SMEs and the Cloud – Research by BT and the British Chamber of Commerce
Sixty per cent of UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are already using cloud-based applications, according to the latest research from BT Business and British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).
The results, part of a wider survey which examined how the UK’s SMEs use and benefit from technology*, revealed that more than four fifths (86 per cent) of businesses have one or more members of staff working from home on a regular basis.
Almost half of those businesses surveyed (47 per cent) have staff working away from the office at least once a week, while 28 per cent have someone working remotely every day.
Of those interviewed, 43 per cent believed cloud-based applications were a critical element of effective flexible working, with more than half (52 per cent) suggesting that remote access to company data was essential; a similar number (50 per cent) cited wi-fi access when out of the office – for example, in cafes – as a key driver.
UK businesses’ reliance on internet access was also highlighted by the research, with more than two thirds (68 per cent) of respondents believing that their companies couldn’t survive more than a day or two without a connection.