A recent survey discovered that small businesses (SMEs) in the UK typically lose almost two hours a week of staff time due to technical problems like slow internet
Small businesses are losing over 98 hours annually due to faulty technology, equating to 12 working days. A survey of 1,000 SME owners revealed that they typically lose one hour and 54 minutes of staff time each week due to technical glitches. Almost a third of respondents cited slow internet as a major hindrance, while another third blamed outdated laptops for regular tech issues.
The survey found that the majority felt their devices always let them down when they needed them most. As a result, 67% have had to cancel crucial meetings, or have missed deadlines. Four in ten also reported they lost out on key business opportunities due to tech failures.
More than one in four complained about incompatible software, and 20% struggled with working on the go due to their worn-out smartphone, as seven in ten admitted that mobile devices are vital to their job.
The study also discovered that small businesses would lose an average of £228,332 per year £4361.70 per week if their work phones were inaccessible.
This research was commissioned by Samsung, which has unveiled a series of movie posters to highlight the impact of defective phones and technology on small businesses.
‘Disconnected: The Silent Office’, ‘The Day the Calls Dropped’, ‘The Ring of Silence’, ‘Business Phone Down’ are all inspired by real sci-fi, drama, thriller and action film tropes. These were released as part of the launch of the Galaxy A Series A56 5G Enterprise Edition which offers a next day replacement service.
While over half (54%) typically replace outdated devices every two to five years, nearly half (47%) confess they’ve tried to skimp on tech quality – only to shell out almost £3,200 each year on repairs and updates.
On average, those surveyed spend an extra hour each week reaching out to IT to fix hardware and software issues, with 59% admitting they sometimes have to put in overtime as a result. Almost six in 10 (58%) say these frustrations hinder their work, and 42% report increased stress as a consequence.
On a positive note, small business owners believe their productivity would surge by nearly 40% if their tech ran more smoothly. Over two thirds think morale within their business would even improve with better-functioning technology.
Annika Bizon from Samsung stated: “Having issues with your work devices can cause a mountain of problems for business, even leading to a loss in revenue.
“We want to have SME owners back by offering next business day replacement ensuring all the productivity with none of the setbacks.”