Why SMBs should be concerned about IT
It is a well-known fact that employee productivity and cost-efficient processes are key focuses for SMBs. However, this coupled with the explosion in the number of smart devices and personal cloud services means that it has never been more important for SMBs to streamline their IT networks and support a technologically advanced workforce. We recently commissioned research across 2500 office-based workers, which revealed some interesting things about the SMB workplace.
A business needs happy customers
Smooth and efficient customer service is fundamental for the budget-conscious SMB looking to establish a good reputation and enhance sales through positive reviews. Our research found that 40% of people across Europe agreed that poor connectivity makes their company look unprofessional, so with such potentially damaging implications, it is essential that SMBs adopt easily manageable IT solutions so customer contact can be handled fast and efficiently.
Nurturing a productive workforce
Flexible working practices have a range of benefits for both SMBs and its employees. From reducing overheads to enhancing employee efficiency, trends such as Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and remote working are becoming increasingly popular – the latter being supported by 44% of businesses in the UK alone. As such, from an IT perspective it is essential to provide a secure and resilient network to let employees work remotely without putting sensitive company data at risk.
While IT budgets may be increasing, SMBs often don’t need expensive and extensive IT solutions to enable the applications mentioned above. Nevertheless, there remains an opportunity for SMBs to capitalise on flexible working practices with cost-effective and secure solutions. If implemented well, SMBs can cultivate a motivated workforce, increase profitability and ultimately get ahead of their competition.
