An overview of the broad trends set to impact SMBs in 2014

1. BUSINESS TRENDS 2014

2. Flexible working +
Helping employees
establish a better
work/life balance
helps retention,
motivation and
engagement
ALTERNATIVE WORKING PRACTICES

3. You no longer
need cash to start
a business
Crowd funding
sidesteps bank
loans, directly
connecting people
to business
ventures
CROWDFUNDING

4. Many top
companies move
processes abroad
for tax reasons, to
reduce overheads
and supply chain
and to focus on
core business
OFFSHORING

5. Mindfulness
courses are
available to schools
and businesses that
understand the
value of meditation
and turning our
attention to the
present
WELLBEING AT WORK

6. Larger companies
are seeing the
brand benefit of
using their power to
support SMBs
Bringing a personal
touch and allowing
localisation to go
global
STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS

7. Companies are
beginning to position
their privacy policy
as a competitive
advantage
Crisis strategies, in
case of a data
security breach, are
also on the rise
PRIVACY BEST PRACTICE

8. Big Data is no
longer just for
geeks it has
become
economically
relevant to
businesses,
creating value by
reducing waste
DATA CRUCIAL FOR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

9. Speeding up the
customer path to
purchase is
happening via NFC
and pre-pay services
for taxis and food
Tablets are ideal for
cashier service
SMBs
SEAMLESS PAYMENTS

10. Many people are
seeking inspiration
from the likes of
Apple, Amazon and
Google to learn how
to better themselves
in the world of work,
leadership and
entrepreneurship
LEARNING FROM THE BIG BOYS

11. Mobile is becoming a
tool for accessing
employment and
income-generating
opportunities
People can also use
their phones to
and mini-CVs
mEMPLOYMENT