Over two thirds of British business owners (67 per cent) admit to having concerns that how they appear online could have a negative effect their business, according to research released today by Fasthosts Internet Ltd, (www.fasthosts.co.uk), the UK's number one web hosting company. The survey of 540 British businesses found that 78 per cent of business owners believe there to be personal material related to them on the Internet, and 43 per cent admitted to anxiety that material posted online by others, like friends or partners, could have a negative effect on their business affairs. The research found that 1 in 5 owners routinely 'Google' for personal material on rival owners and 48 per cent judge personal online material to be representative of a business person overall. Another survey of 300 people who publish their own personal website , as opposed to just social networking, found that 84 per cent of those believed this offered more control over their online image, and 79 per cent of personal website owners were happy to recommend the tool as a means of creating or modifying an individual's online image or identity.

The 'Fasthosts Proprietor Identity Survey' found that the majority of UK business owners are now engaged with the issue of 'online identity', with over two thirds expressing some degree of concern regarding how they appear online. Significantly, the majority of British business owners, 78 per cent, now believe there to be personal material relating to them (such as photos, blog entries, Facebook profiles) on the Internet. Over 40 per cent of owners surveyed had a specific concern that what others may be publishing may have a negative effect on their business. Over 17 per cent admitted to having later regretted posting one or more items of material.

Whilst publishing material online is highly popular and enjoyable, some 95 per cent of those surveyed recognised that the online image it creates for an individual owner can have an impact upon their business. Significantly, 86 per cent of owners believed that there could be a link between a proprietor's unfavourable personal online material and a decrease in sales revenue. The extent of alarm varies, with 48 per cent viewing this to be a 'significant' risk, and 46 per cent recognising a 'small' risk. The level of concern on the issue of online material mirrors how heavily business owners themselves now use the Web for researching each other.

Over 81 per cent of UK business owners routinely browse the Internet for personal online material on business contacts. Some 1 in 5 of those surveyed (21 per cent) admit to searching for material relating to other company owners such as competitors. A further 1 in 5 (21 per cent) research their suppliers private lives online, and 18 per cent routinely look for material relating to their business partners and associates. Interestingly, owners appeared to use the Web far less to check job applicants, with only 11 per cent willing to do this.

The need for prudence when publishing personal material can be seen from the swiftness with which proprietors judge those they see online. Significantly, 66 per cent of owners have made a judgment on at least one business contact based solely on their online personal material. At least 48 per cent of owners surveyed believe that it is possible to make a reliable overall assessment of a person from their personal online material.

However, it is not all bad news when it comes to how business people manage their online image or identity. Encouragingly, 76 per of business owners believed that if the right balance was struck, their personal online identity could be used to positively impact their business, with 19 per cent strongly believing this to be the case.

Interestingly, a further survey of 300 people who publish their own personal website as opposed to just a social networking page, found that 84 per cent felt significantly more in control over their online image using this medium. Some 71 per cent of people using a personal website, linked to the Internet with their own domain name, believe that their website has given them a favourable online image, and 67 per cent viewed their resultant online image to be overall representative. Significantly, 70 per cent stated that their website has created a more favourable overall online image for them than a social networking page could. Furthermore, 79 per cent of personal website owners were happy to recommend the tool as a means of creating or changing an individual's online image or identity. The research lends weight to the argument that personal sites or blogs can be a useful means to generate or make modifications to a business owner's online identity.

Mark Jeffries, CTO of Fasthosts Internet Ltd said, "Today, the issue of online identity is clearly a concern for the British businesses. With it now being commonplace to search online for individuals as well as companies, proprietors should take care to present their own personal online material carefully and keep an eye on their online image accordingly".

As well as being more controlled, individual personal websites appear to be highly sociable just like social networking, with the average owner being contacted by 11-15 new people per year, and 21 per cent being approached by 50+ new people per year. In relation to social networks, 68 per cent of personal site owners valued their own sites as allowing more creativity and only 26 per cent suspected that a social networking page could be more communicative.

