Report: 2 in 5 business owners lack IT skills

A recent survey conducted by Fasthosts revealed that 43 percent of businesses are highly dependent on web professionals to manage their websites.

An even higher number of companies - 56 percent - stated they were incapable of making changes without expert assistance. In 60 percent of the cases, the business owners didn't even have the contact details or passwords for the web host and thus, lacked access to their company's property. "Should arrangements suddenly change, business owners should be equipped to make changes to their online identity and maintain contact with their online audience. The web designers we work with always recommend that clients at least keep a back-up copy of their website design," Steve Holford, marketing director at Fasthosts, stated.

According to the survey, it is commonplace to experience down time and revenue losses due to internal issues at the web design company. "For many firms, using external web professionals is a very sensible and rewarding option. However, it is vital that all businesses take simple measures to retain some basic control of their website and protect their investments," said Holford.