Tag: Business

Keeping Your Business Running Smoothly: 7 Key Benefits of Outsourcing IT Management

In today’s digital age, technology is the backbone of almost every business. From keeping customer data secure to ensuring smooth network operation, a robust IT infrastructure is crucial for success. However, managing this infrastructure in-house can be a complex and demanding task, especially for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). This is where outsourcing IT management comes in.

What is IT Management Outsourcing?

IT management outsourcing involves delegating the responsibility of overseeing your company’s IT infrastructure to a qualified external provider. This provider, often referred to as a Managed Service Provider (MSP), becomes your trusted partner, handling everything from network maintenance and security to user support and disaster recovery planning.

Why Outsource IT Management?

There are numerous compelling reasons why businesses of all sizes are increasingly turning to outsourced IT management solutions. Here’s a closer look at the key benefits:

 

  1. Cost Efficiency and Predictable Expenses

 

One of the primary benefits of outsourcing IT management is cost efficiency. Maintaining an in-house IT department can be expensive, involving costs related to salaries, benefits, training, and equipment. By outsourcing, businesses can convert fixed IT costs into variable costs, allowing them to budget more effectively. This model also provides predictable monthly expenses, helping organizations manage their finances better.

Outsourcing eliminates the need for significant capital investments in IT infrastructure. Instead, businesses can leverage the infrastructure and resources of the outsourcing provider. This approach not only reduces costs but also ensures access to the latest technology without the burden of ongoing upgrades and maintenance.

 

  1. Access to Expertise and Advanced Technology

 

Outsourcing IT management provides businesses with access to a pool of experienced professionals with specialized skills. These experts stay up-to-date with the latest technological advancements and industry best practices, ensuring that your IT infrastructure is managed efficiently and effectively. This level of expertise is often difficult and costly to maintain in-house.

Moreover, outsourcing providers invest in state-of-the-art technology and tools to deliver their services. By partnering with a reputable provider, businesses can benefit from advanced technologies without the need for significant upfront investments. This access to cutting-edge solutions enhances operational efficiency and competitiveness.

 

  1. Focus on Core Business Activities

 

Managing IT infrastructure can be time-consuming and distracts from core business activities. By outsourcing IT management, businesses can free up valuable time and resources, allowing them to focus on their primary objectives and strategic initiatives. This shift in focus enables companies to enhance productivity, innovation, and overall performance.

Outsourcing IT management also reduces the burden on internal staff, who may be stretched thin trying to handle IT issues alongside their regular responsibilities. With IT management in the hands of experts, internal teams can concentrate on their core tasks, leading to improved efficiency and job satisfaction.

 

  1. Enhanced Security and Compliance

 

In the digital age, cybersecurity is a top concern for businesses of all sizes. Data breaches and cyberattacks can have devastating consequences, including financial losses and damage to reputation. Outsourcing IT management to a specialized provider ensures that your IT systems are protected by robust security measures and monitored around the clock.

Outsourcing providers implement stringent security protocols, conduct regular security audits, and stay informed about emerging threats. This proactive approach minimizes the risk of cyberattacks and ensures that your data is secure. Additionally, outsourcing providers are well-versed in industry regulations and compliance requirements, helping your business adhere to legal and regulatory standards.

 

  1. Scalability and Flexibility

 

Business needs and technological requirements can change rapidly. Outsourcing IT management offers the flexibility to scale services up or down based on your organization’s needs. Whether you’re expanding your operations, launching new projects, or experiencing seasonal fluctuations, outsourcing providers can adjust their services to meet your demands.

This scalability eliminates the need for businesses to invest in additional resources or infrastructure during peak times. It also ensures that IT support is available when needed, without the delays associated with hiring and training new staff. The ability to adapt quickly to changing circumstances gives businesses a competitive edge in today’s dynamic market.