Jeffries added, "With the right approach, business owners can present their personal online material in a way that won't compromise their business activities. Our research highlights that personal websites in particular appear to offer a high level of control over online image, and can allow this to be modified effectively."

As the UK's number one web host, Fasthosts offers a comprehensive range of web solutions including web hosting with inclusive Blog tool & easy to use SiteBuilder for creating a web presence with ease. Further Fasthosts products include domain name registrations, email solutions (including mobile email services), shared web hosting, dedicated servers, online payment services, reseller web hosting, software-as-a-service and feature-rich broadband packages. For more information on Fasthosts, see the website at www.fasthosts.co.uk

Nearly half of British consumers (49 per cent) admit to having concerns about how they appear online as a result of personal material placed on the Internet, according to research released today by Fasthosts Internet Ltd, (www.fasthosts.co.uk), the UK's number one web hosting company. From those who actively publish personal material online, an alarming 79 per cent admit to now having concerns about their online image. The survey of 1,500 UK consumers also found that 62 per cent of Britons now believe there to be personal material relating to them online, with 1 in 4 people (25 per cent) worried about what others may be posting about them. 1 in 4 (25 per cent) of us now routinely "Google" new people we meet socially. Another survey of 300 people who publish their own personal website, as opposed to just social networking, found that 84 per cent of those believed this offered more control over their online image, and 70 per cent saw their website as providing a better impression than social network.

The 'Fasthosts Online Identity Survey' found that around half of the British public now has some degree of concern regarding the issue of 'online identity'. Significantly, the majority of Britons, 62 per cent, now believe there to be personal material relating to them (such as photos, blog entries, Facebook profiles) on the Internet. 1 in 4 (25 per cent) people surveyed had a specific concern that what others may be publishing may have a negative effect on them. Of those who regularly post personal material online, more than 1 in 3 (35 per cent) have regretted posting one or more items.

Whilst publishing material online is highly popular and enjoyable, some 42 per cent of Britons surveyed recognised that the online image it creates for an individual is something that needs to be carefully managed. The extent of alarm varies according to gender, with 47 per cent of women seeing a clear need to manage identity, in contrast to only 33 per cent of men. The level of public concern on the issue of online material mirrors how heavily Britons now use the Web for researching others.

Around 1 in 4 of those surveyed (24 per cent) admit to browsing the Internet in search of material relating to people they meet socially. Interestingly, on a regional level, a staggering 41 per cent of those from Belfast regularly research people they meet, compared to only 10 per cent in Leeds. Overall, 9 per cent of Britons regularly search both potential romantic suitors and new work colleagues.

Our fears also reflect the swiftness with which Britons judge those they see online. Significantly, 47 per cent of the public have made a judgment on at least one individual based solely on their online personal material. Unsurprisingly, this rose to 78 per cent in those under 25 years of age, who in general spend more time on social networks.

More than 1 in 3 people surveyed (37 per cent) believe that it is possible to make a reliable overall assessment of a person from their personal online material. The need for prudence when publishing personal material can be seen from just how quickly we judge those we see online. Some 29 per cent of those surveyed admitted to regularly judging people online 'quickly'.

However, it is not all bad news when it comes to how we manage our online image or identity. A further survey of 300 people who publish their own personal website as opposed to just a social networking page, found that 84 per cent felt significantly more in control over their online image using this medium.

Some 71 per cent of people using a personal website, linked to the Internet with their own domain name, believe that their website has given them a favourable online image, and 67 per cent viewed their resultant online image to be overall representative. Significantly, 70 per cent stated that their website has created a more favourable overall online image for them than a social networking page could. Furthermore, 79 per cent of personal website owners were happy to recommend the tool as a means of creating or changing an individual's online image or identity. The research lends weight to the argument that personal websites can be a useful means to generate or make modifications to an online identity.

