Are UK IT professionals in SMEs getting the advice they need when it comes to choosing the best cloud and security solutions for their business? According to new research from Sharp this month less than half of those surveyed in the UK felt knowledgeable enough on the benefits of cloud (40%) and IT security (44%). The findings are part of Sharp’s pan-European survey of 5,770 professionals in small and medium-sized businesses responsible for purchasing IT, who were questioned on confidence in capabilities and barriers to investment over the next 12 months.

Almost half (42%) of those surveyed believe they were poorly advised from the beginning and didn’t have good enough ongoing advice and support. In addition, just over a quarter of businesses believe that a lack of employee understanding (26%) holds them back. Less than a quarter (23%) currently have a person responsible for IT internally. Beyond cloud and IT security, the businesses also stated that they were lacking the right knowledge in critical areas such as network limitations (66%), specifications of IT hardware (64%), software licenses (63%) and Office 356 opportunities (63%). When it comes to making the most of investments already made, IT professionals admit a lack of integration with other systems (25%) and overly complicated software and systems (25%) are barriers to getting the best return. Managers’ lack of knowledge (23%) was also cited as a critical factor in preventing businesses leveraging investments effectively.

“In a challenging economic climate, smaller businesses are focusing on efficiency, productivity, profitability, and getting the right value from investments they are about to or have already made,” commented Colin Blumenthal, Vice President, IT Services at Sharp Europe, comments. “But with technology continuously evolving and becoming more complex, sometimes that isn’t as easy as it might sound. Given this, expert advice should always be sought to ensure the right decisions are being made, particularly as SMEs across different industries have specific needs.”

In this issue of the newsletter you’ll find expert insights on how to bridge the cybersecurity skills gap, the true potential cost of a data breach for senior management, the importance of paying off your technical debt and more. Sound advice for businesses of all sizes!

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