It is widely known that traditional business models have reached their limits in today’s world. Particularly with SMEs who are conscious of their tradition and have grown over many years, the need for digitalization is becoming clearer from year to year. Those who fail to position themselves with an eye to the future will be overtaken by competitors and new market players.
As many are now aware: Companies are increasing their digitalization budgets year for year. However, mere investment in products and production is not enough. The key is in designing efficient business processes, which now and even more in the future are dependent on fast, secure, and reliable data transmission. And for this, there is a vital basic requirement: A professional, powerful company network.
Read about why SMEs should invest in digitalization and which network requirements must be met.
NIS2 now also applies to SMEs
No company is too small not to attach importance to its own cyber security. In fact, this care will also be required by law in future as a result of the NIS2 directive. Companies with as few as 50 employees or an annual turnover of 10 million are affected in the defined CRITIS sectors. Failure to do so will be very expensive and unpleasant from October 2024 at the latest. Check now whether you are covered by the directive and which requirements you have to fulfil:
According to a survey, German SMEs are climbing the digitalization index point by point.
With a value of 59 points on Deutsche Telekom's digitalization index in April 2022, SMEs are moving in the right direction: This value is up a point over the previous year.
Each year, companies assess their digitalization efforts and the progress of transformation in areas such as customer relationships, company productivity, business models, and security and data protection. They also provide information on their current investment plans.
Which current changes caused by digitalization affect SMEs? For the IT strategy of SMEs, three developments are driving change in the IT network infrastructure:
Requirements of corporate networks
Every company has to meet its customers’ requirements. And these build on digitalization. An integrated, scalable, and resilient IT system is therefore crucial for the future. But what does that mean for the corporate network in concrete terms?
Digitalization in medium-sized companies – a process
The digital transformation of medium-sized companies is not an easy undertaking, but one that is worthwhile: Digitalized companies have a clear competitive advantage. A high-performance and secure IT network is the foundation for reliable business operations and future-proof growth, and it protects companies from damaging cyberattacks.
Digital platforms, services, and working methods (smart working) improve communication and numerous processes, thus increasing productivity and revenues. Those who cleverly use the digital world to their own advantage demonstrate strong brand awareness and bind customers to their own company in a more long-term and satisfying way.
Learn everything you need to know to go through this process safely and at your own pace and scale on our topic pages. Let's tackle your digitalization together!
Identify my digitalization potentials together with LANCOM now
The configuration and performance of the IT network has a direct influence on business success and risks. Only by paying attention to a solid foundation here will the digital transformation of SMEs be a success.
Secure access
Sophisticated cyber-security concepts reduce the threat from cyber attack. Granting remote access to different groups of people – employees, freelancers, teams – and making it easy means unhindered productivity.
- More tips for network security and secure remote access
Transmission speed and quality
Suppliers, logistics, warehouse, and branches: When all of these are well connected, internal business processes can be handled efficiently and products reach the customer more quickly. This development will intensify in the future. To keep pace with this, data transfer requirements must be factored in early on.
Data protection
An IT network that consistently repels intruders and guarantees GDPR compliance will reduce the personal liability risk for SME management in the event of data-protection breaches.
- No backdoors, compliance with European law, GDPR conformity, cloud hosted in Germany: LANCOM demonstrates how IT security made in Germany works.
Data volume
External cloud-based applications are very much in vogue. On the one hand, they reduce IT effort and increase reach. On the other hand, they often require considerable volumes of data to be moved. A high-performance and adequately secured IT network is the fundamental prerequisite for taking advantage of modern applications and staying ahead of the competition.
For strong SMEs
What SMEs need now
SMEs are the top performers in the economy. To maintain business-process quality and competitiveness, the following IT network topics should have priority for digital SMEs.
Digital platforms
Essential component of digital transformation
Leaner processes, new markets, stronger customer loyalty – digital platforms offer a variety of paths to higher added value, and they facilitate entirely new business models. What needs to be clarified is which platform suits the company best.
IT specialists
Strategies for dealing with the IT skills shortage
The search for IT specialists, which are scarce at the best of times, is a major task for SMEs and, with digitalization continuing, the situation is only going to get worse. So we have to get around this problem, if only to ensure IT security, which is so vital for survival.
Since its founding in 2002, LANCOM Systems has not only had to face the challenges of digital transformation itself, but above all has accompanied numerous other medium-sized companies in their digitalization in a spirit of partnership and trust.
We know first-hand how complex this task is and that it has to be solved individually. Get to know a partner who is in the same boat, in the same time zone, and in the same jurisdiction area! Together we will digitalize your company in a way that suits your purposes. We look forward to hearing your story and sharing ours with you.
