by Joseph Schum, Sales Director (404) 352-6210 x517
Happy New Year! Welcome to 2009! It’s been quite a start already. While your home or business demands that you cut expenses and, in some cases, your workforce (can you layoff your kids?), your friends in Washington have decided that the best way to weather a downturn within this economy is to spend more and more! What’s wrong with this picture? Before we all get on our individual soapboxes of discontent, I thought I’d share some interesting metrics with you regarding the small and medium business (SMB) marketplace and how it will affect you and your IT investment this year.
To predict the future, we must first examine the past. In 2007, the US spent $194.8B on total IT (seems small to all that stimulus talk, doesn’t it?) while Canada spent $18.4B and the UK $24.5B. So, the US marketplace is still the de facto standard in IT investment. The SMB marketplace is predicted to restrict cash flows approximately 66% this year. However, those that provide IT support, service and consultation in the channel are predicted to see a 20% increase in growth. This reflects certain strength in the IT industry and that our value propositions are resonating with the small and medium business.
What else? Well, while most of the SMB marketplace will curtail spending on hardware and software this year, they will commit dollars to IT management and consulting, but must get more ‘bang for their buck.’ It’s important that what you have is being utilized to its utmost potential. So, when you, the SMB business executive, decide to invest in a formal IT service, support or consultative relationship, you buy for the following reasons:
Competitive pricing
Your provider delivers promised solutions and claims
They provide quality service and support during installation
That they have knowledgeable personnel
Notice that the pundits state ‘competitive pricing,’ not lowest. Because ultimately, you want the best provider with the most value and the greatest sense of the marketplace. Who would’ve thought?
Posted by Elizabethon Saturday, February 14 2009 - 19:00:00 |
