📖 What You’ll Discover in the Report
- Problem: SMBs face dynamic challenges in customer engagement, workforce management, and digital transformation.
- Benefit: The report provides insights into how businesses are building trust with customers and employees and transforming operations.
- Future: It explores how technology is helping SMBs grow and what changes mean for their future outlook.
- Source: Insights are based on responses from over 2,500 SMB owners and leaders across North America, Latin America, South America, Europe, and Asia Pacific.
🤝 The Pandemic’s Impact & Vital Support
- Problem: The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges, testing the resilience of SMBs across all industries.
- Benefit: Government and community support proved “absolutely critical” or “very important” for the survival of many SMBs during the pandemic.
- Example: 79% of SMBs in Consumer Goods, Retail, and Financial Services found government support crucial.
👨👩👧👦 Workforce Evolution & Building Trust
- Problem: SMBs had to make significant workforce changes during the pandemic, including offering flexible arrangements and furloughing employees.
- Benefit: SMBs are actively taking steps to earn and deepen employee trust, leading to a more stable and engaged workforce.
- Actions: 51% communicate transparently, 42% respond to personal needs, and 40% ask for feedback.
💻 Engaging Customers in a Digital World
- Problem: SMBs face ongoing challenges in customer engagement, including meeting rising expectations and handling increased competition.
- Benefit: Moving operations online has significantly boosted SMBs’ online presence, helping them reach more customers and streamline processes.
- Impact: 72% of SMBs increased their online presence over the past year, with 27% doing so significantly.
🚀 The Accelerated Tech Journey
- Problem: SMBs need to constantly adapt and invest in technology to stay competitive and meet evolving customer demands.
- Benefit: Growing SMBs are significantly accelerating their technology investments, especially in areas like customer service, sales, and IT.
- Pace: 52% of growing SMBs accelerated their technology investment in the previous year, compared to 36% of stagnant/declining SMBs.
🧡 CRM: Your Customer Relationship Powerhouse
- Problem: Companies often struggle to treat customers as individuals rather than just numbers, leading to unmet expectations.
- Benefit: Implementing a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system helps SMBs gain deeper customer insights and personalize interactions.
- Adoption: 56% of all SMBs are currently using a CRM system, with 71% of growing SMBs having adopted one.
🧠 AI: The Future is Now for SMBs
- Problem: Manual processes can consume valuable time, preventing SMBs from focusing on customer experience improvements.
- Benefit: Leveraging AI allows SMBs to automate routine tasks, freeing up time and enhancing various business functions.
- Applications: 65% of growing SMBs use AI for customer service automation, and 63% use it for data analysis.
🔄 Adapting Operations for Long-Term Benefit
- Problem: The pandemic forced rapid operational shifts, but many SMBs see these as temporary fixes.
- Benefit: A significant majority of SMBs believe these operational shifts will be beneficial long-term, suggesting a permanent evolution in business models.
- Outlook: 80% of SMBs believe the operational shifts they’ve made will be beneficial in the long term.
💖 The Persistent Customer Divide
- Problem: A significant gap exists between customer expectations for personalized adaptation and the reality of feeling like “just a number” to many companies.
- Future: Bridging this divide by adapting to customer needs is a critical strategy for future growth and stronger relationships.
- Data: 65% of customers expect companies to adapt to their changing needs, but 61% feel treated as a number.
📞 Ready to Transform Your SMB?
Inspired by the insights from the Small Business Trends Report? If you’re looking to leverage data, implement powerful CRM solutions, or integrate AI to drive your business forward, PRO CRM is here to help! As a dedicated Salesforce Consulting and Integration Partner, we specialize in helping SMBs like yours achieve their growth potential.
- 📞 Call us: 1300 050 099
- 📧 Email us: [email protected]
- 🔗 Explore our services: Visit our Salesforce AppExchange listing to learn more about how we can empower your business: PRO CRM on Salesforce AppExchange
Let’s work together to turn these trends into your business’s success story!