The Right Technology Can Take Your Business to the Next Level

The incorporation of digital technologies into business operations is becoming an inevitable part of small business development. Small businesses can easily and effectively integrate new technology into their everyday operations due to their organizational structure and a smaller workforce.

Though many small businesses have adopted these technological infrastructures, a majority of them have not yet realized the potential that digital technologies have to enhance their business possibilities. For example, the hardware and software that small businesses use to run their businesses can store large data, which can be analyzed to strategize marketing and business plans. CDW Canada is a leading multi-brand provider of information technology solutions to thousands of business, government, education, and healthcare customers across the country. Their broad array of products and services ranges from hardware and software to integrated IT solutions such as security, cloud, hybrid infrastructure, and digital experience.

CDW caters to small businesses needs by providing them with hardware requirements like laptops, desktops, and other technology. It also serves as a trusted tech advisor, helping clients design, deliver, install, train employees, or even manage their environments.

CDW understands the importance of data and helps small businesses protect and optimize their data by enhancing their technology.

As small businesses increasingly start using digital technologies in their operations, it is crucial to keep the data backed up and protected. There is also a need to keep the network and technical infrastructure efficient and hassle-free to ensure quality customer service and smooth functioning of the business.

Small businesses might not necessarily have the technical knowledge behind data storage and analytics, nor is it cost-effective to employ a technical staff. Instead, small businesses can outsource a technical consultant or service provider as an easy and affordable solution.

CDW

offers services that help small businesses grow by providing technology services that take away some of the team's burdens and allow them to focus on growing the business.

When preparing for growth, small businesses choose the cloud as most digital optimization is initiated through the cloud easily and affordably. However, the CDW 2022 Cloud Report found that more than half of Canadian organizations lack confidence in their infrastructure to support digital transformation initiatives and next-generation workloads. Furthermore, it also found that 79% of IT administration time is spent on non-value-added activities.

As the business grows, so does the complexity associated with its operations. The complexity of the cloud-based infrastructure only increases with business expansion and with small businesses becoming increasingly digitalized. As small businesses have a small workforce, it is not often that their team of employees includes experts in technologies like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure. Think of CDW as an extension of your IT team. The specialists at CDW provide years of experience to assist you in designing, implementing, and managing your technology environments, in everything from roadmaps and adoption to project deployment and lifecycle management.

CDW Managed Services takes care of all these issues and complexities by helping small businesses upgrade their existing infrastructure and supporting their business to ensure the systems are available and running optimally around the clock.

CDW supports its partners at all stages of cloud adoption, whether they are onpremises, migrating to the cloud, or already there.

01

Optimization

Customers expect a constant presence and accessibility from trusted brands in the digital age. But small businesses with limited resources and few IT staff can 't scale their business and ensure customer satisfaction if they can 't provide coverage round the clock.

Through optimization, CDW helps you save on bottom-line costs and be more profitable. They deal with not just hardware optimization but also focus on team optimization, where they take tasks away from your in-house team to help them focus on business growth initiatives.

CDW supports small businesses by covering services from network management to managed security services.

02

Scalability

CDW helps small businesses grow existing infrastructure and to meet their growing business needs. They understand that most small businesses build the business in the cloud, and start-ups no longer buy servers. Therefore, they support business operations that revolve around the cloud and take care of data backup and security considerations, where 24/7 support is crucial.

03

Flexibility

Current hiring practices are oriented toward remote work, and the modern workplace is largely at home. So even if a company still rents office space, it' s more of a collaborative area than a traditional cube farm.

The change in the workplace and work culture means better audio and videoconferencing solutions, which are now more cost-effective than the clunky solutions of the past. CDW partners with all the leading vendors in this space and helps you and your team find the right technology to work flexibly and effectively from anywhere.

04

Financing

CDW helps small businesses find the best financing solution by working with Pitchbook and other funding tools to understand your current funding situation at any time. They understand that most SMBs don 't have net 30 payment terms because they don 't have any credit history. CDW can establish these terms right from the beginning for a start-up that has been funded. They also work with multiple lease and financing partners with various funding sources. CDW provides comprehensive IT solutions by understanding the requirements and constraints of small businesses. For SMBs that don 't have the real estate to hold technology equipment, CDW holds devices for you in their warehouse and ships them directly to new employees as soon as they join the team.

