Graham Jones
Businesses in the UK are losing out. Today the Chancellor will announce that the deficit is growing beyond predictions – and most of that is because tax receipts are low. Tax is down because businesses are not growing; they are not doing as much business as possible. In spite of record amounts being spent on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, businesses in the UK, in general, are not growing. Besides, almost all that Black Friday and Cyber Monday trading was done in giant American-owned businesses. And not all of them are known for being great tax contributors.
The issue in the UK is lack of technological awareness. A study by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, shows that four out of ten businesses in the UK still do not have a website. In spite of the web being 25 years old, that’s a sizeable number of businesses without a website.
Worse still, is the fact that 55% of people will not buy from a business unless they have a website. Indeed, people would rather buy from a company outside their local area that has a website, than use a local firm which does not.
In other words, British business is losing out because it has failed to grasp the opportunity the web provides. That’s a fundamental reason why the UK’s tax receipts are lower than the Chancellor wants.
People have changed. Almost all people now go to the web first to decide upon a supplier. Even if they are going to buy face-to-face in the “real world” they are making their purchasing decisions online first. That means if your business does not focus “online first” you will be losing out.
For many businesses there are huge, hidden, losses because potential customers cannot find out about them prior to purchase. Nor can they locate a local supplier, which is their preferred option.
No wonder the British economy is in a state – large slices of the UK business world have yet to enter the 21st Century.
Not focusing on the web, not having a website, is a bit like not having a telephone back in the year 2000.
You have no choice in business – your web presence has to to be your number-one priority.
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