It’s been discovered that small firms are hiring umbrella company contractors and freelancers in greater numbers to help with online sales.
A recently conducted research study of more than 2,000 companies by a freelancing trade industry body has found that more thn 4 out of every 10 survey respondents are making investments in business websites and internal computer systems in order to use the internet to grow their firms. More than 1 out of every three of these firms are now conducting overseas sales as well, the research found, and the new focus on e-commerce has led to the knock-on effect of an increased need for skilled and experienced IT professionals, which are being hired primarily on a freelance basis or through the use of an umbrella company.
E-commerce is widely seen as the future, said freelancing expert Matt Barrie, chief executive of the firm that conducted the research. Small firms have seen the writing on the wall when it comes to massive high street institutions such as Comet and HMV go into administration, Mr Barrie added, and SMEs are keen to find new markets for their products online whilst keeping overhead as low as possible.
The research bears out Mr Barrie’s statements, what with around 39 per cent of the survey respondents indicating that more than half of their sales originate from an online trading portal such as their own website. With the focus firmly shifting to e-commerce and online trading, businesses looking to capitalise on the movement will most likely need the aid of qualified IT contractors, especially in the event that there are none amongst their permanent staff with the requisite skills to provide e-commerce solutions for the company.