 

  1. Improved Uptime and Reliability

 

Downtime can be costly for businesses, leading to lost revenue, decreased productivity, and frustrated customers. Outsourcing IT management to a reputable provider ensures that your IT systems are monitored and maintained for optimal performance. Providers offer proactive maintenance, regular updates, and prompt troubleshooting to minimize downtime and ensure reliable operations.

Many outsourcing providers offer service level agreements (SLAs) that guarantee specific performance metrics, such as uptime and response times. These agreements provide peace of mind, knowing that your IT systems are managed by professionals committed to maintaining high levels of reliability and availability.

 

  1. Access to a Broader Range of Services

 

Outsourcing IT management provides businesses with access to a comprehensive range of services that may be difficult to achieve in-house. These services can include network management, cloud computing, data backup and recovery, cybersecurity, helpdesk support, and more. Having a single provider manage multiple aspects of your IT infrastructure simplifies operations and ensures seamless integration of services.

Additionally, outsourcing providers often have partnerships with leading technology vendors, allowing them to offer exclusive solutions and services that might not be available to individual businesses. This access to a broader range of services enhances your organization’s technological capabilities and supports its growth and innovation.

Conclusion

Outsourcing IT management offers numerous benefits, from cost efficiency and access to expertise to enhanced security and scalability. By partnering with a reputable outsourcing provider, businesses can focus on their core activities, improve operational efficiency, and ensure that their IT infrastructure is managed effectively. In an increasingly complex and competitive business environment, outsourcing IT management is a strategic move that can drive growth, innovation, and long-term success.

Irish businesses have the potential to deliver quality applications fast and at scale with Automation and AI to support their strategic growth

Globally, CEOs expect their digital product revenues to almost double over the next five years. This projection underlines the urgency for organisations to optimise their modern app delivery processes and capabilities to compete. Delivering quality at scale, however, sees slow implementation due to slow software delivery, developers still spending two-thirds of their time on manual and mundane tasks. With 45% of organisations shifting to a value-led approach by 2025 to remain competitive, the solution is an automation-centric strategic approach.
The organisational design of application delivery and the placement of quality within that value chain are essential to ensuring the alignment of metrics and business objectives at individual, team, and organisational levels.
“AI is no longer a futuristic concept but a present-day reality transforming software development. Organisations can now supercharge the way they deliver software and applications to their customers, by embracing solutions built on AI, automation or low-code.
This is supported by data found in the recent IDC InfoBrief, we commissioned, which highlights how AI and automation are driving productivity and quality.  These valuable insights highlight the key role of quality at all stages of the software delivery process”, said Eduardo Amaral, Quality Management, DevOps & Automation Global Director at Noesis.
According to the IDC InfoBrief, Quality at Scale, 2024 Edition, sponsored by Noesis the use of Generative AI in the development process will lead to increased speed and higher productivity, giving companies the ability to quickly scale up. It also states that modern app delivery is a 2024 priority for 80% of organisations, with business outcomes such as increased agility to meet business requests, faster product development and increased business resilience being the key driving factors.
“If an organisation wants to remain competitive, a value-led approach, leveraging automation and AI, will ensure quality practices become central to software and application delivery” added Amaral.
Noesis, which has recently expanded into Ireland, recognises the potential for Irish businesses to improve their efficiency in delivering software and applications to the market and highly-efficient customer-centric solutions by using technology in the process, from ideation to development, quality testing and delivery.
“Ireland is a very exciting growth market for us, where we see tremendous potential. We know, and we can see this in the research, that there is still a lot of work to be done especially in driving value at scale. To deliver productivity excellence and quality at speed and scale, organisations need a DevOps-centric approach, that considers both culture and practices. Automation is key in this process, but it requires strategic planning, team orchestration, and a well-defined automation strategy. This is where, with our expertise and global footprint and know-how, we can help Irish businesses leap ahead to a very exciting future, that’s full of potential”, concluded Ricardo Batista, Managing Director UK and Ireland at Noesis.
The whitepaper can be downloaded from here

Enterprise Ireland announces client exports of €34.57bn in 2023

Enterprise Ireland, the Irish government’s trade and innovation agency today announced that client exports reached a record €34.57bn in 2023, a new record for Irish exporters, supported by the Agency. Overall non-food exports increased by 8%.

