01732 759725 30 PREDICTIONS Technology consulting and research firm Analysys Mason, predicts that small and medium-sized businesses will increase their spending on technology in 2023 and will be confident in business performance, despite the economic challenges. The predictions are based on data in its SMB Technology Forecaster, which provides insights into SMB spending in 132 technology categories in 52 countries SMB technology trends in 2023 end support in managing increasingly complex software stacks and driving forward digital initiatives. SMBs will spend more than USD66 billion on IT solutions from telecoms operators. SMBs will increasingly look to telecoms providers for IT advice, support and services. 80 per cent would consider taking IT services from operators. Operators are creating targeted IT services bundles for SMBs and partnering with software/service providers to help them to reach a broader SMB market. New spending priorities As-a-service spending will increase. SMBs’ spending on platforms-as-aservice (PaaS) solutions is expected to grow by 18 per cent year-on-year as SMBs demand more flexibility without committing to expensive IT resources. Early adopters will increase their use of advanced analytics tools such as business intelligence (BI) and AI-powered applications. SaaS spending is expected to grow 22 per cent year-on-year. SMBs are seeking to optimise and automate functions to increase efficiency and improve data utilisation. Spending on BI, ERP and line-of-business software such as electronic health records, 3D design, and IT monitoring solutions, will increase rapidly as a result. PC and device-as-a-service (PCDaaS) models will shift focus from device procurement to a fully integrated IT experience. SMBs will increasingly value a holistic experience that includes services for deployment, desktop support, recovery, security and managed services for their dispersed workforce. Rising energy costs Rising energy costs will affect IT spending decisions. SMBs will want to increase energy efficiency and find more sustainable options in the long-term. This may lead to them procuring IoTrelated solutions, such as energy usage apps and smart meters. In addition, SMBs will want to have better control of their budgets and may increase spending on finance and expense management applications Environmental, social and governance initiatives will also become a priority. 24 per cent of SMBs worldwide plan to start ESG initiatives and 46 per cent are more likely to buy from vendors with established ESG policies. Those operators and IT providers that help businesses to establish ESG policies will be best positioned to capitalise. Cyber security remains a top priority SMBs will continue to be concerned about cyber security thanks to device proliferation and ongoing geopolitical concerns. Spending on cyber security solutions will increase from USD69 billion in 2022 to USD77 billion in 2023. Security technology adoption will boost spending on the following solutions: hardware-based authentication, extended detection and response, cloud workload protection, operational technology systems security, security solutions powered by AI/ML and managed security. "SMB technology spending is gradually getting back to pre-pandemic levels,” said Bob Takacs, Research Director, Analysys Mason. “While there is concern about the broader economic environment, SMBs have a high degree of confidence in their own businesses given that they pulled through the pandemic successfully and are focused on how they can be more effective and set up for growth. They are looking for managed services and solutions that enable them to do that, without having to manage their own IT environments. “The message to technology vendors and resellers is to focus on service and support, while delivering clear messages around the business use cases of technology solutions. SMBs are looking for simple procurement and installation, tiered pricing and comprehensive support,” he concluded. SMBs are continuing to invest in IT. The 145 million SMBs worldwide are expected to spend USD1.45 trillion on IT in 2023, of which 40 per cent will be from the Americas, 30 per cent from Europe, the Middle East and Africa and 30 per cent from Asia Pacific, driven by the post-pandemic trend towards digital transformation. This represents a growth of 6.3 per cent compared with spending in 2022, down from 7 per cent year-on-year growth that was expected before the pandemic; this is due to the impact of inflation and economic uncertainty. The decision-making process is taking longer however, because SMBs are carefully examining the costs and benefits of any new solution. Furthermore, behaviour has shifted significantly resulting in more demand for cloud-based and as-a-service solutions, which have become a key strategy. SMBs are the new ‘enterprise-lite’ accounts The research firm’s predictions point to a shake-up in how vendors and the reseller channel sell to SMBs. 37 per cent of SMBs plan to switch channel partners in favour of an ‘enterprise-lite’ experience of support and services that enable full client lifecycle management such as pre-sales, onboarding, account management, defined touchpoints and communication channels. SMBs will look to managed service providers for more than IT management. IT spending through MSPs is expected to grow by 11 per cent year-on-year from USD279 billion in 2022 to USD311 billion in 2023, driven by the need for end-toTop SMB technology trends in 2023 analysysmason.com
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