UK Businesses increase use of email as economy slows down
- Provider sees 50 per cent increase in new email accounts created
- Average mailbox size declines as UK businesses work smarter
1 December 2008, Gloucester, UK: Fasthosts Internet Ltd, (www.fasthosts.co.uk), the UK's number one web hosting company, today revealed statistics that lend weight to the idea that UK businesses have become more email-centric in response to tougher economic conditions. From 1 May 2008 to 31 October 2008, the provider has seen a 50 per cent jump in the number of new mailboxes being created each month by its many hundreds of thousands of business customers. The company has also noted how the average size of a UK business email account is decreasing in time, perhaps a reflection of how businesses are handling emails more efficiently.
Nowadays, one would expect every business to use email to some degree. However, data from one of the UK's leading providers of business email solutions suggests that there has been a marked acceleration in business email usage in recent months. Fasthosts' business customer base created 50 per cent more new email accounts during October 2008 when compared to 6 months before. Fasthosts responded to the increased demand by stepping-up regular expansion of its technical capacity by 50 per cent during the Summer months.
The data would suggest that many UK businesses have sought to increase the role that email plays within their business processes. It is likely that a number of these businesses have switched to using additional email communication in place of costlier options such as the post, facsimile and face-to-face meetings.
Steve Holford, CMO Fasthosts Internet, said "Over the past year, email has become even more important for businesses. When adapting to tougher trading conditions, email can often provide an efficient, cost effective alternative or work-around for a variety of workflows. In addition to more email accounts being created, we have also seen increased demand for mobile functionality as business users seek to increase productivity on the move".
Interestingly, whilst both the number of new email accounts created each month and Fasthosts' overall email load has grown, the average UK business mailbox has decreased in size significantly over the past year. Accordingly to Fasthosts, in November 2007 the average total business mailbox size was 881MB whilst 1 year later the average size stands at 749MB, a reduction of some 18 per cent.
In storing less email data within their accounts, British businesses appear to be using email more efficiently than in the past. The growing popularity of more advanced email systems such as MS Exchange, as well as mobile devices and online storage services may have equipped businesses to better handle emailed documents and optimise their overall email management.
Holford added, "Our business users today utilise email more intensively and are working smarter than ever before. It's pleasing to see that British companies have in time become more dynamic in how they process and archive their emails".
As the UK's largest web host, Fasthosts offers a comprehensive range of web solutions including domain name registrations, email solutions (including mobile email services), shared web hosting, dedicated servers, online payment services, reseller web hosting and feature-rich broadband packages.
For more information on Fasthosts, see the website at www.fasthosts.co.uk