The Agency reported that by the end of 2023, it had surpassed its 2024 target of a 10% increase in the number of companies achieving sales greater than €10m, €20m and €50m. At the end of 2023, a year ahead of target, over 20% growth in each category had been achieved.

Technology and Services exports were up 10% to €8.49bn. Industrial and Lifesciences exports were up by 7% to €10.384bn, while Food and Sustainability exports were down by 4% to €15.691bn, largely impacted by international dairy sales and prices.

The UK, the largest export market for Enterprise Ireland client companies, accounting for 29% of total exports, grew by 6% to €9.97bn. Food exports grew by 7% to €4.76bn. Industrial & Lifesciences exports grew 3% to €3.25bn, while Technology and Services were up 8% to €1.96bn in 2023.

Exports to the Eurozone, the second largest export market for Enterprise Ireland client companies, accounting for 25% of total exports, grew by 2% to €8.61bn in 2023. Food and Sustainability exports of €4.28bn were down 6%, while Industrial and Lifesciences exports of €2.86bn increased by 9%, and Technology and Services exports were up 19% to €1.47bn.

The largest export markets in the Eurozone are Germany, France and the Netherlands. Exports to Germany increased by 14% to €2.33bn while exports to France were up 5% to €1.82bn. Exports to the Netherlands were down 13% to €1.75bn.

The third largest export market, accounting for 19% of total exports is North America. In 2023, exports to the region were up by 5% to €6.48bn. Of which €5.9bn exports were to the USA. Overall, non-food exports to North America, were up 8%. Technology and Services grew by 8% to €2.95bn, and Industrial & Lifesciences exports were up 7% to €2.22bn.

Enterprise Ireland client companies spent €39.3bn in the Irish economy in 2023, including €11.7bn on payroll.

Welcoming today’s results, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke T.D, said: “Across a variety of sectors and international markets, Irish exporters have made significant gains and continue to grow their influence internationally, despite a more challenging international business environment and rising costs. Irish exporters are a critical component of the Irish economy, and the government is committed to supporting this sector to scale to further heights in the years ahead.”

Leo Clancy, CEO of Enterprise Ireland, said: “Today’s results reflect the ambition and tenaciousness of Irish entrepreneurs, who with the support of Enterprise Ireland’s team are scaling internationally at an accelerated pace, with strong gains in key sectors, markets and sales growth by clients.

“Irish exporters have remained committed to investing in the UK, our largest trading partner, and the 6% growth in exports justifies that commitment. While the Eurozone grew by a more modest 2% this can be largely attributed to Food exports to the region being down by 6%. Technology, Industrial and Lifesciences exporters continue to thrive in North America, particularly the USA, with exports in these combined sectors up 8% to €5.17bn.

“Overall, Industrial, Lifesciences and Construction exports have surpassed €10bn exports and reflective of the caliber of Irish software being produced, we would expect Technology and International Services exports will also reach that €10bn milestone.

“Our mission is to accelerate Ireland’s economy with robust job growth and export gains worldwide. As we focus on business growth and expansion, sustainability, productivity and digitalisation will be high on our agenda.”

Sovos and PwC Ireland Join Forces to Transform Business-to-Business E-Invoicing and E-Reporting Implementation

Sovos, the always-on compliance company, today announced a joint business relationship (JBR) with PwC Ireland, leveraging both organisations’ complementary tax compliance expertise and technology solutions to accelerate e-invoicing and e-reporting implementation at a time of increasing government mandates across the EU and the world.

Through this collaboration, PwC Ireland aims to enhances its Tax Technology offering by providing value-added services and further strengthen client relationships. The JBR expands the firms’ collaboration, following the earlier agreement between Sovos and PwC Belgium.

