{"id":25646,"date":"2026-03-03T22:26:04","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T20:26:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/glossary\/sme-digitization\/"},"modified":"2026-03-06T15:36:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T13:36:11","slug":"sme-digitization","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/sme-digitization\/","title":{"rendered":"SME Digitization"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"glossary-tldr\" style=\"background:#f0f7ff;padding:20px 24px;margin:24px 0;border-radius:12px;\">\n<strong>Key Takeaways:<\/strong> SME digitalization refers to the targeted use of digital technologies in small and medium-sized enterprises to optimize processes, better serve customers, and unlock new <a href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/digital-business-models\/\">business models<\/a>. For <a href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/mittelstand-innovation\/\">SMEs<\/a> in the DACH region, it is the key to future viability.\n<\/div>\n<nav class=\"glossary-toc\" style=\"background:#fafafa;padding:20px 24px;margin:24px 0;border-radius:8px;border:1px solid #e2e2e2;\">\n<strong>Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#definition\">Definition: What does SME digitalization mean?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#status\">Status Quo: Where do SMEs stand in the DACH region?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#handlungsfelder\">The 5 Most Important Fields of Action<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#quickwins\">Quick Wins: Immediately Implementable Measures<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#foerderung\">Funding Programs and Support<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#strategie\">Develop an SME Digitalization Strategy<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#faq\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h2 id=\"definition\">Definition: What does SME digitalization mean?<\/h2>\n<p>SME digitalization encompasses all measures by which small and medium-sized enterprises introduce and utilize digital technologies \u2013 from the basic <a href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/digitization\/\">digitalization<\/a> of processes to the <a href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/digital-transformation\/\">digital transformation<\/a> of the entire business model.<\/p>\n<p>In the DACH region, SMEs form the backbone of the economy: over 99% of all companies are SMEs, employing around 60% of all workers. Their digitalization therefore has not only individual but also overall economic significance. <\/p>\n<p>The particular challenge: SMEs generally have less budget, personnel, and IT know-how than large corporations \u2013 but must compete with the same digital competitors and meet the same customer expectations. The opportunity: SMEs are more agile, make decisions faster, and are closer to the customer. <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"status\">Status Quo: Where do SMEs stand in the DACH region?<\/h2>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/digital-maturity\/\">digital maturity level<\/a> of SMEs varies greatly:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Basic Digitalization (largely completed):<\/strong> Email, office software, website, digital accounting<\/li>\n<li><strong>Process Digitalization (in progress):<\/strong> CRM, ERP, digital workflows, cloud solutions<\/li>\n<li><strong>Digital Business Models (at the beginning):<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/digital-business-models\/\">Online services<\/a>, data-driven offerings, <a href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/ai-powered-business-models\/\">AI utilization<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The most common hurdles: lack of time (daily business takes precedence), lack of know-how, unclear ROI, data protection concerns, and a shortage of skilled IT workers.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"handlungsfelder\">The 5 Most Important Fields of Action<\/h2>\n<h3>1. Digitalize Customer Interaction<\/h3>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/customer-journey\/\">customer journey<\/a> is becoming increasingly digital \u2013 even in B2B. Online appointment booking, digital quoting, customer portals, and automated follow-up make the difference between a won and a lost customer. <\/p>\n<h3>2. Automate Internal Processes<\/h3>\n<p>Repetitive manual tasks cost time and cause errors. CRM systems, digital workflows, automated invoicing, and project management tools create space for value creation. <\/p>\n<h3>3. Utilize Data<\/h3>\n<p>SMEs also sit on valuable data \u2013 but rarely use it systematically. <a href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/data-driven-business-models\/\">Data-driven decisions<\/a>, customer analyses, and performance dashboards provide the basis for better business decisions.