Recent Blog Posts

Top 10 SMB Technology Predictions for 2012 from the SMB Group
Last week, we published a report card on our last year’s top 10 market predictions for 2011. Here are the SMB Group’s Top 10 SMB Technology Predictions for 2012! A more detailed description of each follows below. Economic Anxiety Lowers...
Laurie McCabe, SMB Group | 13th December '11

Report Card: 2011 Top 10 SMB Technology Market Predictions
Before developing our 2012 predictions, we wanted to assess how we did on our Top 10 SMB Technology Predictions for 2011. Here’s our take on how we did—let us know what grades you would have given us! And stay tuned for our Top 10 SMB...
Laurie McCabe, SMB Group | 7th December '11

Highlights from the 2011 SMB Group Collaboration Study
The SMB Group and CRM Essentials recently completed the 2011 SMB Collaboration and Communications Study. We asked more than 800 SMB (small business is 1–99 employees; medium business is 100–999 employees) decision-makers and influencers...
Laurie McCabe, SMB Group | 30th November '11

Are Business App Stores Gaining Steam with Small Businesses?
I’ve been reviewing data from our latest survey, the 2011 SMB Routes to Market Study, which zeros in on how SMBs discover, learn about, evaluate and purchase software and service technology solutions. This study was a refresh of our 2010 SMB...
Laurie McCabe, Hurwitz & Associates | 18th November '11

Smarter Commerce for the Midmarket: An Interview with IBM's Ron Kline
In conjunction with IBM’s Smarter Commerce initiative, the SMB Group and CRM Essentials are working on a series of posts discussing how technology is empowering today’s customer, and why companies have to change their approach in order...
Laurie McCabe, SMB Group | 16th November '11

My Love-Hate Relationship With Twitter
If you’re in the IT industry, tweeting has probably become a regular part of your day, like brushing your teeth. I know it has for me, as an industry analyst and researcher. But, since joining the Twitterverse in 2008, I’ve slowly but...
Laurie McCabe, Hurwitz & Associates | 12th November '11

Closing the SMB Business Intelligence Gap
Most small and medium businesses (SMBs) can relate to Albert Einstein’s famous quote that  “Information is not knowledge.”  Many SMBs have plenty of data, but find it challenging to get the insights from it that they need to run...
Laurie McCabe, SMB Group | 10th November '11

Are You Ready? Transforming Your Business for the Smarter Customer
In conjunction with IBM’s Smarter Commerce initiative, the SMB Group and CRM Essentials are working on a series of posts discussing how technology is empowering today’s customer, and why companies have to change their approach in order...
Laurie McCabe, SMB Group | 8th November '11

Dell Boomi: A Microcosm of Dell's New Virtual Era
After attending Dell World, Dell’s first ever user conference a couple of weeks ago, it’s apparent that Dell’s progression towards becoming a pivotal vendor in what it terms the “virtual era” is well underway. And last...
Laurie McCabe, SMB Group | 3rd November '11

Becoming a Smarter Customer
—by Brent Leary, CRM Essentials, in partnership with SMB Group I recently bought a new video camera—a Panasonic AG-HMC150. This was a pretty significant purchase for me because it represents a step up into the semi-pro leagues, as...
Laurie McCabe, SMB Group | 1st November '11