Big Data Analytics
SMBs and Analytics: What Don't You Know about Big Data?
SMB Group is planning to launch the 2013 SMB Analytics and Big Data Study this fall. We decided to develop this survey study because even though “big data” is the latest “big thing” in the IT industry, we see a scarcity of quantitative information about where small and medium businesses (SMBs) are on the analytics and big data learning curve.
At the same time, big data and analytics vendors are making enormous investments to develop and market analytics and big data solutions for SMBs. While there’s no question that analytics and big data solutions can benefit SMBs, vendors need a sharper picture of how SMBs view, think about and consume (or not!) analytics solutions in their organizations in order to successfully reach and serve these businesses.
What We Know
We learned in our 2012 SMB Routes to Market Study that SMBs are all over the map when it comes to using analytics in their businesses. While about 41 percent of SMBs use analytics solutions, the kinds of solutions they use range from modules that are part of a business solution (such as CRM or ERP) to advanced analytics solutions such as SAS, IBM Cognos or Tableau. The other 59 percent are getting by with Excel and other homegrown analytics tools.
We also know that the cloud is on its way to becoming SMBs’ preferred deployment method for analytics and business intelligence solutions. Our survey results indicate that among SMBs that deployed analytics and BI solutions over the past two years, 31 percent SMBs chose to deploy a cloud-based solution. Looking ahead, 53 percent of SMBs planning to deploy an analytics solutions believe they will select a cloud offering.
Over the last few months, SMB Group has also been involved in different qualitative projects to understand how SMBs are using advanced analytics in their businesses. We’ve interviewed many early adopter SMBs about why they decided to step up from homegrown Excel spreadsheets to more advanced analytics solutions, and I’ve shared a their experiences in the posts noted at the end of this post.
What We Don’t Know Enough About–Yet!
The SMB Group’s 2013 SMB Analytics and Big Data Study will drill down to more comprehensively understand and gain quantitative metrics about SMB decision makers’ attitudes and practices regarding analytics and big data. It will answer questions that we have yet to see strong, quantifiable answers to, including:
- SMBs’ views and understanding of big data, analytics, and related terms.
- Drivers and inhibitors for analytics solutions.
- Whether, how and how quickly SMBs’ are transforming their businesses for a data-driven world.
- Current use of analytics for business decision-making in different departments and across the business.
- Who creates and who consumes analytics?
- What are they using it for and how do they consume it?
- What are SMBs’ appetite, readiness and budget to adopt more advanced solutions than what they are using today?
- What internal expertise do they have available to help with solution selection, implementation, integration, business process, etc.?
- What do they need external resources for?
What Do You Need Answers To?
We also know that we haven’t thought of all the questions that need answers. So we’d love for you to be one of our survey sponsors, of course, and work with us one-on-one to help further define the questions and scope of this study.
Even if you’re not able to sponsor the study, we’re still very interested in finding out what questions you think we should try to answer in this study. Please take a moment and share your ideas in the comments section. Thank you!
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- Consultant
Laurie McCabe
Expert in Cloud Computing and Business Solutions
