The Future Of The Medium-Sized Business 7 Trends Driving .
The Future of theMedium-Sized Business7 Trends Driving SMEs’Digital Transformation1
The Future of the Medium-Sized BusinessTable of Contents03Introduction05Trend 01 – Flexible Working07Trend 02 – Personalized Customer Experience09Trend 03 – Data-driven Decisions11Trend 04 – Artificial Intelligence13Trend 05 – Empowered Frontline Workers15Trend 06 – Cloud Solutions17Trend 07 – Cybersecurity19Final Tips & Advice20ConclusionMICROSOFT2
The Future of the Medium-Sized BusinessIntroductionSmall and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the economy and the mostinnovative parts of any industry. Most of these companies recognize the urgencyof digital adoption. They are looking to remain competitive and propel growth withtechnology, but they often don’t know where to start.“71% of CEOs are personally ready to leada radical organizational transformation.”Srdjan Stosic,Consulting Manager, KPMGTo facilitate the digital transition for owners and executives, at Microsoft we havecollected insights and advice from successful business owners and leaders in Centraland Eastern Europe (CEE). These entrepreneurs lead by example, taking advantageof technology to improve decision-making, gain a competitive edge, and enhanceoperations to tap an international customer base and grow their businesses. We aresharing their insights together with seven technology trends of the future to help SMEsalign their business strategy with digital transformation opportunities in the market.Maria LehnardSenior Marketing Manager, Modern Workplace Solutions,Microsoft Central Eastern EuropeMICROSOFT3
The Future of the Medium-Sized BusinessThis Was Made For:1Owners andmanagers of smallor medium-sizedenterprises in theCEE region.2Entrepreneursinvestigatinginsights into digitaltransformationopportunities.3Executives seekingto innovate theirproducts andservices with digitaltechnologies.What’s Inside: Tips and insights on implementing digital transformation from leadingbusiness owners and experts in CEE. Paradoxes of a digitally transforming world from Michael Gale, the worldacclaimed co-author of The Digital Helix, an Amazon and Wall Street Journalbestseller on digital transformation Top technology trends and business statistics showing the impact of digitaldisruption on SMEs from KPMG expert, Srdjan Stosic. Microsoft Customer stories showing real-life challenges and benefits ofdigital transformation.Trends to Watch Out For:01 Flexible Working02 Personalized CustomerExperience03 Data-driven Decisions05 Empowered FrontlineWorkers06 Cloud Solutions07 Cybersecurity04 Artificial IntelligenceFinal Tips & Advice4
The Future of the Medium-Sized Business1Flexible WorkingSave more,innovate faster,and empoweryour teamsFlexible working is changing how modern businesses operate. For small and mediumcompanies willing to expand their reach, remote work has become one of the biggesttransformation drivers.This is especially true with millennials beginning to dominate the job market.They’re known to be independent, value their private time, and seek challenges at work.To appeal to that workforce, companies have to modernize and adopt a more dynamicapproach. 20K22%Increase in employeeproductivityReduction in employeeturnoverBusiness Owner InsightPony Car Sharing hasgrown from local startup tointernational business. Itsprogress has been fueled bytechnology, which made itpossible to quickly assemblea team of specialists keen tocome on board and innovatethe company’s offering fromday one.“It will be a joy foryour employeesto work remotelyif they understandthe WHY behind thewhole business.”Annual SMB savings withfull-time teleworkJulian PadurariuPony Car Sharingleveragestechnology tobuild a globalteam of innovatorsMICROSOFT50%Julian PadurariuCo-founder & CEOPony Car Sharing, Romania5
The Future of the Medium-Sized Business1Flexible WorkingFlexible working gives businesses access to a diverse talent pool, delivers greatercoverage and flexibility, and minimizes labor costs across all departments. Digitaltechnology helps small and medium enterprise owners grasp these opportunities. Itbrings employees together by facilitating communication while keeping teams connectedand involved.“The idea of the office is changing. You may not need real estate at the level youthought you had in order to achieve successful digital transformation. In fact thelack of offices is now an advantage for you,” says Michael Gale, co-author of TheDigital Helix.By adopting technology that facilitates distributedcollaboration, you can give your employees the freedomthey crave, and reap all the benefits of remote work.Customer StoryComAp, Czech RepublicDriving the DigitalHighway withComApRead moreComAp makes control unitsfor diesel, gas, dual fuel andother kinds of power generatorsfor clients all over the world.Its devices can be found inhospitals, banks and datacenters. Since its foundation in1991, ComAp has emphasizedreadiness in providing servicesto its customers. This effort toalways be there for customersis now one of the company’sguiding values.To enable itsemployees workingacross subsidiariesall over the world,ComAp relies onMicrosoft 365.Trends to Watch Out For:01 Flexible Working02 Personalized CustomerExperience03 Data-driven Decisions05 Empowered FrontlineWorkers06 Cloud Solutions07 Cybersecurity04 Artificial IntelligenceFinal Tips & Advice6
