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Smartphone use increasing among UK SMEs
IT News |
07/09/2010
Smartphones are becoming particularly popular among small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) bosses, a new study has indicated.
Research conducted by The Open University Business School, in conjunction with Barclays and the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants, indicates that 48 per cent of SMEs are using the devices for email tasks and basic web browsing.
In addition, a further nine per cent are planning to introduce smartphone use into their workplace this year, well aware of the potential benefits of the technology.
More entrepreneurial companies are particularly keen to tap into the mobile revolution, it seems, with 65 per cent of fast-growing SMEs using smartphones for business purposes.
Steve Cooper, managing director of Barclays Business, noted that companies are motivated by "the ease, decreasing costs and the exceptional increase in power" being seen in handsets at the moment.
He stated: "We've reached a point where smartphones are running many of the applications that once needed a decently powered laptop. Businesses can log-on, make payments, send through an invoice, do their word-processing and catch up on emails while standing at a patisserie in Lille.
"With around half of businesses already accepting or making payments over the internet, smartphone use looks set to accelerate the trend towards a cashless society."
Colin Gray, professor at The Open University Business School, said a "strong trend" towards increased use of mobile devices had been witnessed in recent years.
He suggested that Britain needs to kick-start and sustain its economy on a longer-term basis, and technology could provide the answer.
Last month, Gerry McLaughlin, an in-house expert at ITContractor.com, claimed that businesses are now recognising the value of IT to their overall operations.
He said that while technology investment was expendable during previous recessions, UK firms were keen to continue spending in this area during 2008-09.
Posted by Jon Aspinell
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