5 GOALS FOR SMEs IN 2019.

Every year presents a challenge for businesses. It's the time to plan the actions and strategies that will be implemented to improve our competitive position. That's why it's important to plan our objectives so we can allocate our efforts and budget to what truly matters.

According to the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations, there are 9 fundamental objectives or challenges for companies in 2019. Of all of them, we have chosen the 5 that, in our opinion, are the most important:

1. DIGITALIZATION

Currently, digitization has become the pending issue for most companies. Technology evolves daily, and the concept of being “innovative” has lost strength and meaning in a world where “Everything has already been invented”That's why it's so important to stay up-to-date with all the technological changes and new digital tools that come onto the market. Besides this, it offers other advantages, such as optimizing both material and human resources, allowing us to dedicate time to more productive tasks, and the possibility of increasing profits by taking advantage of early payment discounts, as well as having up-to-date information when making decisions, invoicing, and so on.

A great example of innovation is the “cloud computing”".

WHAT IS CLOUD COMPUTING?

Cloud computing offers businesses the ability to access their software, databases, and documents from anywhere. It also allows them to prioritize information for better organization across the network. And it's a fact that investment in this sector is growing steadily. According to an article in "Business Perspectives," 431% of companies will invest in cloud computing.

If you believe your information is exposed or fear it will be lost or deleted, thanks to the cloud, a backup can be made in case of data loss.

At Apen, we provide our clients with the best intelligent solutions and cloud services tailored to each company. A wide range of services allows you to enjoy exclusive features without requiring large investments, while reaping all the benefits of the integrated resources.

2. MARKETING

We sometimes associate marketing and advertising with large companies and multinationals, but SMEs also need one. marketing strategy. Ultimately, SMEs are also businesses and need to convince the public that their product and service is the best. The key is connecting with the market to understand its needs and where we fit in.

It's also very important to work on our brand image. How we want to be seen, what we want to convey, our vision, values, and mission.

We need to create “feedback”"among our users and colleagues in the sector. In this way we establish a relationship that ultimately benefits us, both in terms of our image and commercially.".

3. PROCESS IMPROVEMENT

Before defining “process improvement”, we would need to define what “process”Within the company, we can define it as a sequence of actions carried out in a specific order for the exchange of information. For example, when a customer buys something from a company, the company registers the purchase request, the customer pays, and then the item is delivered. This would be a process. To make it more effective, we need to add "value," for example, by automating product purchase requests.

Clearly, the higher the quality of a process, the faster and more effective everything will be. If a company invests enough in process improvement, the entire organization will benefit, which translates into more profit for the company.

4. DEVELOP NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

It's no secret that small and large companies need to constantly update themselves to be pioneers in the sector and know what the market needs.

Sometimes, a company has a hit product that it exploits to the fullest, but everything has an expiration date, and after a while, the market will no longer need it. That's why it's so important not to rely too heavily on your "flagship product" and to invest in other things so you don't fall behind.

Investment in R&D has become essential to keeping the product portfolio up to date.

5. INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION

Internationalization opens new business avenues and guarantees the company's growth and future. Sometimes our audience extends beyond national borders, and we are compelled to expand our reach.

Furthermore, expanding allows us to diversify our market and improve our investments. These two elements will translate into cost savings, process improvements, increased production capacity, and consequently, higher profits in the short, medium, and long term.

The process of internationalizing is not easy and requires a well-founded plan to establish a presence in a country and adapt to its economy and culture. However, a sound investment will result in a solid plan that will ensure a smooth transition to the new country.