The Future of the Medium-Sized Business2Personalized Customer ExperienceDeliver value-addedproducts to forgestrong customerrelationshipsCustomers are now more informed than ever thanks to the internet. Digital technologiesare reshaping how they engage with businesses and make purchase decisions. Andtraditional marketing doesn’t always keep up with this shift.Each stage of a buyer’s engagement with a brand affects their perception of thebusiness and future purchases. That is why focusing on customer experience may bethe single most important objective for small and medium-sized enterprise growth.8%38%CEOs say they need toserve millennials betteFirms using digital tech seehigher revenue than othersBusiness Owner InsightThe two companiesled by Olga are leadersin Russia’s meal kitand ready-to-eat foodsegments. Olga attributesthe steady growth of herbusinesses to two factors:personalization andcustomization of products,and communication.“People are lookingfor more andmore personalizedsolutions ineverything that theysee around them.”Buyers are content withcustomer experienceOlga ZinovyevaSmartee andElementaree earnbuyer trust withcustomization andpersonalizationMICROSOFT61%Olga ZinovyevaFounderSmartee and Elementaree7
The Future of the Medium-Sized Business2Personalized Customer ExperienceTo achieve sustainable growth, SMEs must put customers at the center of their productsand services. Embracing digital technologies gives modern companies the advantageof developing a holistic customer experience program encompassing all consumertouchpoints.By leveraging modern technology tools—data analytics, feedback collection, marketingautomation—SMEs can collect and analyze critical customer information to continuouslyimprove their offerings.“What used to be gut feel or pure passion can be supplemented and evensubstituted for powerful information at our fingertips about customers.” - MichaelGaleInnovative digital solutions allow businesses to identifybuyers’ expectations and deliver compelling value.Customer StoryGépész, HungaryBoosting customercare efficiency inthe cloudRead moreÉp-Gépész Holding Kft.(Gépész) is a leadingprovider of consumerheating and plumbingequipment. Their priorities:deliver an exceptionalcustomer experience, anddevelop personalizedsales to increase clientengagement.Gépész improvedits sales trackingand aligned allcustomer-relatedactivities acrossthe entire businessusing MicrosoftDynamics 365.Trends to Watch Out For:01 Flexible Working02 Personalized CustomerExperience03 Data-driven Decisions05 Empowered FrontlineWorkers06 Cloud Solutions07 Cybersecurity04 Artificial IntelligenceFinal Tips & Advice8
The Future of the Medium-Sized Business3Data-driven DecisionsMake informedbusiness decisionsbased on actionableinsightsInformation is one of the most valuable assets in a rapidly changing business landscape.Skilled use of accumulated data allows organizations to improve strategic and businessdecision-making while positioning themselves for growth.Big data and business analytics (BDA) play a vital role in the collection of accuratemarket and customer intelligence. By capitalizing on that technology, SMEs canexamine existing customer insights and adjust offering accordingly.53%73%Firms using big data seevalue from this technologyThe projected revenue forBDA solutions in 2022Business Owner InsightUFS Group has been providingfinancial solutions on theHungarian market since 2004.The group is planning toemploy digital technologiessuch as AI, data analytics, anddata mining to identify andanticipate the needs of theirclients.“It’s not enough toassume the needsof your clients, butwe need to actuallyknow the needs ofthe clients.”Companies are using bigdata analytics todayAndrás LányiCustomer dataanalytics arefundamental forUFS Group’s futuregrowthMICROSOFT 260bAndrás LányiFounder & CEOUFS Group9
The Future of the Medium-Sized Business3Data-driven DecisionsUntil recently, big data analytics primarily benefited global enterprises who could affordthe investment in powerful IT infrastructure and an army of data analysts. As moderncloud has become commonplace and affordable, business intelligence solutions are noweasily accessible to SMEs.The main value that big data brings to the table is improved customer experience. Closeanalysis of consumer insights delivers a thorough understanding of buying behaviors.With that depth of real-time knowledge, SMEs can make better, more informed businessdecisions, and nimbly adjust their product offering.“The voluminous nature of data and the speed we get, significantly reduces risk indecisions for everybody, not just the large corporations where information meantpower for decades.” - Michael GaleSmall business owners no longer have to make decisionsbased on their gut feeling and assumptions alone.Customer StorySynerise, PolandTaking cloudto new heightsusing AI-poweredBig DataSynerise helps retail,e-commerce, and financialbusinesses track billionsof customer events acrossmultiple channels. Thecompany is on the rightpath to meeting its ambitionof becoming “the nextgeneration marketing cloud.”Synerise empowersits AI-driven,scalable serviceusing MicrosoftAzure.Read moreTrends to Watch Out For:01 Flexible Working02 Personalized CustomerExperience03 Data-driven Decisions05 Empowered FrontlineWorkers06 Cloud Solutions07 Cybersecurity04 Artificial IntelligenceFinal Tips & Advice10
