Since June, Barclays has been busy gauging the mood of small businesses on the frontline of recession Britain. The bank’s ‘Have Your Say’ online survey was designed to bring help and support to small businesses across the UK, and three months in, the hit rate has been truly overwhelming, allowing Barclays to tailor its advice and services to the exact needs of the nation’s struggling pubs, pet shops, builders and beauticians.

“An incredible 4,000 businesses have completed the survey so far,” says Steve Cooper, managing director, local business, at Barclays. “It confirms that SMEs have plenty to say, want to be heard, and know exactly what help they need to beat the downturn. We have now updated the survey and are inviting small businesses to take part in ‘Have Your Say 2’. It’s a chance for newcomers to air their views, while those who’ve already taken part can give more detail on their current situation.”

When pressing concerns are raised by survey participants, Barclays is responding with clear advice and tangible help through online advice hubs on its dedicated website at www.barclays.co.uk/business/running-a-business/. For instance the first hub focused on cash flow. Then borrowing money became an obvious hot topic, since it emerged that 44% of respondents predicted they’d need to borrow in 2009, and 31% felt getting hold of much-needed funds would be difficult. One typical business owner’s comment was: “As a small company the single biggest factor in how you manage your money is the money you have available to you.”

In direct response to this sentiment, voiced by so many, Barclays launched an ‘Access to Finance’ hub online, offering information on the sources of borrowing available, from bank finance to government grants, and giving down-to-earth tips on how best to apply for business finance. Barclays aims to cover a fresh hot business topic every eight weeks, and if SMEs sign up online, they’ll be automatically updated on email, as soon as new tips are ready to share.

"The latest big issue to surface is falling footfall on the high street, so the next hub will look at how to attract more customers with cost effective marketing,” says Cooper. “What’s also become clear is the desire for business owners to share tips and advice between themselves, so we are reacting to precisely that. Fifty per cent of respondents say they want access to advice from each other, so in the next part of the survey we’re asking them to provide their view on the three most frequently asked questions, and the chance to share their top three business tips.” In this sense the Barclays website can provide a unique open forum for the SME community. Third parties such as the Direct Marketing Association and Google are also providing ‘how to’ guides, in this case on marketing, communicated with short video clips. “We’re very keen for industry experts outside Barclays to get involved so that the site provides far more than banking and finance advice,” says Cooper.

The campaign is continuing into October, with TimesOnline committed to reporting the findings as they emerge. Comprehensive results from the first wave of the survey will be published in September, giving SMEs the chance to benchmark their situation against the rest of the market, and providing all interested parties with deep insights into the health of the small business sector in 2009.

Small firms such as scaffolders, plumbers, florists and haulage companies have found themselves at the sharp end of the recession and are clearly looking for help. Yet the ‘Have Your Say’ survey is picking up a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Encouragingly, 49% of businesses have plans to expand in 2010 and expect to see an upturn in their fortunes in the next 12 months. ‘It’s all too easy to get caught in the general gloom – a successful and flexible strategy keeps you moving forward,’ was one optimistic comment posted. “In the meantime, the more vocal local businesses can be, the better Barclays can shape its advice and services and hopefully help businesses shape up for the inevitable recovery,” says Cooper.