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Oct 11, 2011
IT Changing How SMEs do Business
New opportunities and challenges for the IT profession as new technologies transform SMEs
London, 11 October 2011 – Adoption of new technologies such as tablets, social media and cloud computing are expected to transform the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) landscape within the next year, according to new research by CompTIA, the Global IT Trade association.
The research offers insights into the huge business opportunities for IT solution providers and the new challenges that IT departments will face as IT becomes a more critical part of running the business.
Forecasts of increased cloud cover
The research shows that 18% of UK SMEs are now using cloud solutions and a further 30% plan to introduce them over the next year. Almost all, 93%, of those using them found the transition easy and 79% found results positive. Furthermore, 81% expect to increase their cloud usage over the next two years.
However SMEs still voice the usual concerns about security (50%), reliability of cloud provider (30%), and internet connections (27%), and lack understanding of the cloud model (26%).
This indicates significant opportunities for providers of cloud solutions. If cloud is to continue its successful growth, providers will need to work closely with IT departments to explain cloud services and provide ongoing support to ensure these particular concerns are addressed.
More tablets, more side effects
Part of the move to the cloud will be driven by the uptake of tablets, which benefit from the remote access that cloud provides. Thirty-seven percent of SMEs already have tablets and another 37% plan on purchasing them, meaning they will be a prevalent business tool within the year.
Most current usage is simply taking advantage of their convenient nature, with the majority planning to use tablets for work while travelling, presentations and note taking. However a significant proportion are looking at using them for specific business purposes, such as demonstrating a product (34%) or point of sale transactions (32%).
Only 5% of SMEs have purchased tablets to replace PCs or smart phones. It seems likely that a three-device system will become the norm in most enterprises in the near future.
Seth Robinson, CompTIA's Director, Technology Analysis, who conducted the research, says: “Tablets will open new challenges for IT staff, as employees use them outside work. Tablets can get infections from home networks, which can spread to the corporate network. Support for tablets’ closed hardware system is different to that of PCs or laptops. These and other issues will need to be considered by the IT department in building a mobile device management policy.”
Social media helping to communicate
At 26%, social media has the highest adoption rate among emerging technologies, with 61% of respondents saying they have seen a positive return on social media investment. Eighty-one percent of firms have a social strategy, which correlated with those who felt social media had proven beneficial.
The most common uses of social media are marketing-related, such as brand awareness and communicating with customers, whilst 22% are using social media to monitor information and better understand market dynamics.
Whilst social media has had tangible benefits, 49% of companies not using it see no clear benefit, despite nearly half of those saying improved communication with customers would be beneficial. IT departments can help their company understand the benefits by developing clear case studies of social media success.
Not so green IT
Green IT had the lowest adoption rate, at 12%, despite relatively easy adoption, though a significantly higher number of companies plan on using it soon (26%). This is perhaps a sign that companies have been putting off spending decisions, but will make future purchases with energy efficiency in mind.
Seth Robinson concludes “Technology trends change from year to year. Technologies that were on the fringe a year ago are now becoming an important part of business, whilst others which seemed about to take hold have shown a slower adoption. CompTIA regularly talks to business to understand how they use technology, so we can share this with our members and the wider IT community. It is through this insight that we can help IT departments and solution providers make informed decisions which improve processes, efficiency and sales.”
The full report will be presented at CompTIA’s upcoming EMEA Member Conference on the 9th November in London at the session “Technology Trends that are Shaping the IT Industry.” The report is also available at no charge to members.
The researched surveyed 400 IT and business professionals in small and medium enterprises in the United Kingdom.
About CompTIA
CompTIA is the voice of the world’s information technology (IT) industry. Its members are the companies at the forefront of innovation; and the professionals responsible for maximising the benefits organisations receive from their investments in technology. CompTIA is dedicated to advancing industry growth through its educational programmes, market research, networking events, professional certifications, and public policy advocacy.
CompTIA’s vendor-neutral IT certifications are recognised and accredited on the Qualifications and Credit Framework and are available for use within a number of frameworks, including Apprenticeships. They are recommended or required as a prerequisite for many vendor-specific certifications, such as Microsoft MCSE and Cisco CCNA
For more information, visit www.comptia.org.
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