Lack of planning hitting SME profits
Exact's survey finds SMEs are much more likely to turn a profit if they make a business plan
SMEs are losing out by failing to put a business plan in place, according to a survey by Exact.
Of the 453 SMEs surveyed, 70% of those with plans made a profit, while profits were attained by 52% of those without a business plan. The average annual profit before tax was £2.8m.
A third failed to put a plan in place for the year, with two-thirds of those suggesting they didn’t see the need for a plan.
Lucy Fox, general manager UK cloud solutions for Exact, said: “The findings clearly show there are many SMEs who are missing out on the added value a business plan can offer, the consequence being that many may be failing to reach their full growth and business potential as a result.
“While the results should serve as a bit of a wake-up call, they also highlight that more needs to be done to address some of the misconceptions over what is involved in the planning process. Many don’t seem to realise that with the help of a trusted financial advisor, like an accountant, creating a plan can be done easily and the benefits can be enormous.”