CDW provides services to small businesses with big ambitions. As a company that understands small businesses ' unique challenges, they provide guidance from their IT experts and the right technology from their partners to prepare small businesses to think big.

CDW is a dedicated IT service provider to small businesses. To learn more about their solutions and services, please visit CDW.ca/smallbusiness.

Small businesses must integrate digital solutions and collaborate with service providers to optimize their operations affordably. To read more on these service-based businesses, subscribe to CanadianSME Small Business Magazine https://lnkd.in/dbqmSKN. For the latest updates, visit our Twitter page at @canadian _ sme.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO KEEP YOUR SMALL BUSINESS SUSTAINABLE IN CANADA?

Sustainability is a key element of a successful and ethical business. It is a practice where business operations cause a minimal negative impact on the environment, and eco-friendly policies and practices are prioritized. Small businesses should be at the top of the list when it comes to sustainable practices since consumers value companies that promote sustainability and seek out brands that practice sustainable practices.

Here are the best and most affordable ways small businesses can become sustainable.

A sustainable and ethical business prioritizes conducting business by ensuring its impact on the environment, society, and the economy. Businesses should adopt a policy where they use sustainable resources for their operations, such as employing environmentally friendly resources, practicing animal cruelty-free operations, and using sustainable materials, given the current situation of escalating environmental challenges.

Businesses should adhere to moral standards, such as free trade, to guarantee that their local producers, suppliers, and partners are paid fairly for their products and services. This guarantees a healthy, long-lasting, and trustworthy collaboration that greatly benefits enterprises. Small businesses should constantly take precautions to ensure a positive impact on the neighborhood and environment. Small businesses should adopt eco-friendly operational practices to ensure sustainability. Minute details like choosing non-toxic raw- materials, using biodegradable materials for packaging, creating a workspace eco-friendly, and practicing an environmentally-safe work culture should be carefully considered.

Plastic waste in packaging and shipping is one of small businesses ' greatest waste management issues. Instead of using plastic, small businesses should make use of biodegradable alternatives like cardboard, paper, bagasse paper made from pulp from sugarcane, and biodegradable bubble wrap. These materials have a minimal environmental impact as they break down quickly and effectively and do not contain toxic or ozone-depleting substances.

Choosing Sustainable Resources And Ethical Practices Making Business Operations Eco-friendly

Partnering With Sustainable Businesses And Organizations

The majority of supply chains today are not constructed according to ethical and sustainable principles, and upholding these standards in a competitive market is also a challenge. Hence, finding partners who adhere to ethical and affordable business practices becomes all the more difficult.

Small businesses can partner with local suppliers who follow sustainable product and service practices. Localizing the supply chain benefits the environment by cutting down on emissions and energy use, as well as on shipping and storage. It also ensures an ethical and sustainable business culture and practices and promotes and supports local businesses, local suppliers, and the local economy.

Creating Modern and Digital WorkSpaces Supporting Sustainable Initiatives In The Community

Small businesses can adopt many modern and digital practices that help them reduce their negative environmental effects and build a sustainable workplace. Establishing an environmentally friendly workplace culture that deals with paperless business transactions and processes, building workspaces with natural materials, and adopting policies that reduce resource use and energy consumption are all significant steps in this direction.

Using LED bulbs, encouraging the use of permanent mugs and cups rather than paper cups for office work, and using recycled paper and biodegradable pens are all simple but effective initiatives. These small but significant changes make small businesses go beyond being profitmaking entities to being institutions that contribute to and work to better society. Small business sustainability methods also involve actively supporting local and community efforts to restore the environment. They must support environmental initiatives like tree-planting campaigns or bicycle competitions, which can aid in promoting and raising brand awareness. They can donate a portion of their proceeds to programs or organizations that promote environmental causes. Small businesses might organize fundraisers for community programs that support environmentally friendly practices.

Small businesses

' social and environmental participation will help gain customers ' confidence and trust. It carries the reputation of a business that goes beyond the objective of generating a profit and is socially responsible.