Mark Jeffries, CTO of Fasthosts Internet Ltd said, "Today, the issue of online identity is clearly a concern for the British public. With it now being commonplace to search individuals online, one should take care to present their own personal online material carefully and keep an eye on their online image accordingly".

Individual personal websites appear to be highly sociable just like social networking, with the average owner being contacted by 11-15 new people per year, and 21 per cent being approached by 50+ new people per year. Of these personal publishers, 65 per cent view their websites as an enjoyable activity, and over three quarters (76 per cent) believe it has made a positive contribution to their lives. In relation to social networks, 68 per cent of personal site owners valued their own sites as allowing more creativity and only 26 per cent suspected that a social networking page could be more communicative.

Jeffries added, "With the right approach, personal publishing is an enjoyable and effective way to interact with the world. Our research highlights that personal websites in particular appear to offer a high level of control over online image, and can allow this to be modified effectively."

As the UK's number one web host, Fasthosts offers a comprehensive range of web solutions including web hosting with inclusive Blog tool & easy to use SiteBuilder for creating a web presence with ease. Further Fasthosts products include domain name registrations, email solutions (including mobile email services), shared web hosting, dedicated servers, online payment services, reseller web hosting, software-as-a-service and feature-rich broadband packages. For more information on Fasthosts, see the website at www.fasthosts.co.uk

• Web host pioneers affordable Software-as-a-Service for consumers and businesses.
• Downloadable MS Office suite features version updates and no contract ties.

Consumers and businesses alike are offered a convenient and affordable new way to buy the latest version Microsoft Office software, launched today by Fasthosts Internet Ltd, the UK's largest web host. Fasthosts Microsoft Office is a new software product, priced from only £4.99 a month +VAT, which delivers full version Microsoft Office 2007 suite including Word, Excel and PowerPoint applications, downloaded simply and efficiently to a user's PC. The package comprises an affordable and highly flexible way to use Microsoft software. The launch reflects Fasthosts' continued progress within the Software-as-a-Service arena.

Fasthosts Microsoft Office package utilises the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model to provide a new way to obtain the popular Microsoft Office product including its Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook applications, without the up-front costs and discs involved with the boxed product. Users pay for the software on a low monthly basis, from £4.99/month+VAT, with no contract ties.

After registering at www.fasthosts.co.uk, users are delivered their software easily via a download direct to their PC. The full version MS Office suite is exactly the same in appearance and functionality as the boxed product. The software is run locally on a user's PC and verified with Fasthosts when the PC goes online. Users are guaranteed to continually benefit from the latest software versions via occasional automatic version and security updates to ensure customers have the most current software.

Fasthosts MS Office Standard, includes the applications MS Word 2007, MS Excel 2007, MS Outlook 2007 and MS PowerPoint 2007 and is priced at £4.99/month +VAT for any household that has a user engaged in educational activities (such as school, college, night classes etc), and £14.99/month +VAT for business users. Fasthosts MS Office Professional Plus, benefits additionally from Microsoft Publisher 2007, Microsoft Access 2007 and Infopath 2007, and is priced at £6.99/month+VAT for any household that has a user engaged in educational activities, and £19.99/month+VAT for business users.

Mark Jeffries, CTO Fasthosts Internet, said "Our MS Office package is an excellent way to obtain the very latest versions of the software we all need, affordably, on a pay-as-you-go basis. It's low monthly cost and easy installation will suit a great many home and business users".

The Software-as-a-Service concept allows the provision of software by a vendor such as Fasthosts for delivery or use over the Internet. Customers do not pay for owning the software itself but rather for using it. This enables users to pay for software gradually, and benefit from service benefits such as free updates and any support provided by the vendor. In light of the cost and scalability benefits, SaaS is widely expected to surge in popularity in the coming years. Fasthosts MS Office is an interesting example of SaaS further developing within the consumer and SME space.

