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The Small Business Service: Business Support, Use, Fees and Satisfaction

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  • Robert Bennett
  • Paul Robson

Abstract

This paper seeks to assess advice and information support for firms provided by the Small Business Service (SBS) Business Link. It uses a new survey of client use, satisfaction and experience of service fees. The general level of satisfaction with and use of the service is high: 28 per cent of all respondents use the services and 82.6 per cent are satisfied or very satisfied. However, levels of use and satisfaction vary considerably between areas, with 13 Business Link local 'hubs' accounting for 40 per cent of the dissatisfied or very dissatisfied respondents. In addition, there is also strong variation in satisfaction between services, with grants, diagnostic assessment, financial and accounting advice having low ratings. Charging a fee has been claimed by the SBS to improve the client's sense of value of the services received. Fees are currently charged for services in 37.3 per cent of cases. However, there is little positive association of fee charging with satisfaction, whilst for four services charging a fee decreases satisfaction. It is concluded that the SBS has many strengths to build upon, but will need to introduce a step change in performance in some areas and some services, and should reconsider its commitment to using fees as a means of creating a sense of value among its clients.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Bennett & Paul Robson, 2000. "The Small Business Service: Business Support, Use, Fees and Satisfaction," Policy Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(3), pages 173-190.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:cposxx:v:21:y:2000:i:3:p:173-190
    DOI: 10.1080/01442870020019480
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    Cited by:

    1. Colin Wren, 2001. "The industrial policy of competitiveness: A review of recent developments in the UK," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(9), pages 847-860.
    2. Lecluyse, Laura & Knockaert, Mirjam, 2020. "Disentangling satisfaction of tenants on science parks: A multiple case study in Belgium," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    3. Matthew Cocks, 2016. "Urban entrepreneurialism, global networks and export support: Are UK cities looking east?," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 31(6), pages 690-708, September.
    4. Jaka Vadnjal, 2011. "Know-How Transfer of Public Support Programs for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises from Slovenia to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia," South-Eastern Europe Journal of Economics, Association of Economic Universities of South and Eastern Europe and the Black Sea Region, vol. 9(2), pages 207-227.

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