72% prioritising tech-enabled experimentation
70% want to unlock full value of their data
87% increasing budgets for third-party service expertise
SMBs are priming their operations for innovation and agility
The journey towards digital transformation has accelerated for SMBs. Cloud solutions, AI, and digital operations at the core are no longer nice-to-have—they’re essential to remaining competitive.
Crayon’s 2025 release of the biennial Future of Operations study analyses the influence of AI on the strategic agenda for the regions SMB decision makers.
Gain a forward view to the Business and IT objectives driving demand for cloud solutions, services and technical capabilities from now into 2027.
Identify what they want and need with the latest Future of Operations* study from Crayon.
Findings Preview
Cloud still the transformative key for SMBs.
The role of cloud infrastructure and platforms in shaping SMB operations is more critical than ever.
Cloud-first remains the cornerstone strategy but SMBs are rethinking ‘cloud-only’ and are adapting their strategies to suit the Age of AI.
47% of SMBs surveyed plan to manage their organisation’s workloads on hybrid cloud over the next two years.
Are you ready to help them expand their cloud horizons?
Business data really needs to get a life.
Data is everywhere, but insights are still hard to come by for SMBs.
Solution adoption intent is over 40% in Business Intelligence, Business Analytics PaaS, CRM and Customer Journey Analytics categories.
Modernised data strategies become critical as more SMBs use AI to drive value from business applications.
They’re scouting for external expertise to meet new data-led needs.
Commercial pressure rising for internal IT teams.
More SMBs expect technology investments to contribute directly to increased business value.
An average 66% of respondents place high to critical priority on KPIs that align and link technology investments and initiatives to strategic business objectives and metrics.
These expectations get passed on to external IT experts.
Business language fluency is a competitive advantage.
Protecting cloud investment gains.
As SMBs increase the pace of digital transformation, safeguarding everything they’ve gained from their cloud investments – and all they stand to gain from AI – becomes the #1 priority for SMBs.
76% of survey respondents see improving security and data privacy as a high to critical priority.
Cybersecurity is finally becoming an all-of-business imperative.
Early AI Upside
- Companies of all sizes and industries are moving at remarkable pace to adopt and implement emerging AI technology.
- AI implementations have attracted significant investment as SMBs seek fast and novel ways to improve customer experience, grow revenue, and drive competitive advantage through innovation.
- Outcomes from early AI investment are positively impacting the bottom line.
- SMBs that have adopted and implemented AI in the past two years outperform on revenue growth compared to businesses yet to get underway.
Emerging Challenges
- IT leaders face tough challenges when aiming to standardise, integrate and scale AI-driven benefits across the whole operation.
- New frictions emerge as Business and IT leadership debate alignment between Cloud and AI strategies.
- The low-hanging, short-term gains from early investments cannot be easily sustained.
- More investment is needed in every domain to fully harness the transformative potential of AI.
- Proving direct contributions to business value from technology adoptions and implementations gets harder and more complex.
Distribution, Done Differently
The biennial release of the Future of Operations studies – conducted by Forrester Consulting and commissioned by Crayon – has tracked how market disruptions affect your customers, your business and your opportunities since 2021.
Findings in the 2025 study release are drawn from responses provided by 673 companies operating in 21 industries, across 8 APAC countries. You’ll be drawing insight directly from quantitative data covering a 50/50 balance of Business and IT professionals, including 60% that are final decision makers and 33% that are part of the decision making team.
Crayon is the only cloud distributor in the APAC region to conduct quantitative studies of SMB operations. Investing in value-add initiatives that inform GTM strategies for our partners and can benefit their competitive posture is part of our commitment to distribution, done differently.
Download the study and stay ahead of changes to SMB customer priorities and buying behaviour
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