Research and analysis
Digital capabilities in small and medium enterprises: data
Updated 9 September 2015
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| Table 1.1 |
|---|
| A1/A2. How many employees does your business currently employ across all sites, excluding owners and partners? |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 0 employees |
| 1 to 9 employees |
| 10 to 49 employees |
| 50 to 249 employees |
| 250+ employees |
| Table 1.2 |
| A3. Can you please tell me the approximate turnover of your business in the past 12 months? (GBP) |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Less than 81,000 |
| 81,000 to 99,999 |
| 100,000 to 249,999 |
| 250,000 to 499,999 |
| 500,000 to 999,999 |
| 1m to 1.99m |
| 2m to 2.8m |
| 2.81m to 4.99m |
| 5m to 9.99m |
| 10m to 14.99m |
| 15m to 24.99m |
| 25m or more |
| Don't know |
| Refused |
| Table 1.3 |
| A4. In the last 12 months, has your business sold any goods or services or licenced your product outside of the UK? |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Yes |
| No |
| Don't know |
| Refused |
| Table 2.1 |
| B1. Does your business have its own website? |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Yes |
| No |
| Table 2.2 |
| B2. Is your business listed in any online directories, or promoted by other websites other than your own |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Yes |
| No |
| Don't know |
| Table 2.3 |
| B3. How can your website currently be used? |
| Base: Where have a website |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| For e-commerce, i.e. it is possible for customers to order and pay for goods or services directly from your website |
| To promote or showcase your goods or services, with contact details so that customers can get in touch |
| To take bookings or orders, without payment at the time |
| Website still under construction/being serviced |
| Other |
| Don't know |
| Multiple Response |
| Table 2.4 |
| Summary: B3A-B3C. How effective do you feel your website is for...? |
| Base: Where use website for e-commerce, promotions or to take bookings |
| E-commerce |
| Promoting or showcasing your goods or services |
| Taking bookings |
| Table 2.5 |
| B3A. How effective do you feel your website is for...? : E-commerce |
| Base: Where use a website for e-commerce |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 4 - Very effective |
| 3 - Fairly effective |
| 2 - Not very effective |
| 1 - Not at all effective |
| Don't know |
| Summary: Effective |
| Summary: Not effective |
| Base for stats |
| Mean |
| Standard error |
| Table 2.6 |
| B3B. How effective do you feel your website is for...? : Promoting or showcasing your goods or services |
| Base: Where use a website for promotions |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 4 - Very effective |
| 3 - Fairly effective |
| 2 - Not very effective |
| 1 - Not at all effective |
| Don't know |
| Summary: Effective |
| Summary: Not effective |
| Base for stats |
| Mean |
| Standard error |
| Table 2.7 |
| B3C. How effective do you feel your website is for...? : Taking bookings |
| Base: Where use a website to take bookings |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 4 - Very effective |
| 3 - Fairly effective |
| 2 - Not very effective |
| 1 - Not at all effective |
| Don't know |
| Summary: Effective |
| Summary: Not effective |
| Base for stats |
| Mean |
| Standard error |
| Table 2.8 |
| B3d. Does your website allow customers to do either of the following? |
| Base: Where have a website |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Make appointments for visits or call-outs |
| Leave contact details for you to get in touch with them |
| Neither of these |
| Don't know |
| Multiple Response |
| Table 2.9 |
| B4. Do you have any plans to introduce a website in future? |
| Base: Where do not have a website |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Yes |
| No |
| Don't know |
| Table 2.10 |
| B5. Do you have any plans to introduce any of the following in future? |
| Base: Where do not use a website for e-commerce or to take bookings but have plans to introduce a website in the future |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| E-commerce, where customers can order and pay for goods or services directly from your website |
| A system where bookings, appointments or orders can be made from your website, without payment at the time |
| Neither of these |
| Don't know |
| Multiple Response |
| Table 2.11 |