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Build Digital Competencies<\/h3>\n<p>Technology alone is not enough \u2013 people must be brought along. Training, <a href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/change-management\/\">change management<\/a>, and digital leadership (<a href=\"\/glossar\/digitaler-reifegrad\/\" style=\"color:#1a5276;text-decoration:none;\">Digital Leadership<\/a>) are at least as important as the right software. <\/p>\n<h3>5. Further Develop the Business Model<\/h3>\n<p>The biggest lever: using digital technologies not just for efficiency, but for new <a href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/revenue-model\/\">revenue streams<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/subscription-model\/\">Subscription models<\/a>, digital services, <a href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/platform-business-model\/\">platform approaches<\/a>, or <a href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/ai-powered-business-models\/\">AI-powered offerings<\/a> can complement the core business.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"quickwins\">Quick Wins: Immediately Implementable Measures<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Introduce Cloud:<\/strong> Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace for communication and collaboration \u2013 implementable within a week<\/li>\n<li><strong>Start CRM System:<\/strong> HubSpot (Free), Pipedrive, or Brevo for systematic customer management<\/li>\n<li><strong>Online Appointment Booking:<\/strong> Calendly or Microsoft Bookings for automatic appointment scheduling<\/li>\n<li><strong>Utilize Generative AI:<\/strong> ChatGPT or Claude for content, research, email drafts, and analysis<\/li>\n<li><strong>Digital Signature:<\/strong> DocuSign or PandaDoc for paperless contract closures<\/li>\n<li><strong>Automate Processes:<\/strong> Zapier or Make for simple workflow automation without programming<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2 id=\"foerderung\">Funding Programs and Support<\/h2>\n<p>In the DACH region, there are numerous <a href=\"\/glossar\/innovationsfoerderung\/\" style=\"color:#1a5276;text-decoration:none;\">funding programs<\/a> specifically for SME digitalization:<\/p>\n<h3>Austria<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>KMU.DIGITAL:<\/strong> Consulting and implementation funding for digitalization<\/li>\n<li><strong>FFG Basic Programs:<\/strong> Funding for innovative digitalization projects<\/li>\n<li><strong>aws Digitalization:<\/strong> Subsidies for digital investments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Germany<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Digital Jetzt:<\/strong> Investment grants for SME digitalization<\/li>\n<li><strong>go-digital:<\/strong> Consulting funding for IT security, digital business processes, and online marketing<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mittelstand-Digital:<\/strong> Competence centers with free consulting and workshops<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Switzerland<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Innosuisse:<\/strong> Innovation funding with a digitalization focus<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cantonal Funding Programs:<\/strong> Various offerings depending on location<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"strategie\">Develop an SME Digitalization Strategy<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/digital-maturity\/\">Determine Digital Maturity:<\/a><\/strong> Where do you stand today? Use a digitalization check <\/li>\n<li><strong>Prioritize Pain Points:<\/strong> Where does analog work cost the most time, money, or customers?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Choose 2-3 Focus Topics:<\/strong> Not everything at once \u2013 concentrate on the biggest levers<\/li>\n<li><strong>Quick Wins First:<\/strong> Start with quickly visible improvements to build momentum<\/li>\n<li><strong>Involve the Team:<\/strong> Digitalization only works with people \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/change-management\/\">change management<\/a> from the start<\/li>\n<li><strong>Apply for Funding:<\/strong> Utilize available funding programs \u2013 often 30-80% cost coverage<\/li>\n<li><strong>Expand Gradually:<\/strong> After quick wins: develop an <a href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/innovation-strategy\/\">innovation strategy<\/a> and evaluate <a href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/digital-business-models\/\">digital business models<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"glossary-cta\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1e3a5f,#2563eb);padding:32px;border-radius:12px;margin:32px 0;color:#fff;text-align:center;\">\n<h3 style=\"color:#fff;margin-top:0;\">Digitalization for your SME?