Small businesses should take on greater social responsibility, work to better their local community, the economy, and the environment, and support causes that are important to them. They should incorporate sustainability and ethics into every aspect of their operations by collaborating with ethical supply chains, using environmentally friendly packaging, or making charitable donations. These initiatives prove their integrity as well as help them reach a wide and engaged audience cost-effectively.

Customers concerned about sustainability will actively seek out and promote goods produced by ethical brands. To know more about these sustainable practices and businesses, subscribe to CanadianSME Small Business Magazine https://lnkd.in/dbqmSKN. For the latest updates, visit our Twitter page at @canadian _ sme.

This month, Mitacs launched the Mitacs Skills for Innovation project – which will deliver a series of reports examining the skills needed for different innovation activities across the Canadian economy.

In the first report, Sharpening Canada

’ s Skills Advantage, expert authors Craig Lamb and Dr. Daniel Munro (Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship and Shift Insights) take a deep dive into Canada ’ s biggest innovation advantage: our talent. Drawing on surveys of organizations and interns involved in Mitacs ’ s Elevate and Accelerate programs, the report looks at the general and specialized skills that Canada needs to innovate.

Despite a highly educated population and a labour force of skilled and motivated people, Canada ’ s innovation performance continues to lag behind its global peers. This report seeks to better understand the specific skills that Canadian talent needs to develop to address this gap and complete the full suite of activities and tasks that comprise the continuum of innovation. These can be broadly divided into two categories: general skills, required across all types of innovation; and specialized skills, which some but not all people on innovation teams must have to succeed.

General skills are things like curiosity and creativity; basic data and digital skills such as statistical literacy and the ability to navigate online research; scientific principles and methods such as the ability to develop a hypothesis; and certain social and emotional skills like collaboration, listening, and communication. More specialized skills are things like advanced data and digital skills such as programming, computer science, and statistical analysis; management skills; and design skills, including prototyping, testing, and solutions design.

Sharpening Canada’s Skills Advantage is now available for download.

Mitacs empowers Canadian innovation through effective partnerships that deliver solutions to our most pressing problems. For over 20 years, Mitacs has assisted organizations in reaching their goals, has funded cutting-edge innovation and has created job opportunities for students and postdocs. We are committed to driving economic growth and productivity and to creating meaningful change to improve the quality of life for all Canadians.

Our mission is to build a world-class, diverse community of innovators through our collaborative model, attracting and deploying top talent to the industry, and matching needs with expertise to create ambitious solutions to real-world challenges.

We believe that increasing Canada

’ s productivity and prosperity will be driven by successful innovation and we ’ re passionate about developing the next generation of researchers who will work to fuel Canada ’ s knowledge-based economy.

Did you know that the Government of Canada and Public Services and Procurement Canada are striving to increase the participation of smaller and diverse businesses in federal procurement? Are you interested in learning how to sell your goods or services to the Government of Canada?

Procurement Assistance Canada (PAC), part of Public Services and Procurement Canada, can help! We are here to help smaller and diverse businesses access federal contracting opportunities.

Through the Supplier Diversity Action Plan, we are committed to supporting supplier diversity and inclusive socio-economic growth.

We have six regional offices across Canada that provide a range of services, including seminars and one-on-one consultations, to businesses who need support navigating the federal procurement process.

Recently, PAC launched a coaching service to support business owners from diverse groups who have had limited success bidding on federal contracting opportunities. The coaching service allows them to connect one-on-one with a Procurement Assistance Canada coach and receive personalized support in navigating the bidding process. The goal of the coaching service is to provide the tools these businesses need to find, understand, and respond to procurement opportunities with the Government of Canada.

Check out the coaching service to learn more about business eligibility and the application process. Small Business Month is here, and Procurement Assistance Canada is excited to participate in events to support businesses across Canada. Interested in learning how to sell to the Government of Canada, explore small business support services, and find opportunities to grow your business? Check out these October events in our national calendar. Below is a sample list of events led by the Ontario Region PAC team. Many of these events are open to businesses across Canada.

On November 24-25, 2022, Procurement Assistance Canada Ontario Region will host the annual event: Government to Business (G2B) Information Fair and Workshops. This two-day virtual conference, which is open to businesses across Canada, will focus on small business support services, innovation, new programs and services, and supporting women-led businesses, through a mix of interactive presentations, panels, and networking opportunities.

