Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are going to provide a growth platform for IT vendors in the coming years, says research consultant Arthur Goldstuck.
Goldstuck, who is conducting an SME seminar in Cape Town today, says reliance on the small and medium sector will increase as corporate IT spending stagnates.
"According to the Department of Trade and Industry, SMEs` share of contribution to the country`s gross domestic product will grow to 60% in 10 years compared to the current 35%. If IT companies are to grow their businesses substantially, that is where the growth will come from," Goldstuck told ITWeb.
Adrian Delport, head of HP SA`s Personal Systems Group, echoes his sentiment, saying HP has considerably slowed its advertising targeted at the corporate sector.
"We know that when a large organisation wants to place a large order for PCs or printers, they will approach all the major vendors and they know what is out there. The smaller businesses, on the other hand, need to be marketed to and are proud of the purchases they make," Delport says.
HP is rolling out a worldwide "Smart Office" scheme to give SMEs more access to expertise, reliable technology and business benefits.
Delport says HP will provide expert advice itself as well as through its channel partners and dedicated small business portals in 32 countries. HP is improving channel training so SMEs get better service from HP partners, he says.
The company has announced 20 new products and bundles aimed at smaller businesses. SmartSolutions bundles software, hardware, services and support together. HP is also targeting its storage offerings to attract more SMEs.
Delport says the campaign will include e-mail newsletters that will feature small business success stories.
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