A new benchmark survey of 500 small and medium businesses (SMBs) in the U.S. and U.K. reveals the evolving IT priorities and attitudes of SMBs. The study finds:

• IT is a strategic enabler: 96 percent of IT managers report their department is viewed as a strategic part of the business;
• SMBs are going mobile: 63 percent of non-IT managers say remote access services make their staff more productive; and
• IT support is getting personal: IT is not just for business devices anymore as 68 percent of IT managers report providing support for personal technology, including computers and smartphones.

With these findings, LogMeIn launches the SMB IT Pulse, a benchmark survey looking at the vitality of small and medium businesses, the relationship between IT and non-IT managers and overall attitudes toward technology. This survey was conducted in the third quarter of 2009 by independent research firm Kelton Research on behalf of LogMeIn, a provider of remote connectivity solutions for small and medium businesses.

"Our first SMB IT Pulse survey indicates that information technology is not only a requirement for small and medium sized businesses, it's a strategic enabler," said Andrew Burton, Vice President of products, LogMeIn, Inc. "Whether end users are remaining productive while outside the office through remote access technologies or IT departments are expanding their support for consumer devices, business managers and IT providers are working together to make their organizations more productive and competitive every day."

Silver Linings
Despite the current global economy, the LogMeIn SMB IT Pulse suggests things are looking up for some small and medium businesses. For instance, nearly one in three (32%) managers surveyed report that revenue has increased in the past year. Moreover, an impressive 64 percent of SMBs report revenue growth taking priority over cost cutting.

Both IT and non-IT managers see the glass as half full. IT managers in the survey overwhelmingly believe that their department is viewed as a strategic part of the business by management, and that it has the resources it needs to function (96% and 88% respectively). Similarly, more than half (57%) of non-IT managers rate the quality of internal IT services provided as above average to excellent.

Getting personal
Nearly seven in ten (68%) IT managers surveyed say their departments provide technical support for personal devices, including smartphones and computers. What's more, over half (61%) of non-IT managers report that some, if not all, the computers they use for work purposes are their own. Even more (68%) say this is true of the smartphones they use for work.

SMBs on the move
Mobility is not just for enterprises anymore. The LogMeIn SMB IT Pulse survey finds more than six in ten (63 %) managers and seven in ten (71 %) IT managers agree that remote access services make their staff more productive. The survey finds that nearly a quarter (23%) of SMB employees work off-site at least once a week and about 12 percent of them work virtually. More than half (51%) of SMBs surveyed plan to increase their use of remote access services over the next six months.

Room for Improvement
One third of IT managers (30%) surveyed find explaining technical terms or programs the most difficult part about working with non-IT. Conversely, nearly the same number (28%) of non-IT managers felt turnaround time/responsiveness to be the most difficult part about working with their IT staff.

Speaking of IT staff, more than six in ten (64%) non-IT managers say their companies operate without self-sufficient internal IT departments and 44 percent of IT manager say they use outsourced services to augment IT service delivery.

Finally, an adoption gap exists for some technologies. For example, adoption of virtual private networks (VPNs) is significantly lower among non-IT managers, suggesting a technical barrier may exist when it comes to traditional VPN technology.

Further information (external website)