FORT WORTH, Texas, Sep 30, 2004 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Having a Web site greatly improves the ability of small- and medium-sized businesses to attract customers and sell their goods and services, according to a recent survey by C I Host, a global leader in Web hosting and Internet solutions.

Of the 5,000 small U.S. businesses that C I Host surveyed between May 1 and July 31, 99 percent had attracted new customers from their Web site and 81 percent said revenues and profitability increased due to the Web site.

The companies had been in business more than five years and had launched their sites within the past year. Each had fewer than 15 employees and revenue exceeding $100,000 a year.

"A Web site is a critical driving force behind any business' success in the current economic climate," said Christopher Faulkner, CEO of C I Host. "Through a Web site, a company can reach the world, and achieve profitability never imagined."

The study compared businesses before and after the addition of e-commerce. The group included C I Host customers and those who used other Web hosts.

Of those surveyed, 60 percent said their Web site improved their competitive position in the market, and 51 percent said the Web site brought in business beyond their traditional target market.

"The transition from 'brick-and-mortar' to 'click-and-order' reaped huge increases in the first twelve months," Faulkner said. "Nearly nineteen percent sold goods or services to companies internationally, for the first time, because of their Web site."

The 25 million small- and medium-sized businesses are growing rapidly in the United States and account for a large share of the growing economy.

C I Host's e-Business In a Box enables small- or medium-sized businesses to be online and making money through their Web sites within days.

About C I Host:

C I Host (http://www.cihost.com ), based in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, is a leading Web hosting and Internet solutions provider serving 210,000 clients in 190 countries. C I Host's headquarters and Network Operations Center are in Bedford, Texas, and the company operates additional diverse data centers in Los Angeles and Chicago.

SOURCE C I Host

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