Interested in attending the G2B 2022 conference? Registration will be available soon.

Similar events are taking place across Canada. Make sure to see our national calendar for more details.

PAC can help you understand how the government buys goods and services and how you can navigate the process to bid on federal contracting opportunities and grow your business.

Contact Procurement Assistance Canada by email or using our national hotline (1-800-811-1148) if you have any questions. To reach the Ontario Region office, call 1-800668-5378.

Saviez-vous que le gouvernement du Canada et Services publics et Approvisionnement Canada s ’ efforcent d’ accroître la participation des petites entreprises, des entreprises diversifiées et des entreprises dignes d’équité à l’ approvisionnement fédéral? Voulez-vous apprendre comment vendre vos biens ou services au gouvernement du Canada?

Soutien en approvisionnement Canada (SAC), qui fait partie de Services publics et Approvisionnement Canada, peut vous aider! Nous sommes là pour aider les petites entreprises et les entreprises diversifiées à accéder aux possibilités de marchés fédéraux.

Au moyen du Plan d’ action pour la diversité des fournisseurs, nous nous engageons à soutenir la diversité des fournisseurs et la croissance socio-économique inclusive.

Nous comptons six bureaux régionaux partout au Canada qui offrent une gamme de services, y compris des séminaires et des consultations individuelles, aux entreprises qui ont besoin d' aide pour s ’ y retrouver dans le processus d' approvisionnement fédéral.

Récemment, SAC a lancé un service d’ encadrement pour soutenir les propriétaires d’ entreprises issus de groupes diversifiés qui ont eu peu de succès dans les possibilités de marchés fédéraux. Le service d’ encadrement leur permet d’ entrer en contact individuel avec un encadreur de Soutien en approvisionnement Canada et de recevoir un soutien personnalisé pour s ’ orienter dans le processus de demande de soumissions. Le service d’ encadrement vise à fournir aux entreprises les outils et les réponses dont elles ont besoin pour trouver et comprendre les possibilités de marchés publics auprès du gouvernement du Canada et pour bien y répondre. Le mois des petites entreprises est arrivé, et Soutien en approvisionnement Canada est heureux de participer à des événements pour soutenir les entreprises de tout le Canada. Vous souhaitez apprendre comment vendre au gouvernement du Canada, explorer les services de soutien aux petites entreprises et trouver des occasions de faire croître votre entreprise? Consultez ces prochains événements du mois d’ octobre dans notre calendrier national. Vous trouverez ci-dessous une liste des événements organisés par l’équipe de la Région de l’Ontario de SAC. Bon nombre de ces événements sont ouverts aux entreprises partout au Canada.

Les 24 et 25 novembre 2022, l’équipe de la Région de l’Ontario de Soutien en approvisionnement Canada sera l’hôte de l’événement annuel : Foire d’information et ateliers Gouvernement à entreprise (G à E). Cette conférence virtuelle de deux jours, qui est ouverte à toutes les entreprises au Canada, portera sur les services de soutien aux petites entreprises, l’innovation, les nouveaux programmes et services, et le soutien aux entreprises dirigées par des femmes, au moyen de diverses présentations interactives, de tables rondes et de possibilités de réseautage.

Vous souhaitez participer à la conférence G à E 2022? L’inscription sera bientôt ouverte.

Des événements semblables ont lieu dans tout le Canada. Assurezvous de consulter notre calendrier national pour plus de détails.

SAC peut vous aider à comprendre comment le gouvernement achète des biens et des services et la façon dont vous pouvez vous orienter dans le processus pour répondre aux possibilités de marchés fédéraux et développer votre entreprise.

Communiquez avec Soutien en approvisionnement Canada par courriel ou au moyen de notre ligne d' assistance nationale (1800-811-1148) si vous avez des questions. Pour contacter le bureau de la Région de l'Ontario, composez le 1-800-668-5378.

A combination of world events have presented labour shortages, supply chain issues, and cybersecurity weaknesses that can cause SMEs to slow, suspend, or even shut down their work. To help business owners understand the risks on the horizon, as well as how to approach them, Capterra surveyed over 500 managers in Canada on the topic.