Through this partnership, Sovos and PwC clients will access comprehensive solutions to adeptly tackle ever-evolving regulatory challenges.

The need for skilled compliance guidance increases as more countries introduce e-invoicing and e-reporting requirements. In Ireland, VAT reporting modernisation is imminent, expected to mandate real-time reporting and e-invoicing across business-to-business and business-to-government transactions.

Organisations can automatically identify and document client e-invoicing and e-reporting regulatory requirements across multiple markets, creating a holistic data system of record for global compliance within the Sovos Compliance Cloud.

“By leveraging Sovos’ advanced e-invoicing technology solutions alongside our implementation and technical expertise, we are poised to transform the way our clients manage their e-invoicing processes,” said Johnny Wickham, Tax Technology Partner, PwC Ireland. “Our seamless implementation services will facilitate a smooth transition, allowing clients to fully embrace the benefits of automated e-invoicing and e-reporting.

“Tax authorities are accelerating the global shift toward e-invoicing and e-reporting because digitisation provides accurate, objective data, and even the smallest improvement in tracking businesses’ operations can save a country billions of dollars in lost tax revenue,” said Kevin Akeroyd, CEO, Sovos. “Compliance-related digital transformation also benefits business. A singular data view into their global compliance posture allows the thousands of multinational companies headquartered in Ireland – and those beyond – to unlock tremendous value from these insights; insights that can fuel business growth.”

AI: Your New Companion in Enterprise Business

The landscape of enterprise business is undergoing a fast-paced shift. Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept; it’s rapidly transforming how companies operate, make decisions, and interact with customers. From automating mundane tasks to gleaning valuable insights from mountains of data, AI offers a multitude of benefits for enterprises looking to gain a competitive edge.

Boosting Efficiency and Productivity

One of the most immediate impacts of AI is its ability to streamline workflows and automate repetitive tasks. Repetitive data entry, scheduling meetings, and generating reports are all prime candidates for AI intervention. This frees up valuable human resources to focus on more strategic initiatives and creative endeavours. AI like virtual assistants in call centres and Chatbots have really helped with productivity and with employee burn out. Serving as a real companion to call centre staff.

For instance, AI-powered chatbots can handle basic customer inquiries, freeing up call centre agents for complex issues. In the finance department, AI can automate tasks like invoice processing and fraud detection, reducing errors and improving processing times. These efficiency gains translate directly to cost savings and a more productive workforce. Not just in call centres or in customer service roles we are seeing AI is revolutionising and serving as a companion in various fields, including the marketing industry and content writers. Great writing assistants, such as ChatGPT and the new Google Gemini, help writers churn out content for business blogs, increasing productivity. Additionally, Quillbot assists professionals in PR with speeches, marketing pitches, and grammar checks.

Enhancing Decision-Making with Data-Driven Insights

Enterprises often struggle with the sheer volume of data they collect. AI excels at analysing this data, identifying patterns, and uncovering hidden trends that would be difficult, if not impossible, for humans to see. This empowers businesses to make data-driven decisions that are more likely to yield positive results.

Imagine a retail company using AI to analyse customer purchase history and predict future buying behaviour. This allows them to optimise inventory management, personalise marketing campaigns, and ultimately increase sales. Similarly, AI can be used to analyse market trends, identify potential risks, and optimise pricing strategies. With better data-driven insights, enterprises can make informed decisions that propel them forward.

Personalized Customer Experiences

The key to customer loyalty lies in delivering personalised experiences. AI plays a crucial role in understanding individual customer needs and preferences. By analysing past interactions and browsing behaviour, AI can recommend products or services that are most relevant to each customer.

This level of personalisation fosters stronger customer relationships and boosts brand loyalty. AI-powered chatbots can provide 24/7 customer support, addressing queries and resolving issues in real-time. Additionally, AI can be used to personalise marketing campaigns, ensuring that the right message reaches the right audience at the right time.