| B5a. What has caused you to plan to introduce e-commerce, or a system that allows customers to make bookings or orders? |
| Base: Where plan to introduce e-commerce or a booking system |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Due to customer demand |
| To make it easier/convenient/flexible/accessible |
| Attracting new customers/widening customer base |
| Change in business plan/diversify the business |
| To save on costs |
| Business expansion |
| To move with the market/just following trend |
| To make more money/increase turnover |
| It's part of the business development plan |
| Other businesses have the facility/ to remain competitive |
| Current website is ineffective/needs updating |
| Other |
| None |
| Don't know |
| Multiple Response |
| Table 2.12 |
| B6. Do you have any goods or services which could be ordered directly from a website, or could bookings be made through a website ? |
| Base: Where do not plan to use e-commerce or a booking system |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Yes |
| No |
| Don't know |
| Table 2.13 |
| B6a. Are there any reasons why you would not consider introducing e-commerce or a bookings system? |
| Base: Where do not plan to use e-commerce or a booking system but have goods or services that could be sent directly from a website |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Too costly/expensive |
| Not relevant/no business need |
| Happy with current system |
| Other |
| None |
| Don't know |
| Multiple Response |
| Table 2.14 |
| B7. When did your business first get a website? |
| Base: Where have a website |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 2014-15 (Up to one year ago) |
| 2011-2013 (Over one year, up to three) |
| 2009-2011 (Over three years, up to five) |
| 2004-2010 (Over five years, up to ten) |
| 1999-2003 (Over ten years, up to fifteen) |
| Before 1999 (Over fifteen years) |
| Don't know |
| Table 2.15 |
| B8. Other than when you first got your website, how many times, if at all, has your website undergone a significant re-design? |
| Base: Where have a website |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Never |
| Once |
| 2 to 3 times |
| 4 to 5 times |
| 6 to 10 times |
| More than 10 times |
| Don't know |
| Table 2.16 |
| B9. Did somebody from outside of your organisation design the website? |
| Base: Where have a website |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Yes |
| No |
| Don't know |
| Table 2.17 |
| B10. Who was involved in designing or launching the website on this last occasion? |
| Base: Where someone from outside of organisation designed website |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| A design agency |
| A consultant |
| A friend or family member |
| Other |
| Don't know |
| Multiple Response |
| Table 2.18 |
| B11. Did you need to pay for the last website redesign or launch? |
| Base: Where someone from outside of organisation designed website |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Yes |
| No |
| Don't know |
| Table 2.19 |
| B11a. To what extent do you agree or disagree that the money you paid for your website on this last occasion was good value for money? |
| Base: Where paid for website redesign |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 5 - Agree strongly |
| 4 - Agree slightly |
| 3 - Neither agree nor disagree |
| 2 - Disagree slightly |
| 1 - Disagree strongly |
| Don't know |
| Summary: Agree |
| Summary: Disagree |
| Base for stats |
| Mean |
| Standard error |
| Table 2.20 |
| B12a. How frequently is your website updated in terms of adding new products or services to the list of things customers can buy directly or book from you? |
| Base: Where use e-commerce |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Daily |
| 2-3 times a week |
| Weekly |
| 2-3 times a month |
| Monthly |
| Every 2 months |
| Quarterly |
| Six monthly |
| Annually |
| Less often |
| Never |
| Other |
| Don't know |
| Table 2.21 |
| B12b. How frequently is your website updated in terms of updating content about your business? |
| Base: Where use website for promotion |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Daily |
| 2-3 times a week |
| Weekly |
| 2-3 times a month |
| Monthly |
| Every 2 months |
| Quarterly |
| Six monthly |
| Annually |
| Less often |
| Never |
| Whenever it's required/it depends |
| Other |
| Don't know |
| Table 2.22 |
| B13. Do you use any outside individual or organisation to maintain or update your website on a regular basis? |
| Base: Where have a website |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Yes |
