East Cornwall Microbusiness Survey 2013

The East Cornwall Micro-business Survey is being conducted on behalf of the East Cornwall Local Action Group, a project funded by the Rural Development Programme for England to deliver local development strategy. If you run a small business that is located in the East Cornwall area (defined as the area covered by the former districts of North Cornwall and Caradon), then please spare a few minutes to share your views through this survey. The survey will help to profile the specific needs of very small businesses in East Cornwall. The outputs of the project will be used to inform future funding strategies for the East Cornwall area. The survey is being facilitated by PFA Research Ltd, an independent market research company based in Cornwall.  The survey is carried out under the Market Research Society Code of Conduct.  Your replies will be treated with utmost confidentiality and with anonymity, unless you express otherwise.

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About Your Business

What is your position within the business?
	Owner / Proprietor
	Partner / Managing Partner
	Managing Director
	Director
	General Manager / Branch Manager
	Company Secretary
	Other

Could you please state your job title:

About Your Business

Do you run more than one business?

Yes

No

How many businesses do you operate in North or South East Cornwall?

For the purpose of this survey, please consider one of the businesses or the one you might consider as your 'main' business.

What is the postcode for your business?

About Your Business

Including yourself (if applicable), how many people does your business employ? (Please write in)

How many years has this business been operating?
	Still in the first year of trading
	1 year
	2 years
	3 to 5 years
	6 to 10 years
	More than 10 years
	Don't know

About Your Business

Approximately, what was your turnover for your last year of trading?
	Below £5,000
	£5,000 - £19,999
	£20,000 to £49,999
	£50,000 to £99,999
	£100,000 to £249,999
	£250,000 to £499,999
	£500,000 to £1m
	More than £1m
	Still in first year of trading
	Don't know

How did your turnover for your last year of trading compare to the previous year?
	About the same
	Lower than previous year
	Higher than previous year
	Not applicable - Only have one year of trading
	Don't know

About Your Business

What is the legal status of your business?
	Self-employed / sole trader
	Partnership
	Private Limited Company
	Social Enterprise (e.g. Community Interest Company, Industrial Provident Society, etc.)
	Other

Other legal status? Please state...

Are you a VAT registered business?

Yes

No

About Your Business

In which industry sector does your business mainly operate?
	--Click Here--Agriculture and conservation, land or sea basedMining and quarryingConstructionMarineIT & TelecomsCreative, media and designOther creative industriesNon-food Manufacturing and engineeringFood and drink manufacturingUtilitiesAutomotiveEnvironmental EngineeringOther engineering WholesaleRetail trade, including repair of goodsTransportTourism, leisure & hospitalityProfessional and services to businessFinancial servicesPublic administrationEducationHealth & Social CareCharitiesOther

Please use this space to further describe the nature of your business:

About Your Business

Is your business based at home or do you have designated business premises?
	Based at home
	Have designated business premises (that are not part of the home)

Do you literally work from within your home or do you have separate buildings that house the business?
	Work from the home
	Separate buildings - offices
	Separate buildings - workshop / storage
	The home is the business (e.g. Guesthouse, farmhouse)

Trading Markets

Would you say the customers or markets you serve are...
	Very local (say, within 5 miles)
	Local (say, within 30 miles or an hour's drive)
	Within Cornwall generally
	Within the South West of England
	Across the UK (mostly)
	Outside the UK (mostly)
	Don't know

Trading Markets

Are you a member of any associations, business support networks or groups? (Please tick all that apply.)
	None
	Federation of Small Businesses
	Local Chamber of Commerce
	Cornwall Chamber of Commerce
	Tourism association
	Cornwall Food and Drink
	Leading Women
	Social Media Group
	Business Club
	Other association, network or group

Which Social Media Group do you belong to?

Which Business Club do you belong to?

Other association, network or group? Please state...

Growing your business

What is your objective for your business over the next 5 years?
	Rapid growth
	Moderate / sustainable growth
	Maintain current size
	Downsize / become smaller
	Sell or close the business
	No business plan

Growing your business

How will you achieve your business growth? (Please tick all that apply)
	Move into new markets - locally/regionally
	Move into new markets - nationally/internationally
	Introduce new products / services
	Increase turnover / sales with existing product or market mix
	Making use of new technology
	Other strategy
	Don't know

Other strategy? Explain briefly how you will achieve your business growth:

Growing your business

To achieve your business growth, do you expect to... (Please tick all that apply)
	Take on more staff
	Expand or take on new premises
	Invest in equipment
	Invest in training
	Seek external funding/borrowing
	Other approaches
	Don't know

Other approaches? Please state...

Growing your business

How do you expect to fund your business growth?
	Internal finance / from profits
	Commercial loans from the bank
	Commercial loan from other sources (e.g. SWIG)
	Grant funding
	Private investors - friends and family
	Private investors - independent (e.g. business angels)
	Share issue
	Something else
	Don't know

Could you please briefly explain how you expect to fund your business growth:

Growing your business

Which of the following best describes the reasons why you are not looking to grow the business? (Please tick all that apply)
	Happy with the size we are		Don't want to take on more debt/borrowing
	Want to remain independent		Requires too much investment
	Too complicated to take on staff		Too much competition out there
	Want to reduce the hours I work		Frightened by new technology
	Looking to retire		Don't have the right skills / competences
	Looking to sell or handover the business		Market couldn't support growth
	Regulations are prohibitive		Something else
	Just haven't thought about it		Don't know

Could please briefly describe the reasons why you are not looking to grow the business?