 

Innovation and Competitive Advantage

AI is not just about automating tasks; it’s also about unlocking new possibilities. AI-powered tools can help businesses develop innovative products and services, giving them a significant edge over the competition. For example, AI can be used to design and optimise product features, automate product testing processes, and even generate creative content.

Furthermore, AI can analyse competitor strategies and market trends, allowing companies to anticipate industry shifts and adapt accordingly. This ensures that by having a good enterprise internet service ensures you to stay ahead of the curve and maintain a competitive advantage in the ever-evolving business landscape.

Beyond the Benefits: Important Considerations

While AI offers a wealth of benefits for enterprises, it’s crucial to acknowledge the accompanying considerations. Here are a few key points to keep in mind:

  • Ethical Implications: AI algorithms are only as good as the data they are trained on. Bias in training data can lead to biased decisions by AI systems. Enterprises need to be mindful of these ethical implications and ensure that their AI implementations are fair and transparent.
  • Job Displacement: One concern surrounding AI is its potential to displace human workers. While automation will likely lead to some job losses, it’s also likely to create new opportunities. The key lies in reskilling and upskilling the workforce to adapt to the changing landscape.
  • Security Concerns: As AI systems become more sophisticated, so too do the potential security risks. Enterprises need to implement robust security measures to protect sensitive data and ensure the integrity of their AI systems.

The Future of Enterprise with AI

AI is not a passing trend and it’s here to stay. As AI technology continues to evolve, we can expect even more transformative applications for enterprises. The future of business will be shaped by those who embrace AI and leverage its power to unlock new possibilities. By implementing AI strategically, enterprises can streamline operations, gain valuable insights, and forge stronger customer relationships, ultimately achieving sustainable growth and success.

One-in-five businesses in Ireland creating new jobs to handle AI

Expleo today announces new research which finds that 98% of business leaders in Ireland believe AI will have transformed their industry within the next three years. In response, one-in-five (19%) businesses have already created new positions and roles within their company to help them to deploy and manage AI.

Expleo’s new report, ‘Integrating AI: Navigating the next wave of business transformation’, comprises insights from 100 key decision-makers at large- and mid-sized businesses in Ireland, and a further 703 from France, Germany and the UK, to provide a strategic overview of AI adoption and the challenges organisations face when deploying AI.

Adoption of AI gains momentum

Expleo’s research points to a clear shift in perspectives of AI, moving beyond a technology of promise to one of business necessity as enterprises start to demand more from their deployments. This is characterised by four key trends:

  • Deploying AI an urgent priority: Whilst only 26% of businesses here have already deployed AI tools, a further 68% have them in development, under consideration, or plan to deploy them in the coming 12 months. The survey shows that while almost all business leaders in Ireland believe AI will transform their industry in the next three years, just 47% (versus an average of 56% in other markets surveyed) believe AI is currently having a transformative impact on their own organisation and its processes.

 

  • AI will have a real financial impact: The increased urgency to deploy AI at scale is closely linked to a desire to see returns, particularly in areas that directly correlate to the bottom line. Better time-to-market, financial gains, and improved quality (all 94%) were cited as the top three measurements of ROI for AI deployments amongst businesses in Ireland.

 

  • Scaling AI remains a challenge: Despite a clear impetus to begin realising ROI from AI deployments, obstacles remain. Chief amongst these for organisations in Ireland are technical integrations with existing tools (34%) and the imperative to control costs (33%). However, enterprises in Ireland are less likely to foresee barriers to AI adoption than other locations – more than a quarter (26%) do not see any major barriers to deploying the technology, compared to an average of 17% in other markets surveyed.

 

  • Proven expertise is in demand: The complex integration landscape has put AI skills in high demand. 55% of businesses in Ireland are turning to outside expertise to support their deployments today. Equally, more than half (54%) are investing in AI training for employees.

 

Rajesh Krishnamurthy, CEO of Expleo, commented: “AI is a technology for today, not tomorrow. But the optimism that abounds around the technology often isn’t matched by the success of deployments. After years of promise, businesses are at the point where they are demanding to see a return on their investments. The challenge now is to convert promise into meaningful impact.

