Optimistic mood prevails among business service providers

Business service providers remain optimistic about the future. The number of entrepreneurs expecting to receive more orders and to generate a higher turnover in the third quarter of 2007 well exceeds those anticipating a decline, but their preponderance is less substantial than in the preceding quarter.

Business service providers are also optimistic about future employment; 36 percent expect to hire more staff in the third quarter of 2007, while only 8 percent expect to have to reduce staff in this period. Among computer service providers in particular, new staff is in high demand. A shortage of manpower is considered an impediment to production growth by 6 out of 10 entrepreneurs in this sector.

Dutch business service providers are pleased with the number of orders received in the second quarter of 2007. On balance, 32 percent evaluate the number of orders received as ‘good’, given the time of the year. Providers of business services are also very positive about the economic climate in general in the Netherlands. Their opinions on this indicator were a little less exuberant than in the previous survey conducted at the beginning of the second quarter, when the indicator reached the highest point since its introduction early 2003.

The economic survey conducted among providers of business services evaluates the mood in three branches: lease companies, computer service providers and other business services (including temp agencies, advertising agencies, cleaning services, engineering firms, accounting and administrative offices).

Opinion on orders received in business services