Fasthosts' MS Office range is born out of many years experience at the forefront of developing and repackaging Microsoft Hosting technologies and applications including MS Exchange and MS hosting packages.

Jeffries added, "We will continue to develop new products that make full use of one's Internet access to fulfill software and other computing needs. Individuals and businesses alike can gain from the flexibility that Internet-driven software can offer".

As the UK's largest web host, Fasthosts offers a comprehensive range of the latest web solutions including domain name registrations, Mail Plus and Exchange email solutions, shared web hosting, dedicated servers, online payment services, reseller web hosting and feature-rich broadband packages.

UK small businesses are rushing their choice of web address, with 41 per cent investing under 1 hour of thought in the decision, according to a survey released today by Fasthosts Internet, (www.fasthosts.co.uk), the UK's largest web hosting provider. A survey of 615 British businesses revealed that the average business spends only between 6-12 hours choosing their main domain name. Some 61 per cent of business owners sought no second opinion before making a selection and over half (52 per cent) did not consider options such as .biz, .net or .eu at all. Most recognised that their domain name could have a lasting effect on their business, with one third of businesses (34 per cent) believing that their revenue would improve as a direct result of having a better web address, and 1 in 4 businesses (25 per cent) admitting they had 'concerns' about the effectiveness of their web address.

Fasthosts' 'SME Domain Choices Study'* , found that UK businesses most often choose their primary domain name in haste. Some 41 per cent of businesses surveyed spent the same time selecting their domain as they did sourcing minor equipment such as their coffee maker or shredder (under 1 hour). The average UK business admitted to spending between 6-12 hours on the decision, the same amount of time the average business spent selecting IT equipment such as PCs and printers. More than 60 per cent of business owners did not seek a second opinion, and only 10 per cent of businesses considered the long term effect of the web address wording on their business image.

It is therefore unsurprising that many British businesses believe that their choice of domain name could have been better. 1 in 4 businesses (26 per cent) admitted to wanting improvements in either their domain name wording or suffix (e.g. .co.uk). Furthermore, a significant one third (33 per cent) believe that their sales revenue would improve as a direct result of a change in web address. Alarmingly, some 1 in 4 of these businesses (24 per cent) said they were unwilling to attempt a change in domain name because they believed it would involve a lot of work. There is a clear danger that a number of businesses continue to use an undesirable domain name whilst recognising it could be having a negative impact on their business.

Fasthosts' research would suggest that the way many businesses choose their web addresses could be improved. The survey found that most business owners were preoccupied with .co.uk or .com options, with over half (52 per cent) ruling out completely less obvious suffixes such as .net, .biz or .eu. Fasthosts recommends that businesses spend at least a few days thinking about their domain name wording and weighing up the pros and cons of the various suffixes available to them.

Mark Jeffries, CTO Fasthosts Internet Ltd, commented, "Businesses should consider all available options before purchasing their primary domain name. It's often the case today that the best available domains belong to less obvious suffixes, and it is always advisable to seek external opinion on what a domain could suggest about your business".

Whilst most UK small businesses now recognise the benefits of having a website, the research would suggest few are optimising their web presence. Some 5 per cent of business owners surveyed admit to having themselves forgotten their own domain name.

Jeffries added, "A web address is often bought in haste at the start of a business project. Every UK business must recognise the lasting impact that a domain name can have on sales and image, and business owners shouldn't delay making necessary changes".

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

* 615 UK small local businesses who have a website surveyed in September and October 2007 via online feedback form

IT professionals are now offered a unique brand of powerful dedicated servers at break-through prices, today debuted by the UK's largest web hosting provider, Fasthosts Internet Ltd. Priced from only £49/month+VAT, the new solutions feature the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors and Fasthosts' unlimited bandwidth. Available with a choice of both Linux and Microsoft operating systems, the servers provide a reliable and highly secure environment for data. Fasthosts' robust network and unlimited data transfer would be of benefit to individuals and enterprises that generate or process large volumes of data.