| No |
| Don't know |
| Table 2.23 |
| B14. How much, if at all, do you pay these people in a typical year to maintain or update your website? (GBP) |
| Base: Where someone from outside of organisation maintains website |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Nothing |
| Up to 100 |
| Up to 250 |
| Up to 500 |
| Up to 1,000 |
| Up to 5,000 |
| Up to 10,000 |
| Up to 50,000 |
| More than 50,000 |
| Don't know |
| Refused |
| Table 2.24 |
| B15. What impact has the introduction of a website had on your business? Has it led to any of the following...? |
| Base: Where have a website |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| New customers |
| Increased sales |
| Sales to overseas markets for the first time |
| Time savings in marketing |
| Cost savings |
| None of these |
| Don't know |
| Summary: Any |
| Multiple Response |
| Table 3.1 |
| C1. Does your business use the internet for any of the following? |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Emails to customers |
| Finding information for the business |
| Social media, e.g. facebook, LinkedIn, twitter |
| Paying taxes online |
| Other Government transactions |
| Taking bookings, appointments or orders without payment at the time |
| Taking sales, orders or bookings with payment via credit/debit cards or PayPal at the time |
| Online banking |
| Ordering from suppliers |
| Paying bills |
| BACS payments |
| Seeking general business advice |
| Advice on regulation |
| Promoting your goods and services |
| None of these |
| Don't know |
| Summary: Any |
| Multiple Response |
| Table 3.2 |
| C2. Does your business use the internet for any other purpose? |
| Base: Where do not use the internet for any of the specified purposes |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Yes |
| No |
| Table 3.3 |
| C3. Where do you have access to the internet? |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| At work |
| At home |
| Via a smart phone (e.g. Blackberry/Iphone/Android) |
| Somewhere else |
| Do not have internet access |
| Multiple Response |
| Table 3.4 |
| C4. Does your business have broadband? |
| Base: Where have internet access |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Yes |
| No |
| Don't know |
| Table 3.5 |
| C5. Is this super-fast broadband? |
| Base: Where have broadband |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Yes |
| No |
| Don't know |
| Table 3.6 |
| C6. How good or poor do you consider your internet access to be? |
| Base: Where have internet access |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 5 - Very good |
| 4 - Fairly good |
| 3 - Neither good nor poor |
| 2 - Fairly poor |
| 1 - Very poor |
| Don't know |
| Summary: Good |
| Summary: Poor |
| Base for stats |
| Mean |
| Standard error |
| Table 3.7 |
| C7. Are any of the following problems for your business? |
| Base: Where have internet access |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Internet not available in your area |
| Good broadband not available in your area |
| Poor wi-fi connectivity |
| Loss of internet on a regular basis e.g. once a week or more |
| Slow download speeds |
| Problems dealing with your internet supplier |
| Other problems with the internet |
| None of these |
| Don't know |
| Summary: Any |
| Multiple Response |
| Table 4.1 |
| D1. Which of these social media platforms does your business use? |
| Base: Where use internet for social media |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| A blogging platform |
| Tumblr |
| YouTube |
| Other |
| No social media used/only use it personally |
| Don't know |
| Summary: Any |
| Multiple Response |
| Table 4.2 |
| D2 Does your business have its own profile on any of the social media platforms you mentioned? |
| Base: Where use social media |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| A blogging platform |
| Tumblr |
| YouTube |
| Other |
| None |
| Don't know |
| Summary: Any |
| Multiple Response |
| Table 4.3 |
| D3. In which of these ways does your business use social media? |
| Base: Where have own pages on social media |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| To promote your business's goods or services |
| To give details so that your customers can contact you |
| So customers can directly buy goods or services from you |
| Other |
| No particular purpose |
| Multiple Response |
| Table 5.1 |
| E1. Can I check, is your business involved in any e-commerce which is not driven through your own website? |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Yes |
