The national Small Business Support Line, which provides information and referral services to local SMBs, is close to receiving its 50,000th call.
The support line was established in 2009 by the Labor Government as a free service to assist with issues impacting the small business sector.
The Minister for Small Business Brendan O’Connor said the 50,000th call is an important milestone for the small business sector.
“The Gillard Government understands the vital role that Australia’s 2.7 million hardworking small business people play in the Australian economy,” O’Connor said.
“These men and women work incredibly hard. They employ almost five million Australians and are the cornerstone of local communities around the country.”
As many as 95 percent of callers surveyed reported being satisfied with the service provided by the support line. The team of agents answering calls have experience in the small business sector, providing help in the areas of start-up information, banking, finance, accounting, marketing, advertising, small business counseling and information technology.
“It’s a service that makes it easier for time-poor small business operators to access expert and quality advice. Almost 6,000 callers have been repeat callers, chasing further information or developing their initial enquiry,” O’Connor added.
The Support Line will help the recently announced Australian Small Business Commissioner to provide small business with services and information, particularly information about dispute mediation.
“At a national level, the Support Line has helped keep the small business sector strong, which in turn makes a vital difference to the Australian economy,” O’Connor said.
