Business Links – which is facing evaluation and impact studies next year – is to expand its use of the Internet with funding from the Department of Trade and Industry.
Deputy Prime Minister Michael Heseltine announced #180,000 will be made available to the Business Link Network Company to develop a national internet site with Intranets. Small Businesses Minister Richard Page told the Business Link National Conference at Heythrop Park that a further #160,000 will be provided to assist the Network Company’s work on good practice.
The separate studies are designed to pinpoint the network’s results in terms of growth, profitability, jobs and exports from a sample of 1,750 Business Links customers. The results will be compared with firms who have not received help from the organisations.
Page made the announcement as figures show more than 100,000 firms have used the network, but he made it clear that the Business Link movement must demonstrate its worth.
He added: ‘The fundamental purpose of Business Links is to improve our economic performance by bringing tailored help and advice to our smaller firms. While we are seeing a breakthrough in reaching smaller firms, Business Links’ success can only continue if firms can see real returns from the use of its services.’
Referring to the Internet investment, Page said: ‘The site will give firms information on Business Links and access to the network.
‘Our support for this site is part of the Government’s commitment to help Business Links not only complete the revolution in business support in this country, but set the pace in the rest of the world.’
The address of the site is: http://www.businesslink.co.uk.