<\/h3>\n<p style=\"color:#f0f0f0;font-size:1.05em;\">We support SMEs and mid-sized companies in strategic digitalization \u2013 from quick wins to new business models.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/business-model-innovation-services\/\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#fff;color:#667eea;padding:14px 32px;border-radius:8px;text-decoration:none;font-weight:600;margin-top:8px;transition:transform 0.2s;\">Discover Our Services \u2192<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"glossary-faq-accordion\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\">\n<h2 id=\"faq\">Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)<\/h2>\n<details itemscope=\"\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" style=\"background:#eaecee;border-radius:8px;margin-bottom:0.75rem;overflow:hidden;\">\n<summary itemprop=\"name\" style=\"padding:1rem 1.2rem;font-weight:600;cursor:pointer;color:#2c3e50;\"><span style=\"color:#666;font-size:0.8rem;\"><\/span> How much does the digitalisation of an SME cost?<\/summary>\n<div itemscope=\"\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" style=\"padding:0 1.2rem 1rem;color:#2c3e50;\">\n<p itemprop=\"text\">Costs vary greatly. Basic digitalization (cloud, CRM, digital tools) starts at a few hundred euros per month. More comprehensive projects (ERP, customer portal, automation) cost 10,000-100,000+ euros. Funding programs often cover 30-80% of the costs. Important: Digitalization is an investment, not a cost factor.    <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details itemscope=\"\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" style=\"background:#eaecee;border-radius:8px;margin-bottom:0.75rem;overflow:hidden;\">\n<summary itemprop=\"name\" style=\"padding:1rem 1.2rem;font-weight:600;cursor:pointer;color:#2c3e50;\"><span style=\"color:#666;font-size:0.8rem;\"><\/span> Where should an SME start with digitalisation?<\/summary>\n<div itemscope=\"\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" style=\"padding:0 1.2rem 1rem;color:#2c3e50;\">\n<p itemprop=\"text\">Start where the biggest pain point lies: Are you losing customers due to slow quoting? Digitalize the quoting process. Do you spend hours on manual data entry? Automate the workflow. The best quick wins: introduce CRM, online appointment booking, generative AI for content and communication.    <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details itemscope=\"\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" style=\"background:#eaecee;border-radius:8px;margin-bottom:0.75rem;overflow:hidden;\">\n<summary itemprop=\"name\" style=\"padding:1rem 1.2rem;font-weight:600;cursor:pointer;color:#2c3e50;\"><span style=\"color:#666;font-size:0.8rem;\"><\/span> What funding programmes are available for SME digitalisation in Austria?<\/summary>\n<div itemscope=\"\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" style=\"padding:0 1.2rem 1rem;color:#2c3e50;\">\n<p itemprop=\"text\">The most important programs: KMU.DIGITAL (consulting and implementation), FFG Basic Programs (innovative projects), aws Digitalization (investment grants), and the AI-Checker (free initial AI consultation). The WKO also offers regional digitalization consulting. Funding amounts are usually 30-80% of eligible costs.  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details itemscope=\"\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" style=\"background:#eaecee;border-radius:8px;margin-bottom:0.75rem;overflow:hidden;\">\n<summary itemprop=\"name\" style=\"padding:1rem 1.2rem;font-weight:600;cursor:pointer;color:#2c3e50;\"><span style=\"color:#666;font-size:0.8rem;\"><\/span> Does an SME need a digitalisation strategy?<\/summary>\n<div itemscope=\"\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" style=\"padding:0 1.2rem 1rem;color:#2c3e50;\">\n<p itemprop=\"text\">Yes \u2013 but not a 50-page strategy. For SMEs, a focused digitalization plan of 2-3 pages is sufficient: Where do we stand? Where do we want to go? What are the next 3 concrete steps? Without a plan, uncontrolled growth threatens: isolated solutions that don&#8217;t fit together, and investments without strategic benefit.    <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"background:#eaecee;border-radius:8px;padding:0;margin-bottom:0.75rem;\">\n<summary style=\"padding:1rem 1.2rem;font-weight:600;cursor:pointer;color:#2c3e50;list-style:none;\">What are the most common mistakes SMEs make in digitalisation?