Dedicated servers are solutions for hosting data such as websites or business application software. They provide a secure environment for the user's data which is stored separately on a dedicated server unit. The customer also enjoys the full power of the hardware and dedicated access to bandwidth. The customer retains complete control and remote access to the server at all times. In addition, each server is maintained with the latest security and operating system updates.

Fasthosts Dedicated Server packages are the ideal solution for IT professionals and enterprises that need powerful and flexible online data storage without the investment and physical space required for hardware. The INTEL CORE 2 DUO processor in every server delivers powerful energy-efficient performance so users can run several intensive programs at once without slowing down.

Fasthosts' new range of Dedicated Server packages comprises the DS250 (120GB disk space), priced from £49/month+VAT, DS450 (250GB disk space), priced from £69/month+VAT, the DS650 (500GB disk space), priced from £99/month+VAT and the DS850 (1000GB disk space), priced from £189/month+VAT. All servers are available in either Linux or Windows configurations and feature full admin control as well as Fasthosts unlimited bandwidth and high speed data pipe. All service and technical support is provided 24/7 from the UK by email or phone, with the servers themselves housed in a state-of-the-art UK data centre.

Mark Jeffries, CTO Fasthosts Internet, said "Our new Dedicated Servers benefit from state-of-the-art, INTEL CORE 2 DUO technology and deliver unrivalled performance at a remarkably low price. Our customers demand ever increasing technical specs and our new servers will satisfy the most demanding of users".

Fasthosts' unlimited data transfer and high speed connection provide peace of mind for users who require no limits on the data that they exchange. No matter what level of demand is placed on a dedicated server, the user will never receive an additional bandwidth bill.

Servers are located within Fasthosts' superior data centre in Gloucester, where all data is continually protected against fire, gas, water, power failure and unauthorised access.

As the UK's largest web host, Fasthosts offers a comprehensive range of the latest web solutions including domain name registrations, shared web hosting, POP3 and Exchange email solutions, dedicated servers, online payment services, reseller web hosting and feature-rich broadband packages.

Whilst Gloucester continues to struggle with very serious concerns, Gloucester-based Fasthosts Internet, (www.fasthosts.co.uk), the UK's largest web hosting provider, has at least managed to keep hundreds of thousands of websites online. As part of the company's business continuity plan, Fasthosts' technicians worked day and night during the past 48 hours to ensure that the company's state-of-the-art data centre was kept running and its 300,000 customers' websites remained online.

During the early hours of Monday 23rd, as a result of local power supply outages, Fasthosts' robust automatic back-up systems were activated and its newly refitted diesel turbines deployed. Fasthosts' data centre uses an advanced APC X UPS system which provides uninterruptible power to all servers. When the mains electricity failed, the power supply was switched instantly, with no interruption, to N+1 diesel generators which are capable of running the data centre for weeks. As a result, thousands of servers and some 700,000 hosted domains remained online and unaffected.

Since the early hours of Tuesday morning, the local mains power has been reinstated to the normal level. A minor amount of servers, which make only 0.05% of users served by the Gloucester data centre, experienced a reduction in service as a result of a system reset. These servers have been brought back to regular service now.

Fasthosts' data centres are raised above street level and thus unaffected by flood waters. A big operational challenge for a web host at such a time is retaining fuel stocks needed to maintain its back-up generators. The company tracked the escalating weather conditions over the weekend and used its relationships with diesel suppliers to ensure that a delivery could be made.

Mark Jeffries, CTO Fasthosts Internet Ltd said, "We are satisfied that our disaster recovery plan worked well and were able to uphold our uptime promise to our customers. I am hugely proud of our staff for their commitment during the difficult trading conditions".

Due to the weather conditions in Gloucester, and failed local telephone lines, Fasthosts' customer service department is currently running reduced support by phone (8am to 8pm) from offices outside Gloucestershire, but is still providing a full technical support service via email. The company is committed to maintaining a high standard of service, and will keep its customers well informed.

