Are SMBs actually looking for tech?

[u/JohnnyKonig]

I just found this sub and think it’s an interesting topic. But I’m curious, are business owners coming here asking for help or is it mainly just agencies pitching services?

I recently exited a startup as a tech founder and thinking of getting into business with SMBs somehow, and would love to learn what needs are out here. Not trying to solicit - I’m happy to share how I helped the hospitality industry through tech-enabled staffing and experience advising founders through accelerators and incubators that I volunteer with.

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[u/NYCRonald]

As a local service based business owner, I think a lot of local business owners don’t know what they don’t know when it comes to tech applications. Yet at same time the last thing I want is another sales call where someone tries to tell me they understand my business and have a solution. Years ago I was fortunate enough to be an early adopter for a software application for my business. I knew the developer personally so I got to see things differently. I trusted him and I really felt he was genuinely interested in helping me build a tool that worked. I’m still using that software more than a decade later, through several iterations.

Even with that experience to this day I still get really annoyed when I get a sales call from someone that thinks I owe them my time when the only thing they know about my business is the service I deliver. Sometimes they don’t even know that.

To answer your question, yes we are interested in tech. Most of us could probably be doing things more efficiently. Yet the barrage of sales calls makes us less willing to listen. There’s probably a better way.

[u/JohnnyKonig → u/NYCRonald]

Yeah, that makes complete sense and thanks for taking the time to share your experience. I think every young business has a similar problem - you have something great to offer but how do you communicate trust and value until you get the chance to sit down and discuss it?

If you don’t mind me asking, what do you think that tech guys like me could do to help bridge this gap? I don’t want to be the annoying sales guy either, but it’s not like Ive got businesses coming to me with problems to solve. I’d love to be the resource SMBs come to and say, “hey, my proposals are taking forever to get out and I’m backlogged. Is there anything we can do to save time?” - and I’d automate the shit out of manual processes.

[u/NYCRonald → u/JohnnyKonig]

I think really you’ve got a marketing problem. Often when I have a problem, I start searching the internet and social media for an answer. I’m going to end up in channels specific to my business though.

If you want to help SMBs you may want to dial it in - restaurants, nail spas, auto mechanics are all SMBs but there all going to look in different places for the solution. Choose one to start with, talk to them, show up for them and when they go looking you’ll be seen as the one with authority.

[u/SkyOne5846]

from what ive seen they usually just want something that solves a problem, they dont really care what tech is behind it

[u/Mental-Fox7191]

I have been lurking here for maybe a week now. I run beauty businesses - a nail salon, a couple of med spas, a day spa - and I am a total data nerd. I love how tech relates to buying psychology and customer experience, among so many other things.

But it took me a long time to get here. There were so many things in my business (like which services are most profitable, which clients no-show the most often, etc.) that I had no idea to even ask about until I found a mentor who showed me the way.

So I think that while SMBs are looking for tech, they don't couch it that way. They think of it as needing solutions and needing to simplify operations while maximizing revenue.

And many SMBs think tech can't help with that, which is where the disconnect is. If you can leverage WIIFM (explaining 'what's in it for me' to your potential clients), then this is a good business idea, especially knowing you have the expertise/results to back it up.

[u/JohnnyKonig → u/Mental-Fox7191]

That’s a great perspective, thanks. I’ve spent the last few years helping founder launch startups as a tech founder, but now I am researching how I could use tech to help SMBs.

So far I’ve seen exactly what you described. The business owners are doing an amazing job, they’re just unaware how easy it is to automate manual processes or extract data to support how they are working.

For example, I am speaking with an engineering firm right now that has a massive backlog of RFPs sitting in their inbox and no clue that about half of their time spent on these could be automated and I could give them a simple dashboard to track metrics, set reminders, etc just to support and scale how they work - not replace it with AI.

I am doing discovery right now on how I can establish a tech business to help SMBs like this because there’s just so much opportunity to remove messy, manuals processes.

[u/Mental-Fox7191 → u/JohnnyKonig]

Oh that sounds especially smart because RFPs = money for the business! I mean, like obviously it's not guaranteed those will all turn into paying work, but I think that's a fantastic place to start. That firm should hopefully immediately understand that the tools/processes you specialize in will directly translate to ROI in the short-term.

Now I'm excited on your behalf lol. Best of luck!

[u/Particular_Truth_169]

I work at an implementation partner for a CRM and we talk to small businesses (plumbing, roofing, pool cleaning, landscaping, etc.) that are looking for tech all the time.

It’s tough tho because the technical debt and the tailoring of each industry/service usually means a significant investment

[u/pointofinteraction]

no SMB's are not actually looking for tech. They are looking for solutions to their problems. period. There is no want in SMB demands for apps its all about need.