| No |
| Don't know |
| Table 5.2 |
| E2. Whose website do you trade through? |
| Base: Where trade through another website |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Amazon |
| Ebay |
| Other |
| Don't know |
| Refused |
| Multiple Response |
| Table 5.3 |
| E3. Approximately how much money did you earn through e-commerce in the last 12 months? |
| Base: Where have e-commerce on website or trade through another website |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Nothing |
| Less than £100 |
| £100 to £999 |
| £1,000 to £9,999 |
| £10,000 to £49,999 |
| £50,000 to £99,999 |
| £100,000 to £499,999 |
| £500,000 to £999,999 |
| £1m to £4.99m |
| £10m or more |
| Don't know |
| Refused |
| Table 5.4 |
| E4/E5. Approximately what percentage of the money you earned from e-commerce in the last 12 months comes from outside of the UK? |
| Base: Where export and have made money from e-commerce |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Up to 5% of your e-commerce earnings |
| Up to 10% |
| Up to 25% |
| Up to 50% |
| Up to 75% |
| Up to 90% |
| More than 90% |
| Don't know |
| Table 6.1 |
| F1. Can I just check, do you use computers in your business at all? |
| Base: Where do not use the internet |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Yes |
| No |
| Table 6.2 |
| Summary: F2. How capable do you think your business is at...? |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Use of software, e.g. Microsoft office |
| Use of the internet to source goods/services from suppliers |
| Ability to work remotely away from the office |
| Technological understanding |
| E-commerce |
| E-marketing |
| Maximising sales e.g through search engine optimisation |
| The ability to create or develop your own website |
| The ability to update your own website |
| Using social media |
| Creating website content |
| Monitoring use of the website e.g. through Google Analytics |
| Managing relationships with customers online, e.g. through a CRM |
| Managing online security |
| Table 6.3 |
| F2/1. How capable do you think your business is at...? : Use of software, e.g. Microsoft office |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 1 - Very poor |
| 2 - Poor |
| 3 - Average |
| 4 - Strong |
| 5 - Very strong |
| Don't know |
| Not applicable |
| Summary: Poor |
| Summary: Strong |
| Base for stats |
| Mean |
| Standard error |
| Table 6.4 |
| F2/2. How capable do you think your business is at...? : Use of the internet to source goods/services from suppliers |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 1 - Very poor |
| 2 - Poor |
| 3 - Average |
| 4 - Strong |
| 5 - Very strong |
| Don't know |
| Not applicable |
| Summary: Poor |
| Summary: Strong |
| Base for stats |
| Mean |
| Standard error |
| Table 6.5 |
| F2/3. How capable do you think your business is at...? : Ability to work remotely away from the office |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 1 - Very poor |
| 2 - Poor |
| 3 - Average |
| 4 - Strong |
| 5 - Very strong |
| Don't know |
| Not applicable |
| Summary: Poor |
| Summary: Strong |
| Base for stats |
| Mean |
| Standard error |
| Table 6.6 |
| F2/4. How capable do you think your business is at...? : Technological understanding |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 1 - Very poor |
| 2 - Poor |
| 3 - Average |
| 4 - Strong |
| 5 - Very strong |
| Don't know |
| Not applicable |
| Summary: Poor |
| Summary: Strong |
| Base for stats |
| Mean |
| Standard error |
| Table 6.7 |
| F2/5. How capable do you think your business is at...? : E-commerce |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 1 - Very poor |
| 2 - Poor |
| 3 - Average |
| 4 - Strong |
| 5 - Very strong |
| Not applicable |
| Summary: Poor |
| Summary: Strong |
| Base for stats |
| Mean |
| Standard error |
| Table 6.8 |
| F2/6. How capable do you think your business is at...? : E-marketing |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 1 - Very poor |
| 2 - Poor |
| 3 - Average |
| 4 - Strong |
| 5 - Very strong |
| Don't know |
| Not applicable |
| Summary: Poor |
| Summary: Strong |
| Base for stats |
| Mean |
| Standard error |
| Table 6.9 |
| F2/7. How capable do you think your business is at...? : Maximising sales e.g through search engine optimisation |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 1 - Very poor |
| 2 - Poor |
| 3 - Average |
| 4 - Strong |
| 5 - Very strong |
| Don't know |
| Not applicable |
| Summary: Poor |
| Summary: Strong |
