Research

Wireless technology crucial to maintaining business operations One budget area not receiving the funding axe is technology, especially wireless. An AT&T Small Business Technology Poll surveyed 2,000 owners and found 80 percent maintained wireless technology spending in 2010 and expect to rely more on wireless tools in the next two years. Other findings: More than 80 percent use smartphones, such as a BlackBerry, for business operations: checking e-mail, viewing data, surfing the Internet or updating social network sites. 65 percent would find it challenging for their business to survive without wireless technology. Nearly eight in 10 use WiFi hotspots to conduct business-related activities.

Small-business owners face challenges with ever-changing technology
The role at times may be overlooked, but one of the many hats small-business owners wear is that of chief technology officer. The National Small Business Association released its 2010 NSBA Small Business Technology Survey, which details owners’ utilization of technology, time and cost spent on technology, and experience with doing business online. The results showed that the majority of small-business owners spend more than three hours per day on a computer and 98 percent think that even though technology is rapidly evolving, it’s important to keep pace with the change to increase efficiency and grow their business network.

Here are some of the survey’s questions and responses:

Who is primarily responsible for your tech support?

• 36% pay an outside company to handle it
• 36% use a member of their staff
• 25% do it themselves
• 2% use family and friends for help

What are the biggest challenges you face with your company’s use of technology? (Check all that apply)

• 52% security issues
• 51% cost of needed upgrades to technology
• 49% cost of maintaining technology
• 37% time it takes to fix problems
• 31% breaks in service
• 26% lack of expertise
• 13% response time from external technology support

What are the biggest challenges you face with your website? (Check all that apply)

• 69% time it takes to make updates
• 39% cost of maintaining the site
• 16% security issues
• 13% response time from external web maintenance company

Do you sell or market your products or services online?

• 42% market online
• 33% don’t sell or market online
• 26% sell and market online