“Successfully moving AI deployments from proof of concept to production at scale is more than a technical exercise. Capable data scientists are a critical component to the success of AI deployments, but so is business knowledge. Building teams with techno-functional expertise and implementing a process to ensure adoption across the user base will ensure AI applications are both technically sound and generate value too.”

Phil Codd, Managing Director of Expleo Ireland, said: “Adapting at speed to the AI revolution will be crucial for businesses in Ireland, and around the world, in making the most of the opportunities it presents. It is encouraging to see organisations being proactive and planning for the future by creating new roles that can deploy and manage AI.

“With more than a quarter of businesses in Ireland already deploying the technology, what we now hope to see is a continued upward trend in AI adoption in Ireland. With our pedigree as a technology hub, this will put us in a prime position to become a global leader of AI excellence. Now is the time to seize that opportunity with both hands.”

Six steps to successfully integrating AI at scale

In addition to insights from European decision-makers, Expleo’s report offers businesses guidance based on the company’s real-world experience as to how they can avoid common pitfalls when adopting AI tools and successfully integrate them at scale:

  1. Identify a real and viable business model
  2. Evaluate technical and financial feasibility
  3. Choose the right technology architecture
  4. Develop robust and automated data pipelines
  5. Train and validate models on representative data
  6. Monitor and maintain data and models

Through a qualitative survey conducted by leading research firm IPSOS, respondents also provided detailed insights into how the technology is reshaping eight transformative industries: aerospace & defence, automotive, BFSI, energy & utilities, life sciences, manufacturing, retail, and transport.

The full report from Expleo, ‘Integrating AI: navigating the next wave of business transformation’ is available to download here.

Learn more about Expleo AI & digitalisation services.

HP Study: Business and government leaders believe technology is key to expanding economic opportunity

HP Inc. unveiled a new study with Oxford Economics revealing enthusiasm among global leaders to use technology including AI to advance key impact goals.

The study of business executives and government officials in 10 countries found 3 out of 4 leaders believe technology is key to expanding economic opportunity (76%) and that AI will help drive progress towards sustainability and social impact goals (76%).

Further, business leaders are either already using AI or plan to in the next 1-2 years for goals such as increasing access to digital education (90%), workforce development (89%), and workforce diversity (86%).

“AI’s reach holds great promise to help HP accelerate our sustainable and social impact goals,” said Val Gabriel, Managing Director at HP Ireland. “From how we responsibly build AI PCs for first-time users to data scientists who use our workstations to help local farmers build more resilient businesses, this is the technology that can move businesses and our communities forward.”

Accelerating digital equity for 150 million people by 2030

About one-third of the global population remains offline, costing the world billions of dollars in lost GDP each year. The digital divide has been growing since the advent of technology, and AI could exacerbate these disparities if intentional action isn’t taken.

“Everyone deserves an opportunity to access the tools needed to thrive in the digital economy,” said Gabriel. “We know technology can be a great equaliser and a powerful tool to drive progress. Yet, to truly narrow the digital divide in our rapidly evolving world, we must also equip individuals with the skills to use technology.”

In its latest Sustainable Impact report released today, HP announced it has accelerated digital equity for more than 45 million people since 2021, bringing the organisation nearly a third of the way to its goal of reaching 150 million people by 2030.

The rapid progress is a result of innovative partnerships with key organisations that create tailored solutions for communities. HP pursues impactful programs, strategic investments and partnerships that prioritise those mostly likely to experience the digital divide.