The business landscape has undergone many changes since the arrival of the “ new normal. ” SME owners don ’t need to be reminded of the challenges that COVID-19, labour market shifts, and overall digitization trends have brought to their door; many have experienced them firsthand.

Expert advice from those in similar positions can help small business owners prepare for and manage these challenges. To collect relevant opinions on business disruptions into a resource decision-makers can use, we surveyed 514 managers of SMEs in Canada on their experiences managing a business over the last two years (for a full methodology, scroll to the bottom of this article). Global supply chains were thrown into disarray with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. However, many managers of companies that sell products are still struggling with supply chain disruptions. Over three-quarters, (76%) of those surveyed have experienced this problem in the last year.

Most surveyed managers (61%) describe this interruption as a “ moderate ” one, though 17% say they ’ ve been impacted significantly. Causes of supply chain disruptions varied, but many were connected to the current instability of supply chains (i.e. supplier-enforced order limits, uncertain fulfillment/delivery times, or relying on a single supplier).

Business owners have little to no control over the operations of their suppliers, but they can prepare themselves in case of emergency. Considering the possible effects of supply chain disruptions can help managers create a strategy for handling them, minimizing potential consequences.

In addition to creating a risk management plan for supply chain issues, SMEs can maintain an up-to-date database that unites information from suppliers, warehouses, and their own organization. Staying on top of supply chain information provides oversight and can even be used to predict upcoming issues. Investing in the right digital network is key, such as inventory management systems that enable real-time tracking and reporting.

Aside from digitizing the inventory process, businesses can also take other measures to offset supply-chain-related bottlenecks. The majority of decision-makers experiencing such setbacks (39%) reported adjusting their product offering based on availability, which helps minimize unfulfilled orders as well as unsatisfied customers. Among other actions taken to address supply chain issues:

34% purchased products so as to ensure sufficient inventory 33% ordered larger upfront quantities in advance 32% worked with local suppliers 22% extended lead times

For those experiencing supply chain disruptions, increasing your retail prices is also an option. While many companies would consider this an unwelcome change, the reality is that 78% of managers surveyed have planned to or have already increased their prices to offset rising supply chain management costs. The unemployment-to-job vacancy ratio in Canada is at an all-time low, posing an obstacle to businesses in all industries. Over a third of SME leaders surveyed (38%) said this issue has affected their business.

The negative implications of the labour shortage go beyond empty desks in the office. More than half of those struggling to recruit talent (58%) said they experienced an overload of work on their existing employees, and nearly half (44%) reported a decline in revenue.

With undesirable effects on both company culture and their overall profitability, SMEs everywhere are wondering how to address the labour shortage. Half of the respondents facing this disruption (50%) have increased their salary offerings to attract more talent. Among the more creative solutions companies employed to combat hiring challenges:

35% considered candidates they would not normally consider 32% improved the benefits related to the job 30% advertised open positions on new platforms 26% worked with HR agencies

With many economic experts predicting continued inflation and perhaps even a recession in the future, non-salary-based solutions to the labour shortage are exactly what SMEs need. Seeking advice from human resource professionals is a great place to start, though it can require an investment. Free internet resources such as the Capterra blog can also offer expert advice on HR-related issues.

Consumer concerns surrounding data protection are on the rise, as are the risks of ransomware, malware, and other cyber attacks. Although 31% of decision-making respondents say they don ’t currently have any security concerns, the majority (69%) reported at least one vulnerability.

To protect against cyber attacks, most company leaders surveyed are using at least one type of security software tool. The most commonly adopted tools are antivirus software (67), firewalls (56%), data backup tools (51%), and email security managers (43%).

Seeing as over a third of managers surveyed (36%) say their company has experienced a phishing email over the last year, email security managers are a great option for cyber protection. However, careless employees were cited as the most common security vulnerability, exposing a need for specific training to ensure compliance with best practices.

In addition to using digital tools and training to keep your organization protected, companies can also create incident response plans to stay focused on business continuity in case a cyberattack should occur.

Predicting upcoming challenges as an SME often requires much forethought and planning, which some may not be able to carry out. Nearly one in five companies surveyed (19%) thought their companies weren ’t investing enough resources in achieving business goals.

