Top tips guide for SME growth

Transform, connect, protect and grow your business.

Digital cloud technologies give SMEs exciting new ways to reach, win and retain customers at a time when customer expectations are at an all-time high. These tips are designed to help SMEs maximise the rewards and minimise the risks of digitalisation.

Meet customer demand for digital services by digitising your small business

The situation: SMEs are making slower progress towards digital transformation than their larger rivals: 54% of businesses with over 250 employees have increased their budgets for digital transformation initiatives, vs. 31% of companies with 10-49 employees.

Businesses in both B2B and B2C feel pressure to meet customers’ growing expectation

• 75% say customers expect to be able to interact with brands anytime and anywhere via digital channels.

• 68% say customers expect them to offer self-service and subscription purchases.

• 65% say customers demand faster service.

Top tips: Wherever you are on your transformation journey, and whatever you want to achieve, we’ll help you take your next steps with confidence.

• Our experts offer reliable, impartial advice to help you make the right choices.

• From migration services to integration, we won’t stop until everything works.

• A dashboard shows all your services and the outcomes they’re delivering.

• We'll help you deliver seamless digital and/or multi-channel customer transactions and experiences.

Get on top of cyber security, data protection and privacy

Businesses overall are aware that remote working and digital transformation have an impact on information security: 39% of businesses say they are planning education and training around cyber safety and security risks.

But when it comes to SMEs, only a third have even the most basic cyber security measures in place. According to a recent Vodafone report: “This low prioritisation is a real cause for concern. From our research, it’s clear that the reason SMEs are not prioritising cyber security is because they’re not fully aware.” (Vodafone SMEs like Me Report, 2022)

Top Tips: Our security services and solutions protect your customers who want to interact with your business online, and ensure your business is secure.

• Take advantage of business broadband with advanced security built-in, protecting you against new and emerging cyber-threats including ransomware.

• Safeguard your devices with Lookout mobile security protection, and take care of phishing attacks, device-, app- and network-based threats in one service.

• Protect your Microsoft 365 environment by optimising native Microsoft security tools plus specialist 3rd party backup and recovery services if required.

Bridging the digital divide: Supporting SMEs UK-wide

“There is a huge disparity across the regions of the UK in terms of the presence of small businesses and the industries they focus on.” (Vodafone SMEs like Me Report, 2022)

UK SMEs are heavily concentrated in London and the South East (39% and 14% respectively) with the North East, Scotland and Wales underrepresented.

Top tips: We are committed to supporting the levelling-up of the UK, and this is an important place to start.

• Our support for SMEs is inclusive and accessible throughout the UK, so any and every SME can benefit.

• Our award-winning network covers 99% of the UK, including rapid roll-out of superfast 5G for near-zero latency in any location.

“The generally accepted view within the tech industry is that the pandemic has accelerated digital transformation by at least five to seven years and compressed what was initially a five-year journey for many companies into less than five months.” (Vodafone SMEs like Me Report, 2022)

Vodafone Pulse Connect helps SMEs transform, connect and protect their businesses to support growth and drive performance in a changing world.

We are trusted to provide secure connections to organisations including sensitive emergency services, public sector networks and critical national infrastructure including energy providers.

Learn more at Vodafone Pulse Connect

All statistics are from Vodafone's ‘Fit for the future’ report.