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John Harding , General Manager , Managed Services , Konica

Minolta Australia

THE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT SMES WITH 50 EMPLOYEES OR LESS HAVE SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITIES TO BOOST PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH BETTER APPLICATION INTEGRATION AND AUTOMATION .

digital repository . They can then gradually implement automated workflows for invoicing , document approvals and customer communications .

Optimise the cloud migration journey

With a solid IIM foundation in place , SMEs can then turn their attention to maximising the benefits of cloud technology , which naturally complements and extends information management capabilities . Cloud technology offers SMEs scalable and flexible solutions without heavy upfront IT infrastructure investments . The report states that 76 % of businesses prioritised cloud adoption and optimisation , reflecting its growing importance . Cloud benefits include supporting remote work , facilitating collaboration and providing access to powerful computing resources on a pay-as-you-go basis , all of which significantly boosts productivity .

SMEs can make their systems resilient , accessible from anywhere and easily scalable by moving data and applications to the cloud . Transitioning gradually is ideal , starting with lowrisk , high-reward applications like document storage and collaboration tools . SMEs should choose a cloud provider that offers strong security measures and reliable backup options . Integrating cloud solutions with IIM can create a seamless information flow across the business , enhancing efficiency and supporting remote work .

Leverage integrated applications for productivity gains

The research shows that SMEs with 50 employees or less have significant opportunities to boost productivity through better application integration and automation . While 73 % of organisations expressed satisfaction with their overall IT infrastructure , the data reveals that smaller businesses often under-utilise key productivity tools .

To maximise productivity and reduce costs , SMEs should focus on implementing integrated application stacks that automate routine tasks and streamline workflows . The report indicates that Microsoft 365 , with its 82 % satisfaction rate , provides an excellent foundation . SMEs can build on this by adding complementary applications that address specific business needs . For instance , implementing a customer relationship management ( CRM ) system , which 47 % of small businesses currently use , can significantly improve customer engagement and sales processes .

The key is selecting applications that work together seamlessly . Rather than adopting

30 Intelligent SME . tech