers to thrive. With a low fixed monthly fee we are the only provider to offer businesses such great peace of mind. By removing the worry that unexpected costs can bring, companies now have more time to focus on what they do best and look after their business."

"BT Business One Plan is a great way to put big company benefits within the reach of small companies," said Chris Caffery, company secretary, Homecarers - a care service provider for the elderly based in Liverpool. "Finally there is an offer that allows smaller enterprises to manage their day to day communications while helping to save money. It's reassuring to know that every type of call is covered so we can worry less about the number of calls staff are making and focus more on enabling them to work flexibly and respond faster to people's needs."

Under BT Business One Plan all service and billing enquiries are dealt with through one number, and customers will receive one bill for all services. BT Business Broadband offers a 99.99% reliable broadband service; nine out of 10 faults are resolved in under four hours and 95% of calls to the 24/7 UK help desk are answered within 30 seconds.

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Notes to editors:
*Available to customers that (re)sign to OnePlan by 30.04.10. Minimum yearly spend and requires commitment to 2 core products. Fee - £15 per month - further reduced to £12.50 per month if customers take the unlimited package on a VoIP line. Fair usage policy applies.

**Offer ends 30.04.10. Exclusions, terms and conditions apply.

In the year ended 31 March 2009, BT Group’s revenue was £21,390 million.

About BT Business
BT Business understands the challenges that businesses face in the current climate, and supports cost control, improved productivity and winning business with technology including business broadband & internet, domain name

BT Business reveals technology adoption fuels recovery tipping point for UK SMEs

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:54:59 GMT

According to research from BT Business, supported by the Design Council and Prince's Trust, small businesses at the forefront of technology adoption have been the least impacted by the recession, with those most reluctant to bring in new technology suffering the most. Companies with a positive attitude to technology adoption had a 69% better than average experience of the recession, whereas technology laggards suffered a 34% worse recession experience than the average.

The 2009 Business Pulse report is the UK's largest survey of SMEs this year. The survey shows widespread recognition of the importance of technology in reducing costs and increasing efficiency and competitiveness. 30% of businesses said that they have saved money through using technology, 32% use technology to network and obtain advice and 28% have found more customers through its use. Nearly one in five cited the use of technology to support flexible working as having one of the most significant impacts on how they have managed the recession.

The Business Pulse survey identified the positive steps firms have taken to manage the downturn. Nearly twice as many technology innovators have seen an increase in turnover of 10+% compared to those small businesses reluctant to embrace new technology, the majority of which have seen their turnover decrease since the recession began.

Mick Hegarty, strategy director, BT Business said: "The small business community has fought bravely to survive the downturn. Our findings show that many small businesses believe we are now at a tipping point with a recovery almost upon us. We can also see that now more than ever technology has a critical role to play in the future success of these businesses, helping them to find new customers, market themselves more effectively and reduce costs. Investing in better technology is emerging as a measure of success in the future for many businesses."

In terms of the technologies having the biggest impact, 61% said faster broadband speeds have had a positive impact on their business. Better web sites, better e-commerce and mobile devices were also particularly beneficial. More than 1 in 10 small businesses are looking for more advice and support on using technology to manage their business.

Smaller organisations are also increasingly turning to social media to improve the way they operate with one in five respondents turning to support forums, Twitter and blogs to market their business and attract and retain customers.

Lord Digby Jones, said, "The Business Pulse highlights that optimism is on the rise. Equipping firms with the right technology and support will help tip the economy from recession onto the road to recovery in 2010."

Full findings of the Business Pulse will be revealed in Small Business Week 2009 and debated by a business leadership panel including business experts Peter Jones and Lord Digby Jones at the launch.

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Notes:
The survey was conducted by Vanson Bourne on behalf of BT Business and included responses from more than 7,200 small businesses across the UK

About BT
BT is one of the world's leading providers of communications solutions and services operating in 170 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to our customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband and internet products and services and converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and BT Wholesale.

British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses vi

BT Business to work with Google to get small businesses noticed

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:28:05 GMT

BT Business and Google today announced an agreement to offer digital marketing services to small businesses. The alliance will involve BT Business becoming a Google AdWords™ Authorised Reseller.

Small businesses can now access Google's base of millions of UK users and receive professional, full-service AdWords account management, from account setup and activation to ongoing campaign monitoring and optimisation, through BT Business.

More than one million businesses already served by BT Business, including the 350,000 members of BT Tradespace, will benefit from the agreement.

"Small businesses are looking to the internet to compete and grow in these tough economic times," said Bill Murphy, managing director at BT Business. "Our own research across 700,000 small business websites shows that the majority need help to optimise search and effectively use search engine marketing. They don't often have the skills internally to manage this and need affordable services and support. Working with Google AdWords will enable us to help smaller companies promote themselves and engage with customers, partners and suppliers online as well as larger businesses."

The addition of the Google AdWords online advertising platform means BT Business can now offer customers a complete range of digital marketing services to help them promote their businesses effectively on the Web. From setting up a website and managing an online marketing campaign to ensuring they can effectively extend their business relationships through customer management tools and business social networking profiles such as BT Tradespace and other business applications.

