Vodafone, Enterprise Nation commit to upskill 800,000 UK SMEs

Vodafone UK has announced the extension of its business.connected initiative for a further three years, pledging to upskill the digital capabilities of 800,000 small businesses within that time.

Launched in May 2021 and open to all UK small and medium-sized businesses with between 0 – 250 employees, the business.connected initiative was set up to help SMEs adopt new technology, boost digital skills and stay safe online.

Operated alongside partners Enterprise Nation, Samsung and Cisco, more than 100,000 small businesses have already benefited from the business.connected programme. It delivers free online courses covering everything from managing an online business to digital marketing and cybersecurity. The new commitment of supporting 800,000 small businesses over three years will ensure even more SMEs get the help and guidance they need to navigate a challenging economy.

To help reach its target, the business.connected curriculum is also set to be extended with the addition of Sage, the leader in accounting, financial, HR and payroll, and small business marketing specialists Zym as partners. Sage’s curriculum will focus on accounting and finance, while Zym will provide marketing and sales CRM focused courses.

Small Business Minister Jane Hunt MP said: “Small businesses are at the forefront of British enterprise and this scheme from Vodafone shows the power the private sector can have to help many achieve new levels of innovation and success.

“The business.connected scheme complements a range of government support on offer, such as our Help to Grow: Digital initiative, equipping small businesses across the country with the essential tools they need to boost productivity and grow.”

Andrew Stevens, Head of UK Small and Medium Business, Vodafone said: “We are delighted to further our support and commitment to SMEs through the extension of the business.connected programme for a further three years. The initiative has already helped over 115,000 SMEs upgrade their digital capabilities. And with growing uncertainty in the economy and rises in the cost of living – alongside our partners Enterprise Nation, Cisco, Samsung, Sage and Zym; we look forward to upskilling the digital proficiencies of 800,000 more, as digital channels continue to provide a vital and cost-effective solution in helping SMEs adapt and thrive within a challenging economic environment.”

business.connected courses have resonated particularly well with Britain’s SoHo (Small Office, Home Office) businesses – defined as those organisations with 10 workers or fewer – who account for nine-in-10 signups to the programme. One such business, Cup a Sweet, a home-based dessert company in Essex, has already seen stronger engagement online as a result of taking up the courses on digital marketing.

Entrepreneur and Cup a Sweet Founder Saarah Dakri, said: “The business.connected programme has had an amazing impact on my dessert business. Cup a Sweet is a small business run from my home kitchen and entirely through social media, primarily, Instagram. However, the business.connected marketing and social media modules have given me a broader insight into ways of expanding the business. By marketing my products in alternative ways, I’ve been able to make my social media posts more engaging and therefore attract more clients. This has now opened up more opportunities for Cup a Sweet, allowing me to ship custom-made orders rather than just supplying to those in my surrounding area.

“Starting a business in the midst of the pandemic, proved to be very difficult when my main packaging supplier went into liquidation, however, the business.connected resources have now helped me source suppliers in a more efficient way to help expand and develop the business. I highly recommend small businesses to take advantage of the resources on offer, there’s something to cater for all levels, whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned business veteran.”

Emma Jones, CBE, founder and CEO of Enterprise Nation, said: “For small businesses, increasing digital skills is a key way to mitigate the costs associated with higher inflation. business.connected has already supported more than 100,000 businesses to boost their digital skills, so we’re excited to be able to expand this successful digital training initiative to support another 800,000 firms over the next three years with the help of our brilliant partners. It’s vital we do everything we can to support the UK’s small business community to increase productivity and find new sales as consumers shop around online for lower prices.”

Andreas Georgiou, VP Product Marketing, Sage said: “Our partnership with the business.connected hub provides the stepping stones to help small businesses get the right accounting and finance advice and support needed to digitalise their operations and be more resilient and successful.

“By being part of this initiative, we can help accelerate tech adoption, which will boost the digital economy and help unlock growth.”

Michael Carlin, Zym, Founder and CEO said: “We believe this new partnership has the potential to be a real gamechanger for small business owners right across the UK. Zym is a unique automated digital platform, created specifically for start-ups and small businesses who want to scale at speed. As part of this new initiative our team will be helping to educate and upskill small business owners in key areas of marketing and sales through the programme’s workshops, webinars, and e-learning portals. Success for us is seeing businesses availing of the Government’s Help to Grow support, harnessing automated digital marketing, and experiencing rapid, sustainable growth.”