What SOHO Looks Like in Africa EMEA India and LATAM

Among the many effects caused by this endless pandemic, one that could be anticipated was the division and transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs or SMBs) into small offices and home offices (SOHO). Quarantines and the consequent need for telecommuting forced public and private companies to have large portions of their workforce working remotely, turning our homes into our offices.

This urgent change not only forced workers and families to adapt parts of their homes into a workplace or a classroom but also generated the need to incorporate local and remote devices, tools and solutions to continue this new normality. Connectivity, printing solutions, information security, and cloud-based platforms were some of the many elements that each company and each worker had to update, incorporate or acquire to face this unprecedented situation.

It is not surprising that currently in Latin America, the reduction in commercial activities as well as in personal monthly income, smartphones, printers, smart TVs, notebooks and any technological device that improves productivity are in high demand.

But in turn, the implementation in homes of work solutions typically applied in the SMB segment was promoted.
For example in the printing sector, the regional trend demonstrates increased popularity in ink tank-based printing devices, since their acquisition and maintenance costs are more attractive than laser-based devices, which are so common in the office environment.

The trend to telecommute is not a novelty, but a reality that has been growing for many years and to which COVID-19 has drawn attention. There are even strong indications that many companies will continue to adopt work-from-home policies. This will change current business models and open an interesting business opportunity for those seeking to offer solutions for the SMB segment and that is scalable in the SOHO market.

Remote Working in the New Normal: SOHO in Europe—Mark Dawson

Here in Europe, home office working is normal now. How will it look once we have a vaccine? Will office workers return en masse to the corporate office?

There are advantages and disadvantages. My experience is positive. I have a 50-minute commute each way and value the extra time. A monthly fuel cost saving of €300 (US$354) is welcome too. I enjoy the flexibility and my productivity has increased. However, I miss the social interaction with colleagues.

Are employees OK with remote working because relationships and culture are in place already? How fast will this erode without continued physical interaction? Will the absence of those spontaneous discussions hinder the business? Will the development of talent and mentorship suffer?

Employers have access to larger talent pools. The relocation was often a deal-breaker before. Barriers for employees with a disability are removed. Costs per full-time employee reduce because less infrastructure is required. Absenteeism reduces as employees do not “cheat” the system to handle personal appointments. Nor do they miss work when not feeling 100 per cent. Reduced “office politics” boosts productivity.

The combination of employee and employer benefits will drive remote working post-COVID 19 and most will commute periodically not daily. This fundamentally changes the criteria for the procurement of hard-copy output devices and supplies. Less volume will go through big devices at the corporate office. Lease agreements will be renegotiated, and devices changed.

Large numbers of low-end inkjet printers were purchased in April/May for home offices as a short-term solution. These penalize businesses with high page costs and do not replicate the corporate office functionality. Better devices at home are needed. These will scan, copy and e-mail, as well as print. They must be wireless and instantly connect with home WIFI networks while offering a small footprint.

These new requirements represent an important opportunity for our industry. We can deliver a cost-effective bundle of refurbished printers, non-OEM cartridges and even monitoring software and auto-replenishment solutions. It is an opportunity that we must grab while the OEMs are working out how many people to fire.