Parks Associates announced new primary and industry research examining the technology needs of SMBs (small-to-medium businesses) in the U.S. market. The international research firm found that 91 percent of U.S. SMBs use antivirus/malware protection software and 77 percent use cloud storage/backup services, although 80 percent of SMBs have concerns about using cloud-based services.

“Certain benefits of cloud-based services, such as the ability to access services from multiple devices, are driving small business interest in these services,” said Patrice Samuels, senior analyst, Parks Associates. “However, adoption has been lower than expected, due in part to SMB concerns with the security of the cloud solution. Providers must assure SMBs regarding the security of their solution and educate them on the benefits of having offsite backups, which help combat significant risks such as ransomware and hardware failure.”

The report Connected Technology for SMBs IT Services, Security & IoT shows that of the 80 percent of SMBs with concerns about using cloud-based services, nearly 40 percent cited security risks as a top concern. The loss of control over the solution was a distant second, cited by one-quarter of SMBs. This report examines the demand for IT services, premises and data security, and IoT systems among SMBs. The research measures the awareness, interest, perception, and adoption of connected technologies, cloud-based solutions, and IT/managed services among SMB decision makers, to reveal opportunities for service providers, manufacturers and IoT solution providers.

Service and Technology Needs of SMBs examines the use of technical products and services among U.S. small and medium businesses within a variety of industries. It studies the primary technical challenges facing SMBs, examines the market for various technical services among this group, and includes a five-year forecast for various IT and support services in the SMB market.