| Base for stats |
| Mean |
| Standard error |
| Table 6.10 |
| F2/8. How capable do you think your business is at...? : The ability to create or develop your own website |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 1 - Very poor |
| 2 - Poor |
| 3 - Average |
| 4 - Strong |
| 5 - Very strong |
| Don't know |
| Not applicable |
| Summary: Poor |
| Summary: Strong |
| Base for stats |
| Mean |
| Standard error |
| Table 6.11 |
| F2/9. How capable do you think your business is at...? : The ability to update your own website |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 1 - Very poor |
| 2 - Poor |
| 3 - Average |
| 4 - Strong |
| 5 - Very strong |
| Don't know |
| Not applicable |
| Summary: Poor |
| Summary: Strong |
| Base for stats |
| Mean |
| Standard error |
| Table 6.12 |
| F2/10. How capable do you think your business is at...? : Using social media |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 1 - Very poor |
| 2 - Poor |
| 3 - Average |
| 4 - Strong |
| 5 - Very strong |
| Don't know |
| Not applicable |
| Summary: Poor |
| Summary: Strong |
| Base for stats |
| Mean |
| Standard error |
| Table 6.13 |
| F2/11. How capable do you think your business is at...? : Creating website content |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 1 - Very poor |
| 2 - Poor |
| 3 - Average |
| 4 - Strong |
| 5 - Very strong |
| Don't know |
| Not applicable |
| Summary: Poor |
| Summary: Strong |
| Base for stats |
| Mean |
| Standard error |
| Table 6.14 |
| F2/12. How capable do you think your business is at...? : Monitoring use of the website e.g. through Google Analytics |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 1 - Very poor |
| 2 - Poor |
| 3 - Average |
| 4 - Strong |
| 5 - Very strong |
| Don't know |
| Not applicable |
| Summary: Poor |
| Summary: Strong |
| Base for stats |
| Mean |
| Standard error |
| Table 6.15 |
| F2/13. How capable do you think your business is at...? : Managing relationships with customers online, e.g. through a CRM |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 1 - Very poor |
| 2 - Poor |
| 3 - Average |
| 4 - Strong |
| 5 - Very strong |
| Don't know |
| Not applicable |
| Summary: Poor |
| Summary: Strong |
| Base for stats |
| Mean |
| Standard error |
| Table 6.16 |
| F2/14. How capable do you think your business is at...? : Managing online security |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 1 - Very poor |
| 2 - Poor |
| 3 - Average |
| 4 - Strong |
| 5 - Very strong |
| Don't know |
| Not applicable |
| Summary: Poor |
| Summary: Strong |
| Base for stats |
| Mean |
| Standard error |
| Table 6.17 |
| F3. Do you have a plan for what you want your business to achieve online and how you are going to get there? |
| Base: Where have computers in the business |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Yes |
| No |
| Don't know |
| Table 7.1 |
| G1. Does your business have any internet security systems? |
| Base: Where have computers in the business |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Yes |
| Yes – but don't know what it/they are called |
| No |
| Don't know |
| Table 7.2 |
| G1a. Which ones do you have? |
| Base: Where business has internet security system(s) |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| AVG |
| Avast |
| Mcafee |
| Bull guard |
| E-set |
| Kapersky |
| Microsoft Security Essentials |
| Norton |
| Firewall |
| Anti virus |
| Sophos |
| Symantec |
| Other |
| Don't know |
| Multiple Response |
| Table 7.3 |
| G3. Do you have somebody working for you, or an external organisation, that helps with your search engine optimisation i.e. securing a high ranking for your website in internet searches? |
| Base: Where have a website |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Yes |
| No |
| Don't know |
| Table 7.4 |
| G3a. How effective is your search engine optimisation? |
| Base: Where have search engine optimisation |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| 4 - Very effective |
| 3 - Quite effective |
| 2 - Not very effective |
| 1 - Not at all effective |
| Don't know |
| Summary: Effective |
| Summary: Not effective |
| Base for stats |
| Mean |
| Standard error |
| Table 7.5 |
| G5. Do you have a digital marketing plan? |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |
| Yes |
| No |
| Don't know |
| Table 7.6 |
| G6. Does your business plan include improving digital skills, knowledge and capability for you or your employees? |
| Base: All Respondents |
| Unweighted Bases |
| Weighted Bases |