Comprehensive survey of 550 small and medium businesses across UK, Europe and the U.S. forms a new Konica Minolta whitepaper on the technology challenges and opportunities

London, UK, Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd has released the results of a comprehensive survey assessing the key Digital & IT pain points for small businesses across UK, Europe and the US in the wake of the global pandemic. The primary challenge highlighted by respondents was security and data protection, closely followed by adopting new or emerging technologies, and keeping up with technology trends.

The survey was commissioned with leading analyst Keypoint Intelligence, with 550 SMBs across the United Kingdom, mainland Europe and the United States being interviewed about their current major Digital & IT challenges, as businesses look to adjust to the evolving business landscape. Whilst 48% of respondents cited security and data protection as their primary challenge, a worrying 67% of respondents reported that their company has experienced a malware incident in the last two years, suggesting these concerns are well founded. The survey also showed that of those companies that support employee home working, almost 50% were specifically concerned about associated data protection, suggesting that this popular working model has the potential to cause SMBs a considerable headache unless successfully addressed.

There was also positive news in the Keypoint Intelligence survey. As a result of COVID-related challenges, 47% of all respondents said they have acquired or upgraded IT security software or services, making it the top area of investment.

Other key findings of the survey included the suggestion that SMBs with 50-199 employees (versus those with 200-250 employees) appear to be facing a higher level of IT pain points than others. The results also highlighted concerns around affordability, systems integration, and privacy, are some of the underlying reasons for putting off technological investments.

Reflecting upon the survey results, Francis Thornhill Head of Customer & Solution Marketing at Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd commented, “We were very keen to get an accurate snapshot of the IT landscape amongst SMBs, which is a business sector that has been particularly affected by the global upheaval caused by the COVID pandemic, so commissioned this comprehensive survey. IT is the backbone of many SMBs and it is imperative that it functions smoothly and reliably to maximise productivity and worker satisfaction, enabling the business to concentrate on its key business objectives and to thrive in a competitive marketplace.”

The comprehensive results of the Keypoint Intelligence survey have been published by Konica Minolta as a whitepaper entitled: ‘Top SMB Digital & IT Pain Points & Solutions’. As well as highlighting the top challenges, the whitepaper also examines these in detail and then suggests the opportunities and potential solutions on offer to help businesses alleviate and overcome them.

Steve Feeley – IT Services Category Manager commented “The whitepaper recommendations are a useful guide for any SMB looking to accelerate their digital transformation and ensure their IT delivers for their business. It’s useful to understand trends and determine how your organisation’s top IT pain points compare to those most commonly being experienced by SMBs. You also need to assess the extent to which your Digital & IT roadmap addresses the top challenges and priorities, then adjust accordingly, investing in the right technology and services to alleviate your top pain points as well as fulfil your leading business objectives.”

In most cases, the right solutions are already available as Steve Feeley concluded, “There are a wide range of affordable and customisable security, digitalisation, communication and collaboration, network optimization, and business continuity solutions that exist to address differing concerns. To best implement and maintain these solutions, we would definitely recommend partnering with a reputable managed services provider with deep Digital & IT expertise, enabling your business’ IT to remain a key asset rather than a pain point.”

For a free copy of the Konica Minolta ‘Top SMB Digital & IT Pain Points & Solutions’ whitepaper please visit: https://www.konicaminolta.co.uk/en-gb/resources/whitepapers/top-smb-digital-it-pain-points-solutions

To help businesses understand their digital maturity and to receive simple practical steps to accelerate digital transformation, Konica Minolta also offers its free and no obligation DX360° Assessment: https://dx360.konicaminolta.co.uk/

About Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd

Konica Minolta’s innovations help businesses to shape the future, today, changing the way people conduct business and use technology to work smarter, faster and better. As a leading Smart Data and Digital IT Services company, we meet the changing needs of customers with our Digital Print, IoT, Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality solutions.

As a provider of comprehensive IT services, Konica Minolta also delivers consultancy and services to optimise business processes with intelligent workflow automation, and implements solutions in the field of IT infrastructure and IT security as well as cloud environments.

Konica Minolta’s solutions are proven to improve quality, reduce cost, eradicate risk, increase accuracy and streamline business processes. Recognising there are no two businesses the same, we pride ourselves on our customer partnerships and tailor our solutions to our customer needs, giving them the competitive edge they need to remain at the forefront of their markets.

Combining our market leading, award winning and easy to integrate technological platforms, with our strategic partnerships, business solutions and services portfolio, Konica Minolta is continually improving quality, reducing cost, eradicating risk, increasing accuracy and streamlining business processes for our customers. Our strategy has our customers at its core. With strong and mutually beneficial customer partnerships, our aim is to achieve mutual sustainable growth through technological innovation – giving shape to our customers’ ideas. We bring flexible solutions that not only meet our customer expectations, but exceed them, time after time.

Part of the global Konica Minolta Group, Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd is headquartered in Basildon, Essex and operates out of 10 offices across the UK, employing over 750 people.

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