Vodafone Business aims to help SMEs boost productivity and security

After conducting research that found nearly half of UK small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) felt they could increase profits and efficiency by making better use of digital tools but two-fifths thought they lacked the knowledge to get the most from them, Vodafone Business has curated a “comprehensive” suite of collaboration and cyber security tools for such businesses.

The topline aim of Vodafone’s Your Business Can campaign is to help SMEs easily source the vital digital tools they need to power up productivity and enhance cyber security, creating awareness among firms with fewer than 250 employees of the vast scale of small business solutions beyond mobile.

The research noted that 46% of UK SMEs felt they could increase profits and efficiency by making better use of digital tools, while 40% admitted that they currently lack sufficient knowledge to get the most from them.

The suite of collaboration and cyber security tools encompasses Microsoft Office 365, Vodafone Business & RingCentral Unified Communications, Business Broadband connectivity with Dedicated Internet Access, and business and mobile security from cyber threats with Lookout for Business and Trend Micro.

“This campaign is a testament to our continued commitment to ensuring small businesses have knowledge of and access to the best solutions to help them unlock untapped profitability, efficiency and productivity in today’s increasingly competitive landscape,” said Jo Wedlock, Vodafone Business brand marketing and communications director.

Your Business Can is the second SME-focused campaign launched by Vodafone Business in a matter of weeks. In March, it launched of a channel called IT Hubs, designed to offer new local franchise opportunities in a bid to help organisations save time or resources to keep on top of IT estates or manage multiple suppliers.

This campaign is a testament to our continued commitment to ensuring small businesses have knowledge of and access to the best solutions to help them unlock untapped profitability, efficiency and productivity

Said to be appropriate for “budding entrepreneurs and IT experts alike”, the Vodafone Business IT Hubs channel programme forms part of a strategic drive from Vodafone to help SMEs better manage and get the most from their IT solutions. Vodafone Business believes this can allow IT experts and entrepreneurs across the UK to become their own boss. The target market for the hubs is SMEs that are resource-limited and don’t have their own IT support function. 

Explaining the rationale for the move at the time, Vodafone Business cited research by the British Chambers of Commerce warning that many SMEs need support for their IT requirements. Nearly two in five (37%) believed they lacked the capacity to manage multiple ICT suppliers, contracts and licences, while a quarter (25%) felt their current digital tools were not resilient enough to protect their business from online threats such as phishing, ransomware and password hacking.