Modern office, hybrid & remote working
WHAT DO SMBS REALLY WANT FROM THE
DIGITAL WORKPLACE?
Synaxon UK recently asked its partners what the main IT priorities are for SMB end-user customers, what they really think about hybrid working, AI and other key technologies. Mike Barron, UK MD of Synaxon, talks us through their responses.
W
Mike Barron, UK MD of Synaxon
hen I was just starting out in IT, a seasoned sales professional told me to always remember that I have two ears
and one mouth. I have always tried to follow that advice, and as head of Synaxon UK, I want to make sure that we listen intently to our partners. I know that our partners take the same
approach themselves and are always listening and responding to the views and concerns of their SMB customers. And of course, what matters to our partners’ end-user customers also matters to Synaxon. We don’t need two ears – we need four or more, because we do a lot of listening. While that’s something we do as part of our
everyday activity, we recently asked several of our closest resellers some direct questions about what their customers really want from technology. We did this partly because we felt we needed to understand exactly what they will want to get from our forthcoming summer partner event, which takes place in Wolverhampton in June. While this was not a structured survey, just a series of conversations that we instigated, it was genuinely valuable and interesting. Here is a summary of what we learned from the exercise.
Price – but not at any cost It won’t surprise you that this is top of the list for smaller businesses, but it’s not just the price that
30 | May/June 2026
has to be right. SMBs also want good, personal service. Tey want to be convinced that the partner is genuinely committed and dedicated to helping them. Tis seems to be about much more than striking up a rapport with the customer – they want to believe in the partner and their ability to deliver. Yes, the prices need to be competitive, but the service and the execution are more important. SMB customers want to feel that their business is genuinely valued by the partner.
Trust is essential Tis is also unsurprising, but it’s worth re-stating that the SMB must feel they can trust their IT supplier partner. But what is trust exactly? It is certainly much more than just getting on with the person you are dealing with, and while knowing that the partner has a good reputation and track record is important, that’s still not enough. Tere must be a genuine feeling that the partner is sincere, respected by its customers and suppliers, and that it has a professional, yet friendly and open approach. Perhaps even more importantly, the SMB customer wants to feel they are on solid ground with a supplier – that they won’t suddenly ‘up sticks’ and disappear, and that they won’t overcharge for the products and services they provide.
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