The Future of the Medium-Sized Business4Artificial IntelligenceProvide consistentservices to unleashthe value ofcustomer experienceArtificial intelligence (AI) simplifies and automates routine processes for customer andtech support, product design, logistics, and many more, saving significant time and costs.It also helps companies understand customers and anticipate their behavior to deliverpersonalized services.From chatbots, self-service, and customer relationship management, to lead scoringand sales forecasting, AI enables SMEs to capture, manage, and measure customerinteractions with their businesses.59%62%CEOs expect AI will createmore jobs than it destroysOf business leaders see AIas a business advantageBusiness Owner InsightWhisbear started from areal user pain point—ayoung mother’s concern forher baby’s sleep. Initially, itwas a fairly simple cuddlytoy emitting pink noise tosoothe babies; now, theproduct is incorporatingIoT and connected nurserytechnologies.“We at Whisbear,we want to bereally close to ourparents, that’s whytechnology is anatural thing for us.”SMEs have already startedbuilding an AI strategyZuzanna Sielicka KalczynskaAdopting IoT anddata analytics tohelp babies fallasleepMICROSOFT72%Zuzanna Sielicka KalczyńskaCo-founderWhisbear11
The Future of the Medium-Sized Business4Artificial IntelligenceAI is so omnipresent that we hardly notice it anymore. It has unlimited businessapplications, reaching well beyond chatbots, personalized shopping, or virtual agents. Thetechnology acts on data input to identify consumer behavior patterns, predict next steps,and refine future client interactions. Modern businesses leverage it to adequately respondto the needs of buyers in the omnichannel world.AI also helps business owners by granting them the power to simplify and expedite taskexecution, from very basic flows to complex processes. As it helps eliminate labor costsand boost productivity, AI is one of the top SME enablers of dynamic growth.“The rise of applications that connect in real time and do it in incredibly simpleways will save your personal time that is better spent elsewhere.” - Michael GaleIntegrating AI solutions allows SMEs to organize andautomate laborious workflows efficiently, and deliverhighly-personal customer experiences at no extra cost.Customer StorySarafan Technology, RussiaEmpoweringcustomerexperience withAI and computervisionRead moreComputer vision expertSarafan Technology helpsonline users find productssimilar to the ones theysaw on another website.Powered by data andmachine learning solutions,it’s delivering its uniqueservices to 60 million activeusers monthly.The award-winningcompany uses acatalog of MicrosoftAzure services toprovide customerswith fast, accurateservices on a largescale.Trends to Watch Out For:01 Flexible Working02 Personalized CustomerExperience03 Data-driven Decisions05 Empowered FrontlineWorkers06 Cloud Solutions07 Cybersecurity04 Artificial IntelligenceFinal Tips & Advice12
The Future of the Medium-Sized Business5Empowered Frontline WorkersIncrease frontlinestaff efficiencyto deliverexceptional serviceWhen we think of digital solutions, we tend to think of office settings. However, in atypical small or medium company, office workers are as little as 10% of the overall staff.The rest are frontline workers.Empowering frontline employees is key to success for SMEs as they are the firstto engage your clients. Modern digital technologies keep employees involved andmotivated, and allow them to deliver a consistent brand experience.50%64%Firms empowering frontlinestaff see lower turnoverOf the global workforce arefrontline workersExpert InsightFor frontline workers todeliver a consistent brandexperience at every customertouchpoint, SMEs should:1) Empower them withinsights and information.2) Invest in the right digitaltools to facilitate their work.3) Adjust the companymindset to let them thrive.“Empoweringfirstline employeesdigitally sawimprovementsfor 82% oforganizations.Of all frontline workerswork in SMEsMichael GaleFrontline workershold the keyto deliveringan improvedcustomerexperienceMICROSOFT90%Michael Gale,Co-author of ‘The Digital Helix’,Managing Partner,Inc. Digital13
