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Website development will be a “cornerstone” of business tech investment in the next 12 months, according to the Sage Australia Business Index 2013. The Index, which quizzes 400 business owners and decision makers, most of whom say they are likely to invest in “enhancement of their websites”, and social media as a ” sales and marketing tool,” this year.
“Australian businesses are responding positively to the once-in-a-generation mobile technology revolution that is now under way and are using their new mobility tools to tackle productivity issues head on,” the Index noted.
Staff and workplace mobilisation tools is also on the priority list, although mobile apps are viewed as a lower investment priority, and tend to be of importance for medium to large businesses, only.
The Index also reflects the ‘quandary’ around mobile apps and mobile optimised websites, given the ever-expanding array of mobiles and tablets running iOS, Android or Windows OS, and complexity and expense when trying to deliver a standard mobile experience.
Organisations are becoming “more cautious in their approach to funding and managing multiple customised mobile experiences,” the Index warns.
Currently, just one in six businesses offer all or some services via mobile apps, while just 11 per cent have a mobile or tablet optimised website.
“After two years of declining business performance and confidence, companies are looking inwards to find new ways of boosting productivity rather than relying solely on external factors such as business growth or a market rally,” says Alan Osrin, Managing Director, Sage Software Australia.
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| This year’s Index offers a deeper insight into how businesses are using technology to combat economic challenges, says Osrin.
The tangible return offered by apps is also perceived as lower than for mobile sites, however. One-fifth of businesses quizzed say they have no plans to develop a mobile app or m-website.
However, the Index also shows overall weakening business confidence, particularly among micro and large businesses, as confidence slumps compared to 2012.
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