More than 250 UK SME (small- and medium-sized enterprises) managers and owners have been asked about their current procedures, and 73% of those who do not use resource planning and workflow management software “constantly” or “frequently” face errors in manual processes.
The survey by Applied Business also found that 67% do not use a customer relationship management system (CRM). The software provider said a strong CRM helps to organise and segment customers based on their interactions with the business – fostering stronger relationships and providing upselling opportunities.
Here are the other findings:
- 81% of those not using a CRM cited “not knowing where to start” as the main change management challenge
- 50% of respondents admitted not conducting daily backups of IT systems
- 55% have updated their ERP (enterprise resource planning), CRM, or project management software in the last two years
- 26% never upgrade their software
Applied Business also noted that employee resistance was felt most by businesses that change or update their systems every three years; not as much for those who do so within shorter or longer timeframes. It said planning for updates, upgrades, or changes every two years, on average, reduced employee resistance.
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