New France Num barometer on digital developments in VSEs / SMEs since 2020

Entrusted to the Research Center for the Study and Observation of Living Conditions (CREDOC), this Barometer is a continuation of the BCG-EY study carried out in 2020 and thus makes it possible to measure the progress made by VSEs. / SMEs, especially since the health crisis, and to identify the obstacles and levers to accelerate their digital transformation.

The main lessons of the Barometer

Business leaders are increasing their interest in digital.

78% of executives surveyed consider that digital technology represents a real benefit for their company against 68% in 2020.

VSEs / SMEs are increasingly using digital tools.

66% of VSEs / SMEs surveyed now have a website, excluding social networks compared to 37% in 2020. 43% of them have a platform for sharing documents between employees compared to 17% in 2020.

33% of these companies have professional collaboration tools compared to 21% in 2020.

These positive trends do not apply to all sectors of activity.

Accommodation and catering companies thus come out on top of the most visible companies on the internet, 50% of these companies sell online and 93% have a website or are present on social networks. Conversely, companies in the building and logistics sector are poorly equipped with visibility tools and instead turn to inventory management or invoicing tools.

Some VSE / SME leaders still have reservations about digital technology and new concerns are emerging.

18% of companies surveyed do not yet have any online visibility solution and 13% do not plan to acquire one within 12 months. The reasons are to be found mainly in the irrelevance to the sector of activity, the demand for continuous efforts to update information or in the fear of being hacked.

On this occasion, Alain Griset declared A Digital technology must be a tool at the service of our VSEs and our SMEs to enable them to conquer new markets, improve their customer relations, simplify the daily management of their activity… in one word: to be more competitive. This barometer proves that our action is bearing fruit and that we must, in conjunction with France Num and its partners, step up our efforts to support business leaders wishing to begin their digitalization B.

The lessons of this Barometer confirm an increase in the digitization of VSEs / SMEs resulting from the impact of the health crisis and the measures taken by the Government in particular within the framework of the Recovery Plan (digital diagnostics, France Num check, etc.) . However, the Barometer reveals the need to continue this digital transformation of VSEs / SMEs to train them in the concrete benefits of digital technology in their daily lives and in the development of their activity while increasing their awareness of subjects such as cybersecurity.

To consult the complete results of the first edition of the France Num barometer, click here