Two thirds (66 per cent) of small companies believe that the winner of the General Election won’t contribute to the success of their current business or influence their decision to set up another business.
The poll of 1,500 businesses owners by internet and business productivity site Stop Procrastinating finds that company owners are more likely to rely on their own efforts, skills, work ethic and creativity than the policies of a political party for a successful business.
Of those that came to this conclusion, 72 per cent say neither political party would have prevented the recession or credit crunch.
Some 65 per cent believe businesses are essential to the economy of the UK so neither political party would introduce policies to undermine them.
Almost half (45 per cent) say the business prospered during the credit crunch despite the government failing to ease lending during that period, and 12 per cent feel their business was created because they were forced to become self-employed after losing their job.
Three quarters (76 per cent) say the success and growth of the business was the result of hard work and their own efforts to make the business successful.
The survey also reveals the other factors the respondents think are crucial in setting up their business and the success of their business. A third (33 per cent) say they would try to monetise their business more quickly, 43 per cent wish they had researched their business market and business techniques more before setting up, and 54 per cent be prepared to learn on the job
The rise of the internet is also seen as being critical for many businesses. Breaking it down, the survey finds 68 per cent believing that online and e-commerce is critical in helping to run their business successfully and profitably.
Some 42 per cent say e-commerce helped them monetise their business quicker and scale it up.
Two thirds (66 per cent) reveal Search Engine Optimisation as an enabler to target an audience through internet search engines as critical to their success.
Mike Rollins, director of productivity at Stop Procrastinating says, ‘Our survey shows that start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises give little credit to either main political party for creating an environment to help their businesses growth.
‘Given the difficult economic conditions in the recent past, business owners have come to the conclusion that a combination of new technology, such as more effective ways to market their products and services via the internet, and their own hard work and business acumen have been more important.’
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