At the end of 2024, we examined the trends that will shape how small businesses operate in 2025 and beyond.
From AI adoption to enhanced security platforms, the latest tech trends can increase small businesses’ bottom line and help them overtake the competition. But navigating rapid changes in technology can be overwhelming for SMBs, who need to know:
- What technology is available
- How to use that technology to stay competitive
- How to implement tech without significant disruption
As a Sales Partner, you have the unique opportunity to become a trusted advisor for end-customers facing this transition while driving revenue for your business.
Starting Strategies for Long-term Success
Technology can be a significant investment for small businesses. Stakeholders want to purchase from a person they can trust.
In our recent webinar, Matt Nickel, Sales Director at Mejeticks, outlined two approaches that open the door to larger implementations.
First, start with “squeaky wheel” solutions. These solutions create opportunities to build trust through a series of smaller wins. To find squeaky wheels, look for problems that cause visible impacts on business or disruptions that can’t be ignored, such as poor-performing circuits and UCaaS. These issues are low-hanging fruit for Sales Partners, with easily implemented solutions.
Matt uses an analogy to describe this process: “You don’t know me that well. You probably wouldn’t have me watch your house…but you’d let me mow your lawn. So let’s start with something small and see where we can help.” After gaining your end-customer’s trust and building a working relationship, you can progress to more extensive solutions.
What does that look like? Take that squeaky wheel circuit we mentioned up top: helping a client adopt a new fiber circuit opens the door to discussing SD-WAN. This conversation can shed light on your client’s cloud applications, creating a natural pathway to exploring CX technologies. Now that you’re working with the network and discussing applications, security solutions become an obvious next step. The possibilities are endless.
Uncover AI Opportunities for End-Customers
According to the Chamber of Commerce, 98% of small businesses already use AI-enabled tools, and 77% are gearing up to integrate emerging technologies into their business. We’re not surprised. Small businesses value operational efficiency, a prime use case for AI, as much as they value top-line revenue and bottom-line savings.
Contact centers are the primary use case for AI adoption, but they’re just a starting point. According to Bryan Nelson, a Solutions Engineer at Intelisys, AI in network operation centers, Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, or Anthropic are all low-risk entry points for small businesses.
Over-the-top AI solutions, such as AI-based data analysis tools and AI call routing, can also be a good fit for small businesses looking to experiment with AI. They’re easy to implement because they sit “over the top” of existing phone providers and don’t have to be changed or altered for new providers.
To identify AI-ready customers, look for end-customers who:
- Operate in industries with high adoption rates (i.e., manufacturing, shipping, logistics)
- Are still performing repetitive tasks manually (AI easily lends itself to automation)
- Use tools like ChatGPT in everyday work
- Have competitors who use AI
Despite the rising rate of AI adoption, barriers to AI implementation are common. Roadblocks involving data, security, and governance can cause delays if they aren’t addressed early. A carefully planned implementation process will create the best possible AI packages for end-customers and the best margins for your business:
- AI Assessment: Determine how prepared small businesses are for AI adoption by assessing data architecture, compute infrastructure, use cases, and current AI policies.
- AI workshop: Evaluate the business impact and practicality of proposed solutions
- Proof of concept: Test the selected AI use case to ensure it’s the right solution for an SMB’s needs
Transition Small Businesses to Cloud-Based Solutions
Gartner forecasts worldwide public cloud end-user spending to surpass $675 billion in 2024. However, not every small business is equally prepared to migrate to a cloud solution.
Determine your end-client’s preparedness with a cloud readiness assessment. Used to evaluate whether applications and/or workloads will work well in your end-client’s available cloud environments, an assessment is an easy entry point into selling cloud-based solutions. Sales Partners have found that this evaluation leads to more efficient implementations and better cloud performance.
Private cloud adoption is also becoming increasingly popular among small businesses. These solutions offer better commissions on usage elements than Azure or AWS and, due to associated infrastructure costs, can result in larger deals. Small businesses adopt them for various reasons:
- Licensing challenges
- Maintaining physical on-premises data center space
- Finding and retaining quality technical staff
- Challenges and costs associated with maintaining high uptime power, network connectivity, and physical security
Remember: cloud migration doesn’t have to be a one-time adoption. You can create recurring revenue by identifying ongoing cloud services for simple data backup or disaster recovery solutions. Services like hosting and management, O365, or Desktop as a Service (DaaS) get end-clients comfortable keeping their data in the cloud without the “big bang” migration of their production workloads.
FinOps can also be an attractive value-added service for small businesses that want to make the most of cloud computing. A strong FinOps program builds client trust by ensuring their cloud solutions are cost-optimized and operationally efficient.