Growing your business

Would you consider offering a work experience placement?
	Yes, already do
	Yes, would consider
	No

Would you consider taking on an apprentice?
	Yes, already do
	Yes, would consider
	No

Your Business Online

Do you have a web presence? (i.e. A web site that you run, have commissioned or represents your business)

Yes

No

Which of the following best describes your business web site?
	A dedicated page(s) on a directory site over which you have no direct control
	Your own site providing business and/or product information (like an electronic brochure)
	A web site with a content management system (e.g. you can update it yourself)
	A web store - a website which can take orders and payments online (or a booking system for hotels/leisure sector)
	A web site which interacts electronically with your suppliers, e.g. to place stock orders automatically
	None of the above
	Don't know

For the purpose of business, do you run any of the following? (Please tick all that apply)
	Blog - that is integral to your web site		YouTube channel
	Blog - on another web site		Other social media resources
	Twitter account		None of the above
	Facebook company/fan page

Your Business Online

What actions do you take to ensure your business can be found online? (Please tick all that apply)
	Search Engine Optimisation
	Pay-per-click advertising
	Paid for directory listing (e.g. Yell, Applegate)
	Regular blogging / social media activity
	Promoting internet addresses on all marketing materials
	None of the above
	Other

Other actions? Explain briefly what other actions you take to ensure your business can be found online:

How important is the use of computers and other ICT (information and communications technologies) in your business?
	Essential - we could not function without it
	Really important - business would be very difficult without it
	Some importance - business is easier with ICT but we could survive without it
	Not important - ICT does not feature that much in our business
	Not at all important - our use of ICT is non-existent or has no bearing on our business operations
	Don't know

Business Advice and Support

Your business was started by...?
	Yourself (either on your own or in partnership with others)
	By someone else in the family
	By someone else from whom it was acquired
	Other...
	Don't know

Other? Please describe...

Business Advice and Support

Where do you go for business advice? (Please tick all that apply)
	Bank Manager
	Accountant
	Book keeper
	Solicitor
	Business networking group
	Cornwall Council or Cornwall Development Company
	Business Link Helpline
	Local Chamber of Commerce
	Cornwall Chamber of Commerce
	Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)
	Internet search
	Nowhere - I don't need advice
	Other

From what other places do you seek business advice?

Business Advice and Support

What, if any, are the main constraints currently facing your business? (Please tick a maximum of 5 answers)
	State of the UK economy		Pressure on cash flow
	State of the global economy		Access to and cost of commercial sources of finance
	Increased competition		Lack of infrastructure
	Lack of customers / saturated market		Increased traffic volumes / congested road network
	Lack of access to suppliers		Local housing market
	Availability of suitable premises / land for expansion		Environmental legislation and cost of waste disposal
	Accessibility to relevant quality training at an affordable cost		Level of business taxation (e.g. Business Rates, VAT, NI, PAYE, Capital Gains Tax)
	High fuel and energy or transport costs		Health and Safety
	Building and planning regulations		Lack of basic broadband access
	Compliance and regulations (e.g. health & safety)		Lack of superfast broadband access
	Availability and quality of staff		No constraints
	Changes to policies and laws		Something else
	Lack of access to business support services

Something else?  Explain briefly what other constraints your business is facing:

Business Advice and Support

What would help you to overcome the constraints your business is currently facing?

Local Issues

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
		Agree strongly	Agree somewhat	Neither agree nor disagree	Disagree somewhat	Disagree strongly	Don't know
	All my business advice and support needs can be met online
	The dualling of the A30 will have a positive impact on my business
	EU funding (Objective 1 / Convergence) has supported microbusinesses (those with less than 10 employees) in Cornwall
	Using social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter) is key to expanding and developing my business
	The UK economy will pick up soon
	The Cornish economy will pick up soon
	Cornwall has a strong brand with national and international recognition
	Superfast broadband will have a positive benefit on my business
	Improving energy efficiency will have a positive benefit on my business

About You

How old are you?
	16 to 24
	25 to 34
	35 to 44
	45 to 54
	55 to 64
	65 to 74
	75 or older
	Prefer not to say

Are you...
	Male		Female		Prefer not to say

Were you either born in Cornwall or do you consider yourself to be Cornish?
	Yes		No		Prefer not to say

Submit your answers

Are you happy for the East Cornwall Local Action Group to know you participated in this survey?
	Yes		No

	Your name:
	Business name:
	Address:
	Town / village:
	Postcode:
	Telephone:
	Email:

Are you happy for your responses to be linked to your company? (Please be assured that your information will be treated in strictest confidence and will not be shared with third party organisations.)
	Yes		No

Thank you very much for taking the time to complete the survey.

Please click on the SUBMIT button below to send us your answers.