In 2023, HP:

  • Supported digital equity solutions developed by ten organisations in Malaysia, South Africa and Mexico with the Digital Equity Accelerator, such as improvements in digital literacy to access employment, access to educational hardware and software in schools and development of digital platforms to support improved health outcomes. In total, the Accelerator reached 6.4 million people in 2023.
  • Launched more than 100 Digital Hubs in partnership with World YMCA to support digital programming and literacy. For example, the West Orem Digital Hub, provided by YMCA Houston in Texas aims to increase community access to educational, economic, and social opportunities for young people, support services for families, and digital literacy courses for aging members of the community. More than 500,000 individuals were reached globally in 2023.
  • Opened two NABU HP Creative Labs in the U.S. and the Philippines, equipping artists and authors with technology to write and illustrate hundreds of books for children in local languages each year. The free books have helped 1.9 million children in 2023 build confidence, connection to culture and literacy skills, a key building block to participation in the digital economy.

Building skills amid the rise of AI

Both business and government officials report lack of skills as a top barrier to meeting key organisational goals, only economic volatility ranked higher.

Skills-building is a core piece of HP’s digital equity approach. As a result, HP is expanding its goal to enrol 2.75 million users in the free skills-building program HP LIFE. The program from the HP Foundation has already enrolled and enabled more than 1.2 million users to access economic opportunities or start businesses.

HP is undertaking new initiatives to expand responsible access and use of AI, the top reported investment area of businesses today:

  • Expand our free HP LIFE Digital Business Skills courses by releasing a new course on AI skills later this year.
  • Kick-off the HP AI in Social Impact Award, in collaboration with MIT Solve, which provides technology designed for building and running AI applications to social entrepreneurs and organisations that use AI to advance education, healthcare, and economic opportunities in communities globally.
  • Debut commercial and consumer Next-Gen AI PCs to market this month, a new category of devices crafted for work and creation.

HP aspires to be the most sustainable and just technology company. HP is committed to continually examining its progress and evaluating further actions to achieve a more equitable and sustainable future.

LeanBPI launches digital fitness check for small business

LeanBPI, the Irish digital growth consultancy for SMEs and microenterprises, today announces the launch of its Digital Readiness Assessment – a personal digital readiness assessment for microenterprise leaders in Ireland. By providing this measurement, LeanBPI will help microenterprises to understand their current capabilities and guide them in adopting appropriate digital technologies.

This will enhance the competitiveness of Ireland’s microenterprises, help ensure their survival in the digital age and open up new revenue streams. In doing so, it provides a vital service to the country’s economy, which is highly reliant on microenterprises.

LeanBPI is partnering with a number of Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) on the rollout of the Digital Readiness Assessment, including those in Tipperary, Offaly, Mayo, Longford, Leitrim and Cavan, with promising take-up across other counties.

Collectively, microenterprises employ 28% of the workforce and contribute 16% to Ireland’s Gross Value Added (GVA). However, due to their size, microenterprises often lack the in-house skills and budgets required for digital transformation.

Minister for Business, Employment and Retail, Ms Emer Higgins, T.D., said, “I’m delighted to welcome LeanBPI’s new digital fitness test. As a Limerick-based digital growth consultancy, working with our Local Enterprise Offices, they play a crucial role in assessing the digital readiness of microenterprises across Ireland. Given that small businesses employing up to nine people make up more than 90% of our business sector, their growth is essential for the Irish economy.

“It’s encouraging to see real-world impact already, such as the experience by the Tipperary-based Crossogue Preserves through digital transformation. Initiatives like this are vital for helping small businesses capitalise on technological opportunities, digitise and modernise effectively. These companies are the heart of our communities, and their success is vital to our economy.”

John O’Shanahan, managing director, LeanBPI said: “Microenterprises make up far more of our national workforce and contribute far more to our economy than people are aware of, but many of them are not realising their full potential due to a lack of digital systems. By helping small businesses to make the most of the opportunities presented by technology, we are modernising microenterprises across Ireland and helping them – and our economy – to flourish.”

