Losses due to lack of technology
Companies are losing a lot of money due to a lack of technology. This is the finding of a study by technology expert Ricoh Europe. It also shows poor access to technology across Europe.
The lack of technology, or rather the lack of know-how, costs European medium-sized companies around 13 million euros. European mid-sized companies believe that, overall, they had on average 15 percent less turnover due to insufficient access to technology. The percentage of lost sales in the respondents' countries varies as follows:
- Italy 18 %
- United Kingdom 15 %
- Germany 18 %
- France 11 %
- Spain 13 %
Switzerland comparable with Germany
According to experts, the situation in Switzerland is similar to that in Germany. The main reason given by 42 percent of respondents for poor access to technology was uneconomical use and inefficient training. Other reasons included the wrong product and service offering by technology providers (33 percent).
A similarly high proportion of respondents felt that their IT team was unable to identify new and interesting products and services (32 percent). This is how you could describe the current technology shortage.
The technology itself and support for installation and use were clearly the biggest problems. Only 12 percent of mid-sized companies said they did not have access to technology for financial reasons.
Small rays of hope
European midsize companies actually have reason to celebrate, as 79 percent had met or exceeded their sales targets by mid-year. Almost all companies surveyed felt that technology had contributed to their success. The most frequently cited single reason for success was optimizing collaboration among employees (59 percent), followed by savings improvements (53 percent).
Companies that had not achieved their targets cited the macroeconomic environment (33 percent) as the most important reason for this.
Optimizations desired
Javier Diez-Aguirre, Vice President Corporate Marketing, CSR & Environment, Ricoh Europe, commented: "Despite the wide range of technologies available to businesses, it is clear that mid-sized companies in Europe do not feel they are getting a good return on their investment. Optimised performance and better collaboration and communication between employees are critical factors for a successful business. Our study has shown that the technology industry has a responsibility to help mid-sized companies take full advantage of these benefits."
You can find further information under www.ricoh-europe.com