<\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding:0 1.2rem 1rem 1.2rem;\">The biggest mistake is buying technology before redesigning processes \u2013 digitizing inefficient processes just makes them inefficiently digital. Many SMEs also underestimate change management needs, assuming employees will automatically adopt new tools. Another common error is pursuing &#39;digital transformation&#39; too broadly rather than starting with high-impact, focused projects. Successful SMEs typically start with one process or department, prove ROI, then expand \u2013 trying to transform everything simultaneously usually fails.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Related Terms<\/h2>\n<div style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:8px;margin:16px 0;\">\n<a style=\"display:inline-block;background:white;border:1px solid #d5d8dc;border-radius:20px;padding:0.4rem 1rem;margin:0.3rem;color:#1a5276;text-decoration:none;font-size:0.95em;\" href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/digitization\/\">Digitization<\/a><a style=\"display:inline-block;background:white;border:1px solid #d5d8dc;border-radius:20px;padding:0.4rem 1rem;margin:0.3rem;color:#1a5276;text-decoration:none;font-size:0.95em;\" href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/digital-transformation\/\">Digital Transformation<\/a><a style=\"display:inline-block;background:white;border:1px solid #d5d8dc;border-radius:20px;padding:0.4rem 1rem;margin:0.3rem;color:#1a5276;text-decoration:none;font-size:0.95em;\" href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/digital-business-models\/\">Digital Business Models<\/a><a style=\"display:inline-block;background:white;border:1px solid #d5d8dc;border-radius:20px;padding:0.4rem 1rem;margin:0.3rem;color:#1a5276;text-decoration:none;font-size:0.95em;\" href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/mittelstand-innovation\/\">Mittelstand Innovation<\/a><a style=\"display:inline-block;background:white;border:1px solid #d5d8dc;border-radius:20px;padding:0.4rem 1rem;margin:0.3rem;color:#1a5276;text-decoration:none;font-size:0.95em;\" href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/ai-strategy-for-companies\/\">AI Strategy<\/a><a style=\"display:inline-block;background:white;border:1px solid #d5d8dc;border-radius:20px;padding:0.4rem 1rem;margin:0.3rem;color:#1a5276;text-decoration:none;font-size:0.95em;\" href=\"\/glossar\/innovationsfoerderung\/\">Funding Programs<\/a><a style=\"display:inline-block;background:white;border:1px solid #d5d8dc;border-radius:20px;padding:0.4rem 1rem;margin:0.3rem;color:#1a5276;text-decoration:none;font-size:0.95em;\" href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/digital-maturity\/\">Digital maturity<\/a><a style=\"display:inline-block;background:white;border:1px solid #d5d8dc;border-radius:20px;padding:0.4rem 1rem;margin:0.3rem;color:#1a5276;text-decoration:none;font-size:0.95em;\" href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/change-management\/\">Change management<\/a><a style=\"display:inline-block;background:white;border:1px solid #d5d8dc;border-radius:20px;padding:0.4rem 1rem;margin:0.3rem;color:#1a5276;text-decoration:none;font-size:0.95em;\" href=\"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/glossary\/innovation-consulting\/\">Innovation Consulting<\/a><a style=\"display:inline-block;background:white;border:1px solid #d5d8dc;border-radius:20px;padding:0.4rem 1rem;margin:0.3rem;color:#1a5276;text-decoration:none;font-size:0.95em;\" href=\"\/glossar\/geschaeftsmodell-innovation\/\">Business Model Innovation<\/a>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways: SME digitalization refers to the targeted use of digital technologies in small and medium-sized enterprises to optimize processes, better serve customers, and unlock new business models. For SMEs&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24529,"parent":25140,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-25646","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Point-of-New-Business-Model-Innovation-Benedikt-Hasibeder-scaled.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25646","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25646"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25646\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28210,"href":"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25646\/revisions\/28210"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25140"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24529"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pointofnew.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}