A staggering 78 per cent of British consumers have been disappointed by a slow response to a customer service email enquiry, with the average consumer sending three emails before receiving a satisfactory response, according to research released today by Fasthosts Internet Ltd, (www.fasthosts.co.uk), the UK's number one web hosting company. The survey of some 1,300 UK consumers¹ showed that 89 per cent of this group have been led to defect to a competitor brand as a result.

The 'Fasthosts Customer Service Email Study' also found that the average British consumer is only willing to wait up to 24 hours for a reply, with one in five (19 per cent) abandoning their enquiry after only 12 hours. Women are more patient than men, with 12 per cent prepared to wait up to a week, compared with only 7 per cent of men.

This is concerning news for UK businesses that receive customer enquiries by email. More than 30 per cent of consumers surveyed said they regularly wait three days for a reply, while nine per cent have waited up to a week and even two per cent reported it can regularly take up to a month. Interestingly, men are statistically more likely to receive a quicker response (21 per cent regularly receiving a reply within six to 12 hours).

The average consumer (51 per cent of the survey group) sends three emails before receiving a satisfactory reply to their enquiry, while 33 per cent say they have sent up to 10 emails about a single enquiry. Of the latter group, men seem to be the most persistent sex, with 5 per cent more men than women sending up to ten emails; while women are more likely to abandon emails in favour of telephoning the company.

Slow or poor responses to customer service emails were found to elicit a negative emotional response in over 83 per cent of British consumers - ranging from irritation and stress (a staggering 84 per cent); to feeling so angry that they wanted to tell somebody close by (38 percent); powerlessness and desperation (27 per cent); with a further 12 per cent admitting to outright anger and a desire to address the situation in person. Londoners unsurprisingly led the stress-brigade, with 18.3 per cent having considered marching down to a business' headquarters to vent their frustration in person.

95 per cent, approximately 35 million Britons, claim that their perception of a business is negatively affected by slow responses to customer service emails. 89 per cent of consumers were so annoyed that they felt compelled to seek out a competitor business immediately. This seemed to be most common for larger businesses, with 69 per cent of consumers surveyed saying their online customer service was sub-standard; while one in three Brits said it was small businesses that most needed to improve their online customer service skills.

Mark Jeffries, CTO of Fasthosts Internet Ltd said, "British businesses really need to sit up and pay attention to their response rate for customer emails, or risk losing their customer base to competitor brands. The public suffers real stress from slow or sub-standard email replies so it is no surprise they feel so strongly about the issue.

When asked to rate online customer service gripes, 'waiting too long for a useful reply' and 'automated replies that don't answer questions' were joint top gripe (64 per cent each); one in three consumers had suffered online customer service forms that had insufficient space to type their request (35.2 per cent); and 31.5 per cent were regularly annoyed by the unprofessional style of responses that they receive.

Jeffries added, "Significantly, our research highlights that it isn't just the speed of the response that matters to consumers - it's how quickly they receive the right information." 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.

1) 1,327 UK adults interviewed by Tickbox.Net during June 2007.

A slow response to customer emails can be hugely damaging to UK businesses, according to a survey released today by Fasthosts Internet, (www.fasthosts.co.uk), the UK's largest web hosting provider. A survey of 1300 British consumers revealed that a slow response to a customer's email enquiry will negatively affect business image and directly lead 89 per cent of consumers to choose a competitor. 78 per cent of consumers surveyed have been disappointed by a slow response to email, with the average consumer sending three emails before receiving a satisfactory response. A further survey of 500 UK small businesses found that one in five UK SMEs had received a complaint specifically about their slow approach to email, and 56 per cent had no policy in place concerning their response time.

