The New SMB?
According to TechTarget, a small-to-medium sized business (SMB) is defined by number of employees within an organization: 0-99 for a small business and 100-999 for a medium-sized business. Could it really be that simple?
In technology, the lines between the SMB and the enterprise are becoming blurred. The IT needs of the SMBs are becoming increasingly sophisticated while enterprises are simplifying technology needs with a “back to basics” approach – especially given the current economic climate. The end result? A convergence in the technology market as both ends of the spectrum meet in the middle.
In a recent discussion with Curt Franklin, SMB IT editor at InfoWorld, he shared similar insights about the evolving SMB IT market. Once seen as completely separate entities, the similarities between the SMB and the enterprise are now emerging with regard to technology. As Curt mentioned in a recent blog entry, “SMB IT is the same as enterprise IT in everything but scale — SMB owners want the same sort of functionality and quality in their IT services that enterprise CIOs take for granted.”
What does this mean for the technology industry and our clients?
Given the declining manufacturing costs of established technology and the growing SMB market, it’s no surprise that SMB IT needs are drawing so much attention. Technology providers are now charged with creating a wider range of products and services in terms of scale while still delivering high-quality functionality. As technology providers struggle with the balancing act between price and functionality, the SMB market will continue to flourish with the help of the adapted technology tools that emerge.
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Tags: enterprise, IT needs, smb