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Transport SMEs look to brighter quarter says Sensis

Business index survey shows bullishness on important measures that is encouraging

 

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) involved in transport and storage look to have turned a corner with the Sensis Business Index (SBI) survey showing gains in expectations for the next quarter of the year.

This outcome for March quarter sentiment in the sector was somewhat at odds with the general trend, the report reveals, but not hugely so.

“In this sector confidence was basically steady with a net balance of +31, one point lower than in November 2014,” the report says.

“In the last quarter, the key indicator scores mostly showed balances around zero except for profitability (-15).

“For the current quarter, those in transport and storage are pretty bullish expecting a solid improvement in sales (+34), prices (+27), wages (+23) and profitability (+29).

“Employment is also anticipated to increase (+10).

“Overall confidence remains solid with key indicator expectations quite upbeat.”

The Sensis survey was of 1,000 businesses of which 80 were in the transport and storage sector.

The report states that despite low faith in the economy and a soft last quarter, general confidence is holding steady; confidence in their own business prospects did not alter in this survey and remained similar to one year ago. 

It builds on heartening news in a recent SME survey by RMS Bird Cameron.

Commenting more generally, Sensis CEO John Allan says the biggest concerns for SMEs centre around lack of work or sales – and consumers not spending while the economic climate also factored high on their list of concerns.  

“Key issues such as consumer confidence, interest and exchange rates, as well as global, state and regional economic concerns play heavily on the minds of SMBs when considering their perceptions towards the economy,” Allan adds.

“Other issues causing major problems for specific segments are paperwork or bureaucracy for SMBs in the finance and insurance sector (13%), competition for the wholesale sector (11%) and general costs or overheads for manufacturers (11%).”

The full report can be found here.

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