SMEs are vital drivers of innovation and employment in the UK economy. Akshay Srivastava, EVP and GM at RingCentral, outlines how smart technology and agile practices can help them overcome disruption and unlock long-term growth.
Small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) form the backbone of the UK economy, representing virtually all businesses and serving as vital drivers of innovation and employment. While these companies demonstrate remarkable entrepreneurial spirit and adaptability when facing challenges, their size and resource constraints often leave them exposed to sudden disruptions and unforeseen market shifts that can threaten their survival.
When we think about disruption, the headlines usually focus on dramatic events, from major cyberattacks and widespread floods to infrastructure that simply falls over. And while these risks are of course real, for many smaller businesses, disruption looks different. It might be the sudden illness of a key team member, a staff shortage due to challenges hiring or an unexpected surge in demand. These are the everyday disruptions that larger organisations may be able absorb more easily, but which can hit smaller operations much harder.
Considering how regularly smaller businesses might face this style of disruption, it’s clear that business continuity can’t just be a contingency plan for major disasters. It must be a daily mindset. A commitment to being ready for the unexpected. It’s about using every interaction as an opportunity to learn, building processes that can flex under pressure and staying connected with customers no matter what. The most resilient businesses aren’t just prepared for disruption; they’re designed to keep moving through it.
Thanks to advances in AI and communications technology, this level of continuity is no longer reserved for large enterprises with specialist teams and deep budgets. Smaller businesses now have access to powerful tools that help them stay responsive, informed and resilient – especially when it matters most.
To thrive in this new landscape, SMEs need a blended approach: smart technology and a culture built on adaptability. That’s what it takes to be truly ‘always on’.
The SME continuity challenge
For many SMEs, the concept of business continuity feels like a long-term ambition rather than a day-to-day priority. Not because it’s unimportant, but because the realities of running a small business often leave little time or budget for forward planning.
The difficulty lies in the trade-offs. Most SMEs operate with limited financial headroom and lean teams, so the focus often remains on immediate needs. For example, cash flow constraints mean SMEs operate on thin margins, prioritising immediate costs like payroll, rent or inventory over contingency planning. This leaves little room for investing in backup systems.
Technological complexity can also be intimidating. Limited IT expertise can make exploring and implementing new continuity tools feel daunting. With no dedicated tech teams, decision-makers often struggle to assess which solutions offer genuine value versus unnecessary complexity. This can also