BT boss slams SME strategy

by Mairi Clark, Revolution UK 28-Nov-07, 11:10

LONDON - Only 8 per cent of SMEs have a ‘fully comprehensive' online marketing strategy despite Web 2.0 tools being more suited to smaller companies than larger, according to Ivan Croxford, head of BT Tradespace, BT.

Croxford was speaking at Revolution's Loyal Brand Advocates conference, which was held yesterday at London's The Selfridge.

"There's a digital chasm between SMEs and online customers," he said. "Web 2.0 tools are suited to SMEs as their [Web 2.0] characteristics make them harder for larger enterprise."

Croxford also said that the traditional route followed by large companies was holding them back.

"Brief; agency; campaign; customer doesn't work," he said. "There is too much distance [in time] between each stage. Most traditional marketers are not ready for ‘naked' conversations with their customers but their sales and customer service teams might be."