Konica Minolta survey identifies security and data protection as the top Digital & IT pain point for UK Small & Medium businesses in the wake of the COVID pandemic

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/