As technology continues to develop, it is now easier for businesses to function at their best while lowering costs. These efficiency-boosting technologies have also become more accessible to smaller businesses with limited in-house IT staff. How will advancements in technology affect the SMB sector in 2020?
Here are some important IT trends to take note of:
1. Focus on the mobile experience
In recent years, smartphone use has reached an all-time high. Customers are also spending more time researching products and making purchases from their phones instead of their computers. In response to this trend, businesses across industries are optimizing their mobile experience. It is essential for your company website to be mobile-friendly. Many businesses have also developed mobile apps to improve the customer experience through in-app purchases, accessible support services, and personalized marketing.
2. Collaboration tools for the workplace
The use of cloud-based collaboration software such as SharePoint, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams, which is included in the Office 365 suite, are becoming vital as more SMBs use remote workforces to grow their business. For example, Microsoft Teams is a chat-based platform designed to simplify group work through shared files and calendars, collaborative editing, and easy switching between voice, video, and text chat.
According to research, 43% of employees believe that the ideal workplace is one which promotes team building and collaboration. As a certified partner with Microsoft, Insight IT offers onboarding and support services to businesses using Office 365. Contact us to learn more.
3. VoIP phone services
Another IT trend to take note of this year is the rising popularity of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone services. As a cloud-based system, VoIP allows employees to stay connected to their office and customers, no matter where they are working.
Leading VoIP phone services such as Cloud PBX offer a single, advanced system with business-grade features such as the ability to manage calls from your computer, three-way conference calls, switchboard service, pre-loading and syncing of contact lists, call diversion to smartphone, and voicemail to email. Talk to us if your business is interested in switching to a VoIP phone system like Cloud PBX – we will help you manage every step.
4. Greater customization of cloud software
In the past, technology vendors would offer standardized software, giving businesses little control over how it was used. Today, businesses have access to an increasing number of choose-what-you-need, add-as-you-grow software packages. The flexibility, minimal upfront cost, and low-level commitment of customizable cloud software will allow businesses to try different software and switch more easily between them – no need to cancel long contracts or arrange on-premise implementation. At Insight IT, we offer custom cloud solutions that are tailored to the needs of your business.
5. Growth of managed IT services
As SMBs increase spending on more secure and up-to-date IT infrastructure, the managed IT services industry will also experience significant growth. Studies predict that SMBs will spend 25% more this year on managed IT services compared to 2019.
While businesses are looking to quickly implement new technologies, choosing from and evaluating multiple software options takes time. By leveraging expertise of managed service providers, your business can save a full year in their software search. With a higher number of cyberattacks targeting SMBs, managed service providers are also critical for protecting your business data and assets.
Managed service providers, like Insight IT, offer many services that simply aren’t possible for a smaller IT department: 24/7 monitoring, enhanced data backup and security, and the scalability to adapt to your business growth. Contact us or read this article to find out more about what we can do for you.