To determine which end-customers are ready for cloud migration and which specific services they’ll need, ask these questions:
- Do you have a corporate strategy around moving to or using cloud technology?
- Does your company want to reduce or increase your cloud spend?
- Are you planning to use cloud technology for disaster recovery or data protection?
- Will you continue to operate as a data center business, or do you plan to leverage cloud?
Provide the Latest in 5G Technology
Small businesses within healthcare and urban infrastructure are most primed to adopt 5G through private networks. Some potential end-clients include healthcare companies that want to increase connectivity while adding advanced technology to virtual visits or local governments looking to invest in smart city infrastructure.
Smart Cities leverage 4G and 5G to improve quality of life, enhance sustainability, and drive economic growth. Cities that follow the Smart City model see improved results across sustainability (via smart grids and other energy-efficient solutions), public safety (via smart surveillance systems and emergency communications networks), and citizen engagement, among other metrics.
You’ll need to build a strong foundation to create impactful Smart City solutions. These three phases create natural next steps for additional project phases. Make sure to tackle larger projects first to ensure budget adherence, a significant factor for end-clients in this space:
- Start with a Network Infrastructure Upgrade: First, determine the specific network needs related to bandwidth, latency, and connectivity to ensure the 5G solution can effectively support the desired applications.
- Move to Intelligent Traffic Management (ITM): ITM makes cities safer and more efficient for pedestrians, bikers, and drivers. These advanced communication and surveillance networks require edge-computing and cloud connectivity.
- Add a Smart Energy Grid: A smart energy grid can drastically bolster a city’s sustainability initiatives and create opportunities to sell various solutions, including sensors and enhanced security.
Suppliers in this space will provide a detailed walk-through of what to expect when approaching a Smart City design and where they fit best. Work with a provider with expertise in wireless connectivity and private networks who can offer tailored solutions for specific business needs. And when evaluating both providers and solutions, look for partners that provide scalability and flexibility to accommodate future technology upgrades and increased demand.
Sales Partners implementing Smart City infrastructure solutions should be prepared to commit long-term. This will be a multi-phase project with a timeline exceeding several months. However, hard work will pay off: the sheer scale of a Smart City initiative can significantly impact the community, promote discussion, and create additional revenue streams.
Build a Portfolio of Managed Security Services
Before offering security solutions, you need to understand the gaps in your end-customer’s current systems. Penetration tests and vulnerability assessments are both popular methods. Before recommending a service, contact your regional Intelisys engineer or Security Center of Excellence member for a free half-hour consultation.
You can then use this data to build a comprehensive managed security service offering. MSSPs reduce the number of security employees a small business needs to hire through centralized security operation centers. Potential services could include:
- Managed firewall
- Virtual private networks
- Antiviral services
With experience in engineering and deploying security technologies at a cost-effective price point, MSPs and MSSPs tap into two key value drivers for small businesses: their bottom line and operational efficiency. MSPs and MSSPs can also consolidate security technologies into a single contract and dashboard—a significant benefit for small businesses working with small security teams.
An MSSP opens the door to identity access management opportunities. Identity access management can be added to an end-customer’s existing tech stack or sold alongside cloud technology and AI implementation.
Any end-customer working with a private network needs to be able to monitor the network’s access points, such as towers and access closets. Small businesses are looking for physical door access control, video surveillance, and biometric-connected security solutions.
You may encounter small business owners who believe they don’t need security solutions. After all, they’ve passed their recent compliance audit. But while security and compliance work hand-in-hand, they’re two different frameworks. In a recent video for Intelisys University, James Morrison, Senior Director of Security Solutions, explains the misconceptions around compliance and how SMBs that don’t have the necessary experience or bandwidth get it wrong. As a Sales Partner, bringing in an expert to perform pre-compliance audits will reveal previously unidentified gaps that start conversations about compliance and security.
Excel as an Intelisys Sales Partner
This is just a starting point. The following 12 months present a unique opportunity to drive revenue, build relationships, and empower your end-customers to reach their goals.
Become an expert on the latest technology
As an Intelisys Sales Partner, you have access to Intelisys University—a wealth of digital resources for training your team, increasing your expertise, and becoming a trusted tech partner for end-customers.
Connect with an Intelisys Solutions Engineer
Our Solutions Engineers can explain relevant offerings, their key benefits and features, and how to apply this technology to your end-customer’s most significant business challenges.
Deploy sales enablement tools
Empower your team to drive leads through custom digital marketing assets and content available on Intelisys University.
Take Action in 2025
Become your end-customer’s go-to tech partner in 2025. Head over to Intelisys University to explore over 300 supplier-neutral educational videos and courses or book a call with an Intelisys Solutions Engineer today.
Want additional in-depth education? Join an upcoming SE Webinar from Intelisys.
