smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

More than half of private sector businesses believe SME suppliers are less competitive than their larger counterparts, according to new research from BT Business and Cisco.
 
Some 87 per cent of the 253 recipients say small businesses are more likely to have the personal chemistry conducive to a smooth supplier relationship. However, 57 per cent do not believe SMEs are able to provide around the clock support, and 52 per cent say they are unlikely to offer competitive rates.
 
John Dunsmure, managing director of the British Chambers of Commerce, says: ‘These findings are extremely worrying for UK businesses and especially start ups. As such I would urge businesses to outsource anything that is secondary to their core business competence and invest their precious resources in what will help set them apart from the competition.’
 
However, 72 per cent of procurement managers believe small businesses are well placed to offer a more personalised service than their larger competitors, with customer service and responsiveness cited in the top five reasons to award contracts.