SMEs have optimistic prospects for the end of 2022, when 10% of them expect to create 20% of new jobs. Therefore, the degree of digital maturity of this type of organization is a fundamental factor for improve competitiveness of the productive fabric as a whole.
This is one of the main conclusions of the study.digitization of the SMEgrowing from collaboration platforms”, prepared by IDC Spain and sponsored by microsoft, with the aim of providing a vision of the digitization and transformation of SMEs in the country. The report also reveals that, in 4 years, 70% of Spanish SMEs will have significantly increased their investment in IT to be more resilient and capitalize on market conditions.
To help Spanish SMEs learn about the advantages and opportunities presented by digital transformation in all sectors, Microsoft presented last March a digital promotion program for small and medium-sized companies in all sectors of activity. This is linked to the Digital Kit initiative, an economic support measure announced by the Government of Spain within the framework of the Next Generation Funds of the European Union, which provides for a public investment close to 5,000 million euros until 2023 in order to accelerate the digitization of 80% of SMEs and freelancers in Spain.
According to the report, the total IT investment in Spain in 2021 amounted to more than 49,000 million euros, of which 12,000 million corresponded to small and medium-sized companies, that is, 25% of the total. The growth forecast for this year is slightly less than 4% and, among the main demands for technology by SMEs, Artificial Intelligence stands out, which will grow by more than 30% throughout 2022, together with cloud environments , with 30%. Investments in collaborative applications and cybersecurity will register increases of over 19% and 12% respectively.
Regarding the investment priority of SMEs in the short and medium term, the study by IDC and Microsoft has identified four relevant blocks: everything related to the client for improve interactions with your products and servicesthe taking of data-driven decisions, especially when it comes to monetization; the securization of this data and finally the connection of the SME with the ecosystem and its operational impact on distribution.
Virtualization as a source of opportunity
In the context of comprehensive post-pandemic digitization, the analysis highlights the benefits of virtualization as a source of opportunity for SMEs, which have already verified the advantages of adopting the cloud in job management and are making progress in customer management (CRM) and processes (ERP). As Ignacio Cobisa, Senior Research Analyst, points out: “It is It is necessary to advance in the virtualization of environments as an alternative to investing in local structures to optimize the benefits of cloud architectures with respect to unified data management and its derivatives in cost savings, scalability, security and sustainability”.
Along the same lines, the IDC Spain study also explains that, to help in all these processes, a great ally for SMEs are the integrated and standardized solutions or platforms that “democratize” access to holistic digitization. At this point, it is worth highlighting the important role of independent software vendors (ISV) as advisors.
“At Microsoft we seek to provide SMEs with cloud-based technology solutions that allow them to build the digital capabilities necessary to face their transformation and boost their results. In this sense, tools such as CRM Dynamics 365 Business Central offer them a holistic view of their business, based on optimal use of data through Artificial Intelligence. And the ERP Sales Professional module allows them to adapt to the new normality of digital sales”, explains Valle del Águila, director of small and medium-sized companies at Microsoft Spain.
