Communication

Forty-six (46) percent of small businesses have one or more employees working off-site for at least one hour on a typical day. Nineteen (19) percent have every employee working off-site at least one hour on a typical day.

Over 90 percent, almost 19 in 20, small businesses with off-site employees have at least one employee who has a cell phone. Fifty-seven (57) percent of small employers claim that all employees working off-site carry one. The number of employees with cells suggests that the employer can reach virtually everyone working off-site.

The most common means used to reach off-site employees is to call them. Fifty-nine (59) percent primarily do so. Ten (10) percent most commonly text them and 2 percent use e-mail. However, 25 percent mix these methods when trying to reach off-site employees.

The best way for an off-site employee to reach their small employer is typically by telephone. Fifty-five (55) percent identify their cell as the best way. Another 30 percent identify the firm’s land line. Just 8 percent claim the best way is by text message and 5 percent by e-mail.

Small-business owners almost universally now carry a mobile communications device. Ninety-five (95) percent do so. For the most part (65%), that device could be described as a “smart phone”.

Small employers use their cell phone commonly, but not extraordinarily often, during an average business day. There is large disparity in frequency of use. Thirteen (13) percent who carry such a device fundamentally do not use it at all. At the other extreme, another 13 percent claim to use their cell 25 times on an average day or more.

Small-business owners are typically cool to texting, or at least do not find the technology particularly useful in the business setting. Forty-five (45) percent of small employers average no (zero) texts a day. Another 16 percent text just once or twice a day for business purposes. Still, another 15 percent send between 10 and 24 texts per day and 5 percent 25 or more.

There is a substantial discrepancy in use of cell phone calls and texts. Owner age is a primary differentiating factor. For example, 25 percent of owners younger than age 45 send no texts on an average day; 63 percent of those 65 and older do not send one. Similarly, 32 percent of the younger group send 10 or more texts a day compared to 12 percent of the older group. Texts and cell calls appear to directly substitute for one another.

Forty (40) percent of the 91 percent who report personally using a personal computer in their business say that they average four hours a day or more on their machines. Another 38 percent average one to four hours on them. Just 7 percent average less than one-half hour.

Being on the computer is not the same as being on the Internet. A majority (51%) spend less than an hour a day on it. Just 15 percent average more than four hours a day.

Most small-business owners continue to use the Postal Service for business purposes. However, small business is not a growth market for the U.S.P.S. While 52 percent of small employers anticipate that the amount of regular mail they will send in the next three years will approximate current volume, twice as many of the remainder expect volume to decrease as to increase.

Though small employers use a variety of communication means to place and accept orders, telephones remain the most popular. Small-business owners also commonly place orders on a supplier’s Web site, but rarely take orders (as the primary method) on Web sites of their own.

Volume 12, Issue 8, 2012
ISSN -

WIlliam J. Dennis, Jr.
NFIB Research Foundation

• 9Do you personally use a computer in your business? Top 100
• 1How many of your employees average one or more hours a day away from the firm’s central location, such as on sales calls, making deliveries, working at job sites, telecommuting, etc.? (Divided by all employees)
• 2How many of them carry cell phones, or similar mobile communications devices, when they are out-of-the-office?
• 3Do you typically provide ALL, SOME or NONE of those out-of-the-office employees with such a device?
• 4Does the business directly pay the charges incurred when employees use those devices; reimburse employees a flat amount monthly; reimburse employees for documented business use; or not pay for their use?
• 5When you try to reach employees out-of-the-office, do you usually text them, call them, or send an e-mail?
• 6Do you, personally, typically carry a cell phone or similar mobile communications device?
• 6aWould you describe that device as a smartphone, such as an I-Phone, Blackberry or Droid?
• 6bADoes your smartphone have apps that let you check your e-mail?
• 6bBDoes your smartphone have apps that let you check new or current events?
• 6bCDoes your smartphone have apps that let you check directions, locations, maps?
• 6bDDoes your smartphone have apps that let you check finance or stock market?
• 6bEDoes your smartphone have apps that let you check favorite a supplier or suppliers?
• 6bFDoes your smartphone have apps that let you check facebook/social media?
• 7About how many times on an average DAY do you send texts for business purposes? An estimate is fine.
• 8About how many times on an average DAY do you make phone calls for business purposes on your mobile communications device? An estimate is fine.
• 10When you are in the office, do you leave your computer “on” all day?
• 11Which best describes the number of hours on a typical work day that you spend working on your computer for ANY business purpose?
• 12Which best describes the number of hours on a typical work day that you spend working ON THE INTERNET?
• 13Is the amount of SPAM you receive on your computer a real hassle, an annoyance, a minor annoyance, or don’t you even notice it?
• 14ADoes your business use regular U.S. mail to advertise or communicate with customers?
• 14BDoes your business use regular U.S. mail to send checks and/or make payments?
• 14CDoes your business use regular U.S. mail to order goods/services?
• 14DDoes your business use regular U.S. mail to receive payments?
• 14EDoes your business use regular U.S. mail to send documents, such as contracts?
• 15Over the next three years, do you expect that the amount of regular mail your business sends will:?
• 16Do you personally sort the mail your business receives or does someone else do that for you? Is that most of the time or all of the time?