Fasthosts' 'Customer Service Email Study'¹, performed by research company Tickbox, found that for British consumers, waiting too long for a response to an enquiry is their biggest gripe when emailing a business, with some 78 per cent of consumers having suffered. Unhelpful automated replies came second with 66 per cent of consumers affected and 40 per cent had found out-of-date email addresses. Whilst the majority of emails from consumers to businesses involved large companies, one in three Britons have been disappointed with a slow response to an email sent to a small local company they have used.

The research also revealed that email response time directly affects brand loyalty and a consumer's purchasing decision. Over 90 per cent of consumers admitted to being more brand-loyal and more likely to increase spend with a company who responded swiftly to their email enquiry.

The average British consumer is only willing to wait up to 24 hours for a reply, with one in five consumers (19 per cent) abandoning their enquiry after only 12 hours. Women are prepared to wait longer, with 12 per cent prepared to wait up to a week, compared with only 7 per cent of men.

However, a further study of 500 UK small businesses² found that despite 82 per cent of companies recognising email to be important to their customers, some 56 per cent had no policy in place concerning response time, and over half had no consistent corporate style for emails to customers.

It is therefore unsurprising that one in five businesses (21 per cent) surveyed admitted to having received a complaint about their slow response to customer emails. More businesses had received complaints about this issue than traditional small business gripes such as the phone not being answered promptly (14 per cent), a slow response to a customer's letter (7 per cent) or the front desk not being manned (5 per cent).

Fasthosts' study also revealed that whilst consumers saw a strong link between prompt replies to email and their brand loyalty, some 48 per cent of UK SMEs surveyed believed there to be no link between how quickly they reply to emails and their sales revenue.

Mark Jeffries, CTO Fasthosts Internet Ltd, commented, "It is clear that businesses of all sizes can incur real damage by responding slowly to customer emails. Whilst most recognise that email is an important form of communication with their market, the majority remain misinformed about the kind of effects that poor email practices can have on their business".

Alarmingly, two thirds of businesses surveyed (66 per cent) had no training at all on important email issues such as email management techniques, email etiquette, document management or data retention law. Some 55 per cent provided no formal training to their employees on the day-to-day use of their email system.

UK small businesses also appear to be missing out on the latest ways to speed up email communication. 61 per cent admitted to not utilising a mobile email solution, such as a Blackberry or mobile email device, to communicate with customers. The majority of businesses also admitted that they fail to capitalise on website traffic, with 62 per cent not providing email functionality on their website such as feedback forms.

Jeffries added, "Both consumers and businesses have much to gain from more swift email communication. British SMEs can see great returns from investing in the way they handle customer 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

1) Tickbox.net interviewed 1327 UK adults in June 2007 via online feedback form.
2) 508 UK small local businesses who use a website and email surveyed in June 2007 via online feedback form.

Small businesses and personal users alike could benefit from a new line of web hosting packages launched today by the UK's largest web hosting provider, Fasthosts Internet Ltd. Priced from £3.99/month+VAT, the new solutions are unique to the UK market in coupling large quotas of web space and professional quality web building features with unlimited website traffic. The facility for unlimited traffic is of particular value to online businesses and websites that attract high numbers of visitors.

Fasthosts' new range of web hosting packages comprises the Home (1.5GB web space), priced from £3.99/month+VAT, Developer (4GB web space), priced from £7.99/month+VAT, and the Business (10GB web space), priced from £15.99/month+VAT. Every package features a powerful new SiteBuilder tool, which enables a user to build an impressive website within minutes. With generous technical allowances, the plans are ideal for web professionals. Even the entry-level Home package includes some 5 x 1GB mailboxes and 5 FTP accounts. On the Developer package upwards, the MySQL databases provided are the latest Version 5.0.

The company remains at the forefront of Microsoft Hosting technology, with its Windows Developer and Windows Business packages including ASP.NET AJAX Extensions. All web hosting packages are available in both Linux and MS formats at an equivalent price, an approach unique to Fasthosts.

