Why SMBs have to rethink their IT strategy and embrace
Digital Transformation

Please feel free to download my article about Digital Transformation with focus on SMBs
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Executive Summary

The business world is in “Digital Transformation.” This document gives you an overview about it, and shows what this means for SMBs in the near future. I will describe the current IT situation of many SMBs running their IT on premises, along with all the challenges they have. Furthermore, I will give you a detailed overview about the cost drivers in IT departments, and constraints created by the past IT evolution.

SMBs have considerable IT environments that are permanently expanding. This results in a growing demand for excellent IT support within these companies. To keep the IT support on a high level, either a continuous investment in the training of IT teams is required, or professional support from external partners has to be purchased.

I have come to the conclusion that SMBs have to change their IT strategy now in order to be successful in the future. They have to be prepared for new competitors coming into their markets. SMBs should embrace the opportunity the Digital Transformation gives them.

The solution delivered by the IT big players for this situation is the “Cloud.” Here, I will describe the benefits that Cloud solutions have for SMBs:

• Lower Hardware Costs
• Fast Response to Disruption, Agility
• Disaster Preparedness
• Sustainability
• Mobility
• Competitiveness and Persistence

Cloud systems are generally considered unsafe, and I will deliver a realistic pro and con comparison of on-premises IT vs. Cloud solutions. This also includes the description of a gap in all current available Cloud solutions: no single Cloud solution provides everything required by SMBs.

My recommendation for all SMBs is this: incorporate your “Digital Transformation Strategy” and define your Cloud strategy. To become “Cloud ready,” SMBs have to invest a considerable amount of time in the process—we are talking about years. Hence, you have to act now. I will provide a practical explanation of what your path to the Cloud can be like.