The Limerick-based company is working with LEOs across the country and conducting digital readiness assessments, which provide a clear evaluation of the digital readiness of decision-makers in microenterprises. LeanBPI’s appraisal determines a readiness level ranging from high to low, while also assessing a number of key factors – such as optimism, innovation, discomfort and insecurity – relating to businesses’ approach to digital, change and growth. This allows LeanBPI to also provide microenterprises with their digital readiness profile, ranging from ‘Explorer’ to ‘Avoider’. This tailored analysis enables appropriate, actionable plans which will guide microenterprises in effectively integrating digital tools and strategies into their operations.

LeanBPI has been helping microenterprises and SMEs in Ireland to implement digital systems for more than a decade and has a technical team capable of deep customisation to meet the needs of its customers.

Crossogue Preserves

Tipperary-based Crossogue Preserves sells a comprehensive range of more than 250 products from its shop and website, while also providing a wholesale service to hoteliers, as well as a large number of artisan shops and delicatessens. Veronica Molloy founded the nine-person family business and runs it alongside her son, Mark, and his wife, Jennifer. Last year, the company was struggling with an overload of paperwork, manual stocktaking and waste management. To address this issue, Crossogue began working with LeanBPI through its LEO last year and has seen significant benefits since improving its digital capabilities.

The comprehensive digital inventory management system created by LeanBPI, which gives Crossogue’s team oversight on the expiration dates and stock levels of all of its products, has allowed the company to streamline production and online sales, while also vastly reducing waste.  An annual stocktake, which previously took two of its nine staff two weeks to complete every January, has now been rendered redundant. The system instead enables continuous monitoring and assessment throughout the year. The digital transformation has also allowed for future planning, with Crossogue targeting more direct sales through its online business, facilitated by LeanBPI’s digital solution.

Veronica Molloy, owner and founder, Crossogue Preserves, said: “The difference between before and after we started working with John and the team in LeanBPI is night and day. The amount of stocktaking, paperwork, and waste management that was being done by hand was immense and very labour-intensive. With over 250 products, some of which are on a two-year production cycle, having systems to simplify this and help our staff make the most of their time has been invaluable.”

5 Effects of Slow Internet on Business Performance

Successful businesses need a fast internet connection for better performance and productivity. A slow-speed internet can be much greater for businesses, especially those engaged in data-intensive activities. It would slow down their operations and thus make it difficult for them to compete. Let’s look at five effects of slow internet on business performance. 

Decreased Productivity

When the internet is slow, it makes it hard for employees to get work done quickly. Things like opening web pages, downloading files, or working together online take a long time. This means employees waste time waiting instead of getting things done. It can mess up projects, make deadlines harder to meet, and ultimately decrease the company’s profits.

Communication Delays 

When the internet is slow, it makes communication harder. Emails take longer to send, messages might be delayed, and video calls can have a bad sound or picture quality. This not only makes it tough for team members to communicate but also affects customers’ communication. Slow internet can lead to misunderstandings and make it harder to grow the business.

Reduced Customer Satisfaction

When the internet is slow, it can make customers unhappy. A slow internet connection can interrupt effective communication, resulting in unhappy customers. Moreover, in the online world, people expect websites to load quickly. However, if pages take too much time to load, customers might give up and go to another website.

Slow internet can also make it hard for companies to help customers quickly, leading to more frustration and bad experiences.  Moreover, your internet speed also affects the loading times of websites, but does not directly relate to website performance.  You can also run this simple test to access your website speed. 

Delayed Cloud Computing Backup

Many businesses use cloud services to store important data and keep backups. But if the internet is slow, saving this data in the cloud can take a long time. This delay means that if something bad happens, like a cyberattack, it takes longer to get back the saved data. This can make the business stop working for even longer and increase the chance of losing important information, which is really bad for the company. Moreover, it’s important to regularly test the speed of your Vodafone internet to ensure it meets your business needs. 

Loss of Competitive Edge

In business, it’s important to be quick and responsive to stay ahead of others. But if the internet is slow, it can make things harder. Businesses with slow internet might struggle to keep up with faster ones. 

Also, in industries where using new technology is really important, slow internet can make it harder to come up with new ideas and launch new products. This can make it tough for the business to stay competitive.