SMBs Want Immediate Payback From IT Solutions, Study Says

Small- and medium-sized businesses are turning to IT solutions that pay rapid business dividends, such as virtualization, unified communications and managed services, according to a recent study by CompTIA, an IT industry trade association.

The online survey of some 400 SMB executives in industries ranging from manufacturing, finance and insurance to health care, government and professional services, conducted in February, revealed that 80 percent want technology that offers “immediate payback” and fits in with existing business operations and solutions.

The study uncovered that 37 percent of SMBs plan to adopt server virtualization technology in the next 12 months. About 25 percent of SMBs also said they will implement a VoIP solution this year.

Findings also pointed to the potential for a two- to three-fold leap in the use of managed services by SMBs this year.

Some 70 percent of the study’s respondents, representing businesses from 10 to 499 employees, said that they are willing to pay a premium for new IT solutions with a proven return on investment.

“The underlying take-away is that SMBs want IT that works right the first time and will look to solutions that do,” said Tim Herbert, CompTIA research vice president.

“Thanks to innovation, the steady decrease of the cost of computing power and storage and new business models, technology has never been more accessible to companies of all sizes.”

The study’s findings also pointed to significant challenges SMBs face, such as keeping up with storage demands, managing an increasing number of devices and networks to accommodate mobile workers and providing a more rewarding customer experience through the Web. Each was mentioned by at least 50 percent of the survey’s participants.