The Future of the Medium-Sized Business5Empowered Frontline WorkersFrontline workers are chief representatives of any brand, well-versed in managingcustomer expectations. Their positive attitude towards your business may translate intoimproved customer outcomes. That’s why it’s vital to provide these employees with asense of authority and responsibility.The right digital solutions bring frontline workers closer to your organization. Improvingtheir engagement and motivation will expedite their work and turn them into powerfuladvocates of your business.“If you are really committed to the idea of effective digital transformation change,then there is a 91.25% chance you are also one of the leading high growthcorporations in your sector.” - Michael GaleFrontline workers speak for your business. There’s aprofusion of digital tools and technologies that can helpyou bring the best in them to serve your customers better.Customer StoryPAVELKA-VTP, Czech RepublicDigitallytransforming theway of workingwith its clientsRead morePAVELKA-VTP is a Czechwater engineering servicesleader. Until recently,the company lacked acentralized database anddigital records. By now, ithas digitally transformedits operations, empoweringfrontline workers to deliverreliable services at speed.Thanks to a suite ofMicrosoft solutions,PAVELKA-VTPfrontline staff haveall information attheir fingertips andprovide servicesmuch faster.Trends to Watch Out For:01 Flexible Working02 Personalized CustomerExperience03 Data-driven Decisions05 Empowered FrontlineWorkers06 Cloud Solutions07 Cybersecurity04 Artificial IntelligenceFinal Tips & Advice14
The Future of the Medium-Sized Business6Cloud SolutionsCompete withglobal enterprisesby offering qualityservices at scaleIn the past, there was a distinct divide between large enterprises and small companies.SMEs had to struggle with significant barriers to entry. They had insufficient funds,couldn’t scale quickly enough, and lagged behind with technology.As cloud solutions emerged, it became possible to resolve most of these concerns.Cloud is a catalyst for small and medium enterprises to achieve scalability and keep pacewith growth. 11.5b59%Of CEOs believe agility isthe new currencyOf all cloud-based appinvestments are by SMEsBusiness Owner InsightSocial Handlers has evolvedfrom a garage startup to oneof Greece’s top social mediacontent providers. Thanksto the modern cloud and ITsolutions, the firm can servea global range of customersand still grasp all the benefitsof what they call a “lean andmean” SME.“With the helpof cloud andtechnology, we haveclosed the gap withthe big guys.”The value of the cloudmarket in the SME sectorAntonis RouseliotakisSocial Handlershave no fear oflarge corporationsthanks to cloudMICROSOFT85%Antonis RouseliotakisManaging DirectorSocial Handlers15
The Future of the Medium-Sized Business6Cloud SolutionsCloud has given SMEs the ability to look and act much bigger than they really are. Theycan run their business everywhere, and serve any market, capitalizing on the advantagesof cloud computing.“Because of the cloud applications that are now available on a pay-as-you-go orpay-as-you-grow basis, ideas like AI and automation are available to any companyat any size.” - Michael Gale“Thanks to cloud-based solutions, SMEs can successfullycompete with large businesses while retaining theefficiency and flexibility of a startup.”Customer StoryHelio Gaming, MaltaGoing from localto global in asingle dayRead moreHelio Gaming is digitalstartup in the iGaming sector.Although new on the market,the company has alreadytapped into an internationalbase of customers, andbecome an enterprise-classsupplier. All of this has beenpossible thanks to the cloudsolutions Helio leverages toattain reliability, availability,and security at scale.Harnessing thepower of MicrosoftAzure gave thecompany globalavailability andreliability fromday one.Trends to Watch Out For:01 Flexible Working02 Personalized CustomerExperience03 Data-driven Decisions05 Empowered FrontlineWorkers06 Cloud Solutions07 Cybersecurity04 Artificial IntelligenceFinal Tips & Advice16
The Future of the Medium-Sized Business7CybersecurityUse secure,compliant solutionsto deliver robustservicesCyberattacks on business are surging, and the methods employed by hackers arebecoming more sophisticated each day. Despite these alarming signals, many SMEscontinue to ignore security, which leaves them vulnerable.Investing in reliable, compliant security solutions should be a top priority forSMEs. Every modern business needs a cybersecurity strategy to protect their assets andsafeguard customer data and privacy.59%61%SMEs suffered a cyberattack in 2017Average annual loss forSMEs due to cybercrimeExpert InsightThe push for digitaltransformation requiresan investment in robustsecurity solutions toprotect companies andtheir clients against cyberthreats. Technology nowmakes it possible for SMEsto use enterprise tools andbe as res
“The idea of the office is changing. You may not need real estate at the level you thought you had in order to achieve successful digital transformation. In fact the lack of offices is now an advantage for you,” says Michael Gale, co-author of The Digital Helix. ComAp makes control units for diesel, gas, dual fuel and
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