Tag Archives: smbs

IBM Study Finds More Than Half of Midmarket Companies Lack an Integrated Digital Strategy

Small and Midsize Businesses Outperform Competitors By Fusing the Physical with Big Data, Mobile and the Cloud

ARMONK, N.Y – 21 Nov 2013: An IBM global study of C-Suite leaders uncovers a surprising fact about small and midsize companies: they may not be as digitally savvy as they’d like.   

The survey’s top findings include:

  • More than half of midmarket companies lack an integrated digital strategy.
  • 65% of the midmarket C-Suite business executives recognized that the lack of a cohesive social media plan is the biggest barrier to doing more in the digital space.
  • More than half of respondents also cite the need to better understand how social media fits with other operational priorities, and how to measure its return on investment. (more…)

Read More

5 Factors That SMBs Should Consider While Switching Over To Cloud Telephony

Today’s businesses are rapidly adopting new technologies.  One example is Cloud Telephony. To meet the demand for this service, multiple different providers have emerged in the market. While it may be beneficial to join the bandwagon and achieve your business goals, it is also very important to sit down and think of the factors that need to be considered while switching over to cloud telephony.

The following factors should be thought of in advance before making a decision. This consideration should be done by all types of businesses, including SMBs (Small and Medium Sized Businesses) and major corporations. After all, adopting a new technology may mean changing certain factors and functionality features of your company.

1.     The Size of Your Business

Why it this important? Nowadays, there are different service providers offering cloud telephony as one of their services. Each service provider also offers several packages. Thus, it requires the need for you to sit down and analyze your business. Is it considered a small business or a medium sized business? Is it even a large business? Your answer to these questions will help you match your requirements to the range of services offered, and choose the one that fits you best. (more…)

Read More

Partner opportunity: Small and mid-size companies seeking an edge

Flexibility of Microsoft Dynamics platform allows for a spectrum of custom solutions across a range of industries.

HOUSTON — July 9, 2013 — In the information-age economy, technology can be a huge competitive advantage — particularly for smaller companies. As small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) gain a foothold in today’s markets, Microsoft continues to invest in ways to help them compete.

“Today, the Microsoft Dynamics platform can provide the flexibility and power to serve a multitude of business needs,” says Neil Holloway, corporate vice president of Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) Sales and Operations. “Windows Azure and cloud services are increasingly making it possible for smaller companies to have the same computing muscle as their larger competitors.” (more…)

Read More

Small and midsize companies in the cloud reap security, privacy and reliability benefits

Microsoft study shows 94 percent of small and midsize companies gain security advantages — contradicting perceptions that hold others back from adoption.

REDMOND, Wash. — June 11, 2013 — A study released today reveals that, in addition to time and cost savings, small and midsize businesses (SMBs) in the U.S. that use a cloud service gain significant security, privacy and reliability advantages compared with companies that have not adopted the cloud. The study, commissioned by Microsoft Corp., shows that perceptions of the cloud held by nonusers directly contrast with the real experiences of cloud adopters.

“There’s a big gap between perception and reality when it comes to the cloud. SMBs that have adopted cloud services found security, privacy and reliability advantages to an extent they didn’t expect,” said Adrienne Hall, general manager, Trustworthy Computing, Microsoft. “The real silver lining in cloud computing is that it enables companies not only to invest more time and money into growing their business, but to better secure their data and to do so with greater degrees of service reliability as well.” (more…)

Read More

Cloud Computing Security Benefits Dispel Adoption Barrier for Small to Midsize Businesses

Cloud services reduce time and money spent managing security and increase protection against cyberthreats, Microsoft study shows.

REDMOND, Wash. — Research released today by Microsoft Corp. shows that small and midsize businesses (SMBs) are gaining significant IT security benefits from using the cloud, according to a new Microsoft study in five geographies.

The study shows that 35 percent of U.S. companies surveyed have experienced noticeably higher levels of security since moving to the cloud.1 In addition, 32 percent say they spend less time worrying about the threat of cyberattacks. U.S. SMBs using the cloud also spend 32 percent less time each week managing security than companies not using the cloud. They are also five times more likely to have reduced what they spend on managing security as a percentage of overall IT budget. (more…)

Read More