When focusing on risk awareness and creating an incident response plan, it’ s vital to plan for the possible interruptions that could happen here in Canada. Local risks and compliance requirements can even depend upon the province; seek out advice from local resources when trying to monitor and manage potential disruptions.

For more research reports focused on Canadian SMEs, visit the Capterra Canada blog.

Services For SMEs in Canada

Cloud services refer to a broad range of products and services, such as platforms, infrastructure, or software, hosted by cloud providers and made available to customers online. They make it simple and economical for user data to move from front-end clients across the Internet to the provider ' s systems and back. This can be achieved with a computer, an operating system, and an internet connection.

Small business owners can use cloud services to improve their operations without investing in additional hardware and manpower to run their businesses. Cloud services help keep the business upgraded and modernized without spending much money on upgrades.

Here are five best cloud services helping SMEs in Canada.

App Studio is an innovative app design and development company trusted by leading global brands. A cut above the rest, they create unique digital experiences and scalable solutions, thereby inducing higher user engagement. AppStudio has been a part of the mobile application development industry for over a decade and has witnessed changes, provoked them, and evolved with the flow of time. They leverage sustained advancements, process orientation, and R&D investments to stay at the forefront of innovation. App Studio is an established cloud service provider with a wide array of products and services that are globally acclaimed.

If you are a small business looking for software development techniques as per customer requirements, visit App Studio at https://www.appstudio.ca/.

7Edge is the Internet' s first company to enable the digital transformation of brands and businesses. Their strategic consulting services leverage the best internet trends and technologies for successful business outcomes, and their experts help make insightful decisions and achieve sustainable results.

7EDGE considers the Internet the heart of their operations and believes that the Internet can be a game-changing phenomenon for your enterprise in today ' s global business landscape. They are committed to impacting brands and businesses by enabling their Internet journeys through strategic consulting services that align with the best Internet trends and technologies.

To expand your business capabilities in an age of rapid digitalization and globalization, visit 7Edge at https://7edge.com/.

App Studio 7Edge

Relevant Software

Nile Bits Cabot Technology Solutions

Relevant Software is an international software development company that designs, builds, and delivers world-class standard products for Fortune 500 companies and promising startups. They unite outstanding professionals wherever they are in the world. Their remotefirst culture, well-built processes, and transparent communication lead to solving business challenges most effectively. In addition, they ensure their employees are provided with tools and resources to stay relevant in a fast-changing world.

They work with a mission to help businesses and startups build the right products costefficiently and scale their engineering teams with the relevant expertise. Their value-based work culture strives to achieve maximum efficiency and increase productivity with the fewest resources.

To get game-changing insights on technology, the future of work, and management, visit Relevant Software at https://relevant.software/.

Nile Bits is a software company that outsources software development and custom software solutions. Their outsourcing software services and solutions focus on secure, scalable, expandable, and reliable business systems. Their low-cost and high-quality outsourcing software services provide clients with value for money and satisfaction.

They receive, analyze, and manage company requirements to provide suitable software solutions that help businesses. In addition, they offer custom software solutions on any scale as they employ the powers of different technologies and combine them seamlessly.

Discover the fastest way to grow your business with the leader in technology at https://www.nilebits.com/. Cabot Technology Solutions is a value-based product engineering IT firm delivering high-value and robust solutions using state-of-the-art technologies. They have over a decade-long track record of successful projects across various industry domains, technologies, and areas of expertise in Canada and the United States.

Cabot' s team of planners, project managers, developers, designers, and testers have delivered over 500 projects across several industry sectors for diverse clients. They envision providing premium software solutions that are the perfect amalgam of design, coding, and integration that have remained a key driver of Cabot' s growth.

To know the best-in-class tools, state-of-the-art technologies and modern approaches to help your business, visit https://www.cabotsolutions.com/.

Small business owners can benefit from these cloud service companies ' expertise and knowledge to maintain their business efficiently and relevant to the fast-changing market trends and operations. In addition, through their digitalized applications, cloud services help ease the burden of managing IT systems and offer software options that automate most business operations that typically need time and effort from the human side.

Small businesses must utilize all the means that help them optimize business operations. To know more about these options, subscribe to CanadianSME Small Business Magazine https://lnkd.in/dbqmSKN. For the latest updates, visit our Twitter page at @canadian _