Industry

SMEs, management applications increase efficiency by 85%

The introduction of advanced digital solutions increases productivity and improves data culture, according to a report by the PoliMi Observatory

by Gianni Rusconi

5 June 2025

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3' min read

Key points

What are the advantages of digital?
Efficiency improves by 85%
Rorato: "This improves data culture"

3' min read

Adopting integrated management applications and advanced digital tools can be synonymous with substantial operational benefits for small and medium-sized Italian companies active in the world of managed orders. In essence, we are talking about average hourly savings of up to 65% in the management of human resources and customers, and as much as 75% in invoicing-related activities. The data emerges from a study conducted by the Osservatorio Innovazione Digitale nelle Pmi (Digital Innovation Observatory in SMEs) of the School of Management of the Politecnico di Milano on behalf of Akeron, a Tuscan company (from Lucca) specialising in software solutions for the professional and corporate world.

What are the advantages of digital?

The survey measured, according to quantitative and qualitative parameters, the impact of one of these solutions (Tarko) by comparing time and processes before and after the adoption of the platform and observing its impact in depth. The experts' attention focused, in particular, on the measurement of efficiency, a fundamental component for those working on job orders to ensure adherence to delivery times, control of the progress of work and any corrective actions, the achievement of pre-established marginality objectives, and the production of reports.

Where and how can digital technology play a crucial role in these processes? The answer is explicit: in enabling information flows that are properly structured, secure and based on unambiguous data. In cases of fragmented data management, in fact, the risk of making surveys approximate increases exponentially, and with it the level of uncertainty of the results.

The research, in this sense, confirms how the adoption and use of software specifically designed for order management can significantly improve knowledge management and the quality of business processes, not only in terms of production (with the reduction of operating times) but also in terms of internal collaboration, greater transparency of 'data sources' and (last but not least) the ability to free up resources to be allocated to higher value activities.

Efficiency improves by 85%

The percentages measuring the achievable benefits are eloquent: they range from 85 per cent increased efficiency in managing employee time and attendance to 80 per cent increased speed in processing leads and transforming them into concrete opportunities, from 70 per cent additional productivity in rescheduling 'off-track' projects to 80 per cent that can be achieved in management reporting.

Rorato: 'This improves data culture'

Claudio Rorato, Director of the Osservatorio Innovazione Digitale nelle Pmi (Observatory for Digital Innovation in SMEs), pointed out that time savings are actually 'just the tip of the iceberg, because behind it there is a path of standardisation, awareness and data culture. Companies that embark on this path improve their ability to monitor work processes, to meet contractually defined deadlines with customers, and to profile human resources, increasing the performance of project teams'.

Change, however, passes (also) through the perception of the difference between cost and investment, and not all Italian SMEs are ready to face this transition. "The world of services," the expert explained to Il Sole 24 Ore, "tends to be more evolved and has higher levels of technological adoption than the average for other businesses. Smaller companies, on the other hand, are less inclined to devote time to training and the introduction of integrated digital solutions, because they have less structured work processes and are concentrated on a smaller number of people'.

However, the road is marked and not even the existing IT infrastructure, however obsolete it may be at times, should be considered as an obstacle to change: it only becomes (an obstacle) if it is perceived in static and not dynamic terms. "Technologies," Rorato pointed out in this regard, "need to be renewed and adapted to the company's new strategic objectives, and cloud solutions and as-a-service applications help to streamline certain processes, from back-up to security, that would otherwise have to be overseen in-house.

Finally, around the corner, there is artificial intelligence and its ability to process data faster, to make more reliable estimates and to raise the level of forecasting activity to a financial level. First, however, SMEs need to develop a process culture and seize the opportunity to link the different activities associated with a job order and the benefits that arise from integrating operations and the financial dimension.

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