Verizon survey: Financial fears grow among small business owners with inflation top of mind
Verizon調查: 小企業主對財務的擔憂增加，其中通貨膨脹居首
The majority of small businesses say they are not better off from a year ago
大多數小企業表示，他們的情況並不比一年前好。
EXCLUSIVE: The latest Verizon Business survey found a growing number of small business owners are worried about their financial security with inflation cited as their biggest headache.
獨家：最新的Verizon Business調查發現，越來越多的小企業主擔心他們的財務安全，通貨膨脹被認為是他們最頭痛的問題。
And a majority say business is not better than it was a year ago.
而且大多數人說生意並不比一年前好。
The annual State of Small Business poll conducted by Morning Consult and released Thursday shows rising prices remain decision-makers' prime concern, with more than 82% of respondents expressing worries over inflation.
由Morning Consult公司進行的年度小企業狀況調查於周四發布，結果顯示，價格上漲仍然是決策者最關心的問題，超過82%的受訪者對通貨膨脹表示擔憂。
Lynn Gooden, 44, updates inventory in her business, Mother's Hair Beauty Supply, Aug. 16, 2022, in Houston. The latest Verizon Small Business survey shows owners are increasingly concerned about their own financial security. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images / Getty Images)
2022年8月16日，休斯頓，44歲的Lynn Gooden在她的企業Mother's Hair Beauty Supply更新庫存。最新的Verizon小企業調查顯示，企業主們越來越擔心自己的財務安全。(Brandon Bell/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Verizon's survey also found that, of owners polled last month, 72% said they are concerned about their own financial security, up from 66% last year and 67% in August 2020.
Verizon的調查還發現，在上個月接受調查的企業主中，72%的人表示他們擔心自己的財務安全，高於去年的66%和2020年8月的67%。
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明尼阿波利斯的企業主們正在為犯罪率上升和通貨膨脹做準備：「這肯定是一場艱苦的鬥爭」
Supply chain woes remain a pain point too, particularly for certain industries, Verizon found.
Verizon發現，供應鏈的困境也仍然是一個痛點，特別是對於某些行業。
Keeping up inventory levels and fulfillment schedules was cited as a concern of 72% of respondents from the food and beverage industry, 69% of bars and restaurants and 62% of retailers.
72%的食品和飲料行業受訪者、69%的酒吧和餐館受訪者以及62%零售商受訪者表示，他們擔憂的是保持庫存水平和履行時間表
Supply chain issues remain a particular pain point for several industries. (Jonathan Wiggs/The Boston Globe via Getty Images / Getty Images)
供應鏈問題仍然是幾個行業的特別痛點。(Jonathan Wiggs/The Boston Globe via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Concerns over cybersecurity climbed markedly over the past year among small businesses as well, with 55% citing viruses and cyber risk as a worry compared to 31% in 2021.
在過去的一年裡，小企業對網路安全的擔憂也明顯攀升，55%的小企業擔憂病毒和網路風險，而在2021年只有31%。
IS INFLATION COOLING OFF? IT DEPENDS WHERE YOU LIVE
通貨膨脹在降溫嗎？這取決於你生活的地方
That might explain why respondents said technology investments were the last to be cut, with only 29% saying such expenses were or could be on the chopping block compared to lesser priorities such as employee events (59%) or operational investments (39%).
這也許可以解釋為什麼受訪者說最後才會削減技術投資，只有29%的受訪者說會或可能會砍掉這種費用，相比之下，員工活動（59%）或運營投資（39%）等優先順序較低。
In this tight labor market, some 80% of small businesses said they have not laid off employees over the past year, and 87% said they have not had to cut their employees' wages.
在這個緊張的勞動力市場，大約80%的小企業說他們在過去一年中沒有裁員，87%的企業說他們沒有必要降低員工的工資。
A "help wanted" sign is displayed in a window in Manhattan July 28, 2022. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images / Getty Images)
2022年7月28日，曼哈頓的一個窗口上掛著 「急聘」的標誌。(Spencer Platt/Getty Images / Getty Images)
But 61% of business owners said they had invested in technologies over the past two years aimed at better serving customers.
但61%的企業主表示，他們在過去兩年中投資於技術，旨在更好地服務客戶。
The data also pointed to disappointment in some small business owners' expectations.
數據還指出，一些小企業主的預期令人失望。
Although 68% of decision-makers forecast that their shops would be doing better this year than last, less than half (46% ) reported that business has improved.
儘管68%的決策者預測他們的商店今年的生意會比去年好，但只有不到一半的人（46%）報告說生意有了改善。
