- SMBs are suffering due to unreliable Wi-Fi connection
- UK small businesses are losing an average of 11 hours a week to Wi-Fi disruption
- Almost half (47%) of business leaders said they would feel more confident if they could improve connectivity reliability
Small businesses are seeinn major productivity issues due to disruption caused by their Wi-Fi connectivity, new research has claimed.
The findings from Zen Internet claim small businesses are losing an average of 11 hours a week due to connection issues.
And this isn't just a minor annoyance or loss of network - nearly 4 in 10 SMBs say the problems are directly costing them revenue.
Wi-Fi causing problems
The scale of the issue was perhaps best reflected by the finding that almost half (47%) of the business leaders surveyed for the report saying they would feel more confident in their company’s success if they could improve connectivity reliability.
Half of senior business decision makers said poor Wi-Fi coverage inside their premises limits the value they get from broadband connectivity, while 39% say connectivity issues are directly causing lost revenue.
“We often talk about productivity in terms of skills, investment and innovation, but digital reliability has become just as fundamental," noted Jon Nowell, managing director of Zen’s business division.
“For many SMEs, poor in-building connectivity is now a hidden operational cost. If businesses are expected to modernise and grow, the technology experience inside offices, retail spaces and hospitality venues has to keep pace too.”
The research also found connectivity problems were affecting day-to-day running of a business, as 23% said connectivity disruption impacts communication with customers or suppliers.
A similar amount (22%) say it directly slows down operations, 21% said it disrupts digital payments, and 22% said it contributes to lost sales or missed opportunities.
“Small businesses are under pressure to operate faster, serve customers seamlessly and rely more heavily on cloud-based systems, digital payments and connected devices than ever before," added Nowell.
“But too many businesses still have a disconnect between the broadband coming into the building and the actual experience staff and customers are getting day to day."
“You can have access to full fibre, but if the WiFi inside the premises isn’t reliable, businesses still lose productivity, sales opportunities and operational efficiency.”
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