How UK businesses buy design

The headline

Personal recommendation is the most popular way for businesses to find and choose a designer.

One in four businesses turn to Business Links for help and advice.

Satisfaction is high. Also, nine out of ten businesses buy all their design from designers within the UK, and don’t shop for services abroad. The same proportion are satisfied with what they buy.

The details

How do UK businesses find design suppliers?

While word of mouth is the favourite way of finding designers, one in four businesses (26%) have used a Business Link.

How do UK businesses choose a design supplier?

Most (60%) businesses use a list of preferred contacts to select design suppliers.

Surprisingly, only 13% go through a tendering process. Nearly half (48%) of all businesses rely on personal contact to select a designer. And 17% use referral services.

The business of design research looks at this process from design businesses’ point of view. Their perspective endorses these findings. Half of design consultancies and freelances rely on personal recommendation for winning new business.

Do UK businesses prefer to buy design at home or abroad?

The vast majority (91%) of UK businesses don’t buy any design services from abroad.

Only manufacturers have significant overseas design activity. Over a third (37%) have some of their products designed abroad.

How satisfied are UK businesses with the design services they buy?

Almost all (91%) of UK businesses are satisfied with the design services they buy.