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Small / Medium Enterprises
Introduction
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) make up the core of British business. Statistics show that they are highly significant contributors to the economy in terms of both employment and turnover. As such they are an important target audience for government communications.
This section describes findings from a comprehensive programme of qualitative research with a wide range of SME owners and managers conducted for COI by Jigsaw Research and Connect Research.
Some of the key findings from this SME research are summarised below, together with links to the relevant sections in the site. Please note that to access these links you need to be registered and login to the site.
Quick Facts
Who are SMEs?
SMEs are a difficult audience to reach. They often focus only on the core issues that are linked to selling and remaining compliant; this impacts their receptiveness to communication.
Issues Impacting SMEs
A key challenge faced by SMEs is managing the transition from being small to becoming a medium-sized business (difficulties typically starting to arise at around eight to fifteen employees).
Advisors/intermediaries
SMEs tend not to have a clear picture of the information and advice marketplace and do not have time to build a picture themselves. As a result they rely heavily on third-party advisors, often assuming that any important issues will reach them one way or another.
How SMEs react to communications
Employee issues emerge as a major grey area for SMEs. They tend to feel that employee legislation is both complex and ever changing. It is often the case that awareness of employee rights and entitlements is created by an employee making a request or compliant.
Communicating with SMEs
In order to maximise the probability of a SME picking up on a message, it needs to be concise, simple and relevant, with clear benefits and signposting for next steps. In terms of the medium used to deliver information and advice to SMEs, preferences are driven by two main dimensions:
- Fixed vs. interactive
Whether the medium is fixed, and is thus simply absorbed, or is interactive, allowing the SME to ask questions and obtain tailored advice. - Traditional vs. New Media
Whether the medium is traditional (paper, telephone, etc.) or is new/electronic (CD-ROM, Internet, etc.)