Matt Brittin, Managing Director at Google UK & Ireland said: "Many businesses already use Google AdWords to reach new customers locally, across the UK and across the world. BT Business can now offer targeted, accountable and cost effective AdWords advertising to more than a million small businesses in the UK. We look forward to working with BT to help more small businesses get the most out of the online opportunity."

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For further information:
Enquiries about this news release should be made to the BT Group Newsroom on its 24-hour number: 020 7356 5369. From outside the UK dial + 44 20 7356 5369.

In the year ended 31 March 2009, BT Group’s revenue was £21,390 million.

About BT Business

BT Business understands the challenges that businesses face in the current climate, and supports cost control, improved productivity and winning business with technology including business broadband & internet, domain names and web hosting packages, IT support and mobile services including BlackBerry.

BT successfully demonstrates Xero at the BT Business Experience in London

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:09:37 GMT

BT Business has launched a new web-based accounting application, to replace the complex software blighting smaller firms, forcing their employees to work longer hours.

The launch of Xero, a new online tool designed for firms and their advisors, is supported by new research by BT Business which finds that almost 50 per cent of smaller business staff work extra hours to clear their current workloads, with 41 per cent admitting that they actually waste work time because of poor technology and systems.

Accessible from any internet or mobile connection, Xero is aimed at helping businesses access, update, review and control their finances in the downturn anywhere, from any device. The simple, software-as-a-service (SaaS) package will provide customers with 24/7 secure online access to bank transactions, invoices, reports, VAT returns and management reporting.

Chris Lindsay, general manager at BT Business applications, said: "Customer feedback is that traditional accounting packages are complicated to use, and can only be accessed while in the office. As a result, managers put book keeping off and spend too many late evenings or weekends in the office. Owner managers tend not to be finance experts, and dread having to file their accounts with these systems. The research shows that employees are working harder and longer during the downturn anyway, so we hope that Xero users will instantly be more productive and redress an often dire work/life balance."

Xero is available as a free 30 day BT Business trial. Features include a real time dashboard of a firm's transactions, online accrual to keep book-keeping up to date, daily bank reconciliation function, web-based accounting from anywhere with an internet connection, expense claim processing and reporting for financial advisors.

Andrew Sandiford, head of Business Advisory and Assurance at Target feels that Xero eliminates all the problems of not feeling 'part of the client's business' for his accountants: "With Xero, you can access a client's accounts at any time. More importantly, you know you are looking at the same 'version' of the accounts as the client because there is only one ledger. Xero is fantastic for us, as it means we can offer 'real-time' advice, basing our recommendations on the up-to-date financial data we can see."

Delivered as SaaS, Xero can also be implemented quickly without the upfront licence fees, maintenance or upgrade costs associated with on-premise software. Cloud computing applications like Xero reside online and are accessed by a simple web browser. Businesses only pay for the resources they use.

BT Business provides everything from handsets to applications to help smaller firms work, share and manage common operational processes including Ribbit for Salesforce which is designed to improve sales team productivity, eSignature and CRM systems salesforce.com, Netsuite and SugarCRM.

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In the y

BT Business cuts the price of web hosting

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:47:34 GMT

BT Business has announced a major price cut to its web hosting Starter Pack to encourage small businesses to get online.

The cost of a 5GB web hosting package with BT Business has been reduced by 40 per cent to an exclusive online price of £2.99* per month, including a host of extra business tools to help small businesses promote themselves with a professional and secure web presence.

With enough web space to create hundreds of pages, a professional business domain name and business email for up to 10 accounts, the price cut makes the BT Business Starter Pack one of the most high value web hosting packages specifically designed for small businesses in the UK offering 24/7 support.

One in five small businesses don't have their own web site, despite 25 per cent - £78 billion - of UK retail spend in this year projected to come from online sales. According to BT Business research the vast majority that do are also not getting the most out of their websites or using them effectively to attract customers.

Helen Costello, founder of Aardvark Cakes in St Helens, Merseyside, has been a BT web hosting Starter Pack customer for three years. The mother-of-two, who works from home, said: "My business is my website and it is important for me that it is easy for customers to find what they are looking for and place orders. Having a trustworthy web hosting provider is vital to me as the site is an indispensable tool of my trade. In the past 12 months, trade has really escalated, showing just how important it is for a small business to have an online presence in this day and age."

"Having a professional web site presence could mean the difference between winning and losing customers in the current climate," said Jerry Thompson, director online, BT Business. "We are listening to small businesses that are citing overall cost, ease of use and 24/7 support amongst their top considerations when getting online. By offering a complete range of high value digital marketing services we want to ensure that small businesses can compete as effectively as bigger companies and can grow their online presence with them."

The BT Business Starter Pack is available immediately. Additional features include free web site building software with 400 templates to get businesses started on creating their own web site without the need for technical expertise.

Notes to Editors:
*Pricing on a 12 months contract. Price reverts to £5 after first 12 months. Terms and Conditions apply

In the year ended 31 March 2009, BT Group's revenue was £21,390 million.

