For the 350 small and medium-sized businesses surveyed by Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), upgrades to laptop computers are the top spending priority over the next 12 months. Companies want their employees to be able to move around and are investing in wireless local area networks (LANs) as their second priority. Third on the list is replacing or ugrading existing phone technologies.
When asked what factors are driving their investment in new communications solutions, 46% of the organizations surveyed mentioned savings generated through streamlining business processes. Another 30% said cost-cutting within their information technology and communications spending; while 23% said initiatives to launch new services or capabilities are the driving factor.
"While the majority of businesses surveyed said their current communications system are easy to use and can be operated and maintained at a relatively low cost, these systems are not viewed as a competitive advantage," said John Venator, chief executive officer, CompTIA. "Businesses reported that with their existing systems, they find it hard to manage multiple sources of communications; hard to find people when you need them; and they are relying on devices that perform insufficiently to do their jobs well. Their spending priorities center on solutions that will make their employees more productive and mobile."
The survey, conducted by Framingham, Mass.-based IDC, included responses from a variety of industries with professional and personal services, discreet manufacturing and healthcare combining to account for 38% of the respondents.
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