How SMBs are Benefitting from AI

What are the benefits of AI to SMBs? What challenges do they have with it? To find out, we recently surveyed 500 U.S. SMB principals.

The benefits to SMBs vary by size. For very small businesses (VSBs, or those with fewer than 20 employees), the top benefit of AI is improved quality, followed by better marketing and sales, and employees being freed up to be more creative. The top benefit for small businesses (SBs, with 20 to 99 employees) is also better quality, followed by improved customer service and better customer experience and satisfaction. The biggest benefit for midsize businesses (MBs, with 100-500 employees) is faster growth, followed by better IT/data security, and better customer experience and satisfaction.

SMB AI Benefits

SMBs have faced significant challenges implementing AI. For VSBs, the biggest challenges are having a clear strategy for AI, customization, and technical issues. The top challenges for SBs are user training, cost, client resistance, and an outdated IT infrastructure. For MBs, the top hurdles are security and compliance, an outdated IT infrastructure, and the cost.  

SMB AI Challenges

For SMBs using AI, the benefits vastly outweigh the challenges, as indicated by their satisfaction. On a scale of zero (very dissatisfied) to 10 (very satisfied), 46% of VSBs rate AI a 9 or 10, and another 36% rate it a 7 or 8. Satisfaction increases with company size; the respective numbers for SBs are 55% and 33%, and for MBs, 66% and 28%.

SMB AI Satisfaction

Looking for actionable SMB insight? Bredin’s global research gives you high-value insights to improve your go-to-market, product, pricing, UX, and other strategies. We also generate uniquely valuable data for high-impact content, PR, social, and sales support programs.