Enquiries about this news release should be made to the BT Group Newsroom on its 24-hour number: 020 7356 5369. From outside the UK dial + 44 20 7356 5369.

BT Business research shows Britain's workers on 6 day weeks to keep jobs

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:52:56 GMT

New BT Business* research has shown that overtime is becoming the norm for almost 50% of staff since the financial crisis began. More than a third of those Brits feel compelled to work over their contracted hours every week because of the current climate, with most working an average of 7 extra hours per week - the equivalent of an extra day - and collectively putting £200 million in extra hours into the British economy each week**.

The findings also show a clear gender split with men more likely to be putting in the extra hours, including 66% of men stating they are working over the recommended 48 hour week.

More than a third (37%) of the 4000 survey respondents put in extra hours to cope with growing workloads. Colleagues being made redundant (41%) and a renewed focus by companies on improving customer service (35%) were cited as the top two reasons for this. However, over 40% also cited that this situation was being exacerbated by time being wasted in the work place because staff are not equipped with the right tools to do the job.

"These findings reflect the length that employees are willing to go to, to keep Britain's economy afloat", said Bill Murphy, managing director, BT Business, "Employers should look to match these efforts by equipping staff with what they need to become more efficient. Financial incentives may not be an option, but companies should consider how working practices can eliminate wasted time and boost productivity. Using technology to support practices such as flexible working can help companies strip out the fat as well as helping their staff become more efficient with a better work life balance."

The research also revealed a drastic change in the office atmosphere with 37% of workers stating there is less laughter in the workplace compared to over a year ago and greater pressure on staff to perform. 43% of respondents believe that the offer of flexitime would help to create a better working experience. Flexible working including the option to work from home and improved technology (33%) also equally factored highly in people's aspirations on how they'd like their workplace to change.

Workers showed a clear willingness to go that extra mile to impress the boss. 43% of respondents admitted to being motivated to work harder to keep their jobs, with 60% feeling very lucky to have a job. 34% of those surveyed admitted to turning up earlier for work and a similar number (39%) admitted they are being more proactive and have generally pulled up their socks to keep in the bosses good books.

The research was launched at BT Business Experience, a free week-long event held recently in London. As well as leading entrepreneur Peter Jones, prominent business experts were on hand to offer one-to-one advice on key issues facing the SME (small and medium sized enterprise) community in these difficult times and how they may be able to use technology previously only available to large companies to help them succeed and thrive.

Notes to Editors:
* Research conducted for BT Business in June 2009 and surveyed 4000 people.
* * Based on minimum wage of £5.73 per hour for workers aged 22 years and older. According to the Office of National Statistics there were 29,108,000 people employed (aged 16 and over February to April 2009

About BT Business
BT Business understands the challenges that businesses face in the current climate, and supports cost control, improved productivity and winning business through product collections including business broadband & internet, domains & web hosting, data & voice networks, IT s

BT Business launches online starter kit

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 10:55:08 GMT

BT Business has launched the Online Starter Kit, a service designed to help small businesses promote themselves online, offering a professionally-built web site and profile in the BT business networking community for £199 including 12 months of web hosting*.

For the first time BT Business has brought together all of the essential ingredients for creating an online presence into one low cost bundle. For businesses looking to combine this with their broadband commitment, the Online Starter Kit is also available at just £5 per month with BT Business Total Broadband Option 3.

The bundle includes a web site design consultation and professional web site build, logo design, advice around web site copy and keywords, web hosting, domain based webmail and a BT Tradespace profile - all designed to work together to boost a business presence on search engines such as Google.

One in five small businesses don't have their own web site, despite £78 billion - 25% of UK retail spend - in this year projected to come from online sales. According to BT Business research the vast majority that do are also not getting the most out of their websites or using them effectively to attract customers. Just one in over 3,000 web sites use keywords in the content they post on their sites, despite the use of keywords increasing the chances of search engines picking up web pages. 42% have websites with bad pages containing broken or invalid links**.

"Every business needs an effective online presence that works well with search engines, but this can sometimes be a daunting step for start-ups," said Jerry Thompson, Director Business Products and Online. "By bringing everything together in one low-cost bundle BT is helping small businesses take the vital steps to getting online hassle-free. 20% of small businesses now also use social networking sites to win new business, so getting your company web site to work more effectively with social business networks such as BT Tradespace is becoming more and more important."

BT Tradespace is a dynamic online community for sales and marketing and offers a comprehensive directory of small business products and services. It allows members to use the latest social media tools - podcasts, videos and blogs - to promote themselves, engage with customers, partners and suppliers and sell goods to consumers over a secure and safe trading platform.

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Notes to editors:
* Based on 12mths contract. The Online Starter bundle costs £199 ex VAT. This comprises monthly costs of £5 per month ex VAT for a web hosting service plus a one-off cost of £139.
** Conclusion of an investigation of 70,000 websites released by BT Business in March 09.

About BTTradespace.com
BTTradespace.com is a 350,000-member online community, which enables businesses to sell products and services and connect effectively with other people - in order to build business and customer relationships. BT Tradespace provides social networking for businesses and free website set-up.

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