Technology guidelines for SMBs: Small and Medium Businesses are the backbone of any economy. They account for more than half of the GDP and a large chunk of employment. SMBs have low operational margins and resource struggles in terms of capital needs, skill sets and access to new markets. These issues have been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic as it brought about many disruptions. As SMBs adjust to the new normal, they need to rethink the way they operate in terms of business models, organization structures, growth trajectories and technology.
In this context, perceiving information technology (IT) as just another support function may stifle growth and operations of an organisation. IT is often an afterthought for SMBs focused on finding alternatives when paper or Excel did not suffice. Technology decisions are usually ad-hoc, with a myopic lens on specific needs rather than the bigger picture. The IT landscape is evolving and today technology can enable SMBs to leapfrog their growth orbits.
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When it comes to Information Technology, the following are seven key guidelines to be considered by enterprises.
1. Embrace Technology
IT has the potential to be a strong enabler and a growth driver for SMBs, beyond just bringing in operational efficiencies and cost benefits. SMBs need to include technology as an integral part of the overall business planning process.
2. Focus on the right talent
Previously, finding the right technology talent for SMBs was a challenge and seemed daunting. Now there are several possibilities that SMBs can leverage, to ensure that they have the right expertise e.g., VCIO or virtual CIO, fractional IT leaders (where one doesn’t pay for a full-time resource), SMB focused technology firms among others.
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3. Develop an IT roadmap and digital blueprint
Develop a 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year plan to ensure technology decisions incorporate the right long-term vision. It is imperative to let business priorities drive technology decisions.
4. Build solid technology architecture
Build the right IT foundation. Don’t bring together disparate systems or software. This will be addressed if the technology planning is done in conjunction with the overall business strategy and plan instead of individual departments approaching IT independently.
5. Be laser-focused on execution
Execution must be a key focus to realise true value from technology investments. The key execution pillars should be;
- IT strategy and planning,
- Architecture,
- Processes,
- Tools, systems and data, and
- Analytics/BI/reporting
6. Revisit your IT roadmap every 3-6 months
Getting IT right is an iterative process that needs to adapt to ever-changing business needs as well as the overall market landscape.
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7. Evaluate and adopt new technologies
Don’t be afraid to assess cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and augmented /virtual reality. These new-age technologies could make an exponential impact on the capabilities of smaller businesses. But be careful to not use these in silos and/or purely driven by the “coolness” factor.
If SMBs focus on the above seven key things, they will be able to drive significant value from technology investments. As the world moves more and more toward digital, having the right technology is no longer an “IF”, but a “MUST-HAVE”.
Six technology trends to benefit from
As SMBs try to get their Information Technology right, we looked at some key technology trends that will shape the IT landscape for SMBs in 2021 and beyond.
- Cloud-based technologies – Cloud computing offers software, platforms, and infrastructure as a service with the pay-as-you-go model. It converts IT spend from Capex to Opex and hence enables SMBs to adopt world-class technologies at low cost. If you are running an SMB and are not using the cloud, you need to explore this space.
- Automation – This is the first step to a digital transformation. A Salesforce study found that businesses automating their processes are 1.6-times more likely to be growing rapidly than those that don’t. Process automation has evolved from automating repetitive back-office tasks to including front office functions (like sales/marketing). Irrespective of your level of automation, an audit of your business functions from an automation perspective, will surely help identify opportunities to increase efficiencies and reduce costs. This enables the team to devote its energies to value-creating activities like planning and innovation.
- Cyber Security & Resilience – With increasing exposure due to multiple entry points in digitised processes, cyber threats pose an imminent risk. It is essential to ensure that your organization has a comprehensive cybersecurity plan – encompassing all your digital touchpoints across employees, vendors, customers, and any other partners.
- Virtual workspace enablement – Multi-location operations and a remote employee base have become a permanent reality. SMBs are realising this and making virtual environments a focus area. Current business processes need to be revamped to address the end-to-end working needs of employees – for in-office as well as virtual-office environments.
- Use of social media – Social media has become the biggest platform for marketing and communication with all key stakeholders. SMBs need to tap into this to promote, gain mindshare and engage customers. Organic social media, which is often free or low cost, is a good starting point.
- Mobile experience – Everything that a company offers will ultimately need to be Mobile enabled. Some companies are ahead of the curve and are already doing it while others are catching up. SMBs that can have a seamless mobile experience for their customers will the true winners in the long-term. Brand loyalty is an eroding concept in many categories and people easily shift to ‘ease of use’ as their preferred option.
These seven guidelines and the six trends will provide key insights for SMBs as they get their IT mandate right. As SMBs look into the future, there will be a fair bit of consolidation – they may merge with other SMBs or larger businesses. SMBs need to focus on positioning themselves to take advantage of this upcoming change. And, the need for the right technology, which is essentially creating an equal playing field for companies of all sizes, is more than ever before.
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There is also a need for SMBs to join forces and build a platform that allows themselves to get the best in information technology. The pandemic has exemplified the above like never before – SMBs that chose to go for a digital transformation several years ago have been able to weather the pandemic more resiliently than their peers.
(Shailesh Haribhakti is corporate leader based in Mumbai. He is a chartered and cost accountant, and writes regularly on the Indian economy and public policy. Ram Kapadia is a thought leader and entrepreneur based in Mumbai. Vijaya Rao is CEO, techvio.com.)
Shailesh Haribhakti is a Chartered and Cost Accountant, an internal auditor and a certified financial planner. He is a board chairman, audit committee chair and independent director at some of the country's most preeminent organisations. He is a thought leader on the Indian economy and public policy.
Ram Kapadia is a thought leader and entrepreneur based in Mumbai.