Salesforce, released the new 6th Edition Small & Medium Business Trends Report, sharing insights from 3,350 leaders from small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) across 26 countries—including 200 from India.
The new report highlights how forward-looking SMBs are using AI to drive growth amid the meteoric rise of autonomous AI agents.
Key insights from the research include:
SMBs Embrace AI
- -Globally, 75% of SMBs say they are either experimenting with or have implemented AI, citing benefits to revenue, productivity, and customer experience.
- -78% of SMBs in India are using or experimenting with AI
- -Top 3 SMB use cases for AI in India: Automated service chatbots, Marketing campaign optimisation, and Generate new content
- -93% of SMBs in India with AI say it increases revenue
- -41% of SMB leaders in India worry their company will be left behind when it comes to AI
SMBs Grapple with Growing Tech Complexity. As technology offerings multiply and capabilities expand, SMB leaders face mounting pressure to effectively manage their tech stack.
- -60% of SMB leaders in India say keeping pace with changing technology is challenging
-35% of SMB leaders in India say there isn’t time to master all the tech their company uses - -86% of SMBs in India say improving the quality of their data would increase revenue
Trust Is Paramount in the AI Age. Consumer trust is at its lowest point in years. SMBs are prioritising reliable partnerships as they navigate a world of security risks and rapid technological change.
- -91% of SMBs in India would spend more on tech from trusted vendors
- -Top 3 SMB concerns about AI in India: Security concerns, Compliance concerns/Customer distrust of AI (tie), and Poor data quality