Fasthosts' unlimited website traffic on all shared hosting means no caps or extra fees to pay that could limit traffic to your website. Unlimited traffic provides peace of mind to businesses or users who experience higher levels of traffic or fluctuations in visitors throughout the year. For UK SMEs, the ability to accept unlimited website visitors at times of high demand is essential for capitalising on peak consumer spending periods.

Mark Jeffries, CTO Fasthosts Internet, said "Our new range of shared hosting plans delivers professional features at an affordable price. The unlimited traffic promise allows our users to focus on attracting as many website visitors as possible".

All Fasthosts web hosting customers also receive a free £50 Microsoft adCenter voucher enabling them to advertise their website on Microsoft Windows Live Search. Microsoft adCenter is an easy pay-per-click online advertising system, designed to increase traffic to your website and boost your sales. The solution offers an ideal, no-risk introduction to search marketing and includes Microsoft adCenter's excellent free customer support.

Jeffries added, "We will continue to provide our customers with the latest tools to give their websites the best possible chance on the Web".

As the UK's largest web host, Fasthosts offers a comprehensive range of the latest web solutions including domain name registrations, MailPlus and Exchange email solutions, shared web hosting, dedicated servers, online payment services, reseller web hosting and feature-rich broadband packages.

More about Fasthosts' web hosting packages

Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) can now achieve affordable enterprise-class websites thanks to a new partnership between Microsoft and the UK's largest hosting provider, Fasthosts, launched today. The first 300 customers to purchase a Windows DS600 or DS800 Dedicated Server from Fasthosts will receive Microsoft's Expression Web design software for free.

The combined package gives SMEs all they need to exploit the potential of the web. The special dedicated server packages provide online businesses with the tools for success: unlimited bandwidth, a high speed virtual data pipe, and a secure private network. Now added to this is Microsoft's Expression software, empowering SMEs with professional design tools to easily build dynamic, interactive websites for a compelling user experience.

"This is the perfect package for aspirational UK businesses. The technical capabilities of our high-end servers means that all the boxes for back end functionality are ticked, while the Expression software means the shop front has access to the latest in web design," said Stephen Holford, Director of Product Marketing, Fasthosts. "We're not just giving businesses the tools to build their online business; with this exclusive deal, we're giving them the means to set out their stalls too! With no bandwidth limits and a high speed connection, this range of servers is excellent value for money," he added.

Minimum downtime for optimum service
Small business productivity has been historically hamstringed by server downtime. A 2005 Fasthosts study found that the average downtime for a small business was two weeks. In recognition of this, Fasthosts dedicated servers possess a unique feature that allows users to control their servers remotely and reboot them online as required by simply clicking a restart button on a control panel.

Fasthosts' dedicated servers offer the user permanent keyboard, video and mouse control by using a self-powered on board card, meaning that the customer is given complete control over their dedicated server. This includes changing BIOS configuration access, hardware reset and remote desktop (Windows) as well as SSH (Linux).

Customers also benefit from guaranteed bandwidth through the allocation of a virtual data pipe connected directly to their server. This means that SMEs do not have to share resources and bandwidth with other companies on the same unmetered, unlimited connection and they don't have to pay for additional bandwidth.

Creative, dynamic websites
Expression Web is a professional design tool to create modern, standards-based sites with superior quality. Its built-in support for the latest Web standards means SMEs can quickly and easily build accessible websites with cross-browser compatibility, without needing in-depth technical knowledge.

Moreover, its visual designers, state-of-the-art design tools and intuitive lay out features enable SMEs to design eye-catching, creative sites for a compelling user experience, while easily incorporating and building XML data.

John Allwright, Head of Web Design at Microsoft UK, said: "Microsoft Expression Web has really raised the benchmark for standards based website design. We chose to partner with Fasthosts for this offer because we wanted to provide small businesses with both the tools to design an enterprise-class website and the IT infrastructure to enable it as well. Fasthosts were an obvious choice with their reputation for excellent customer service and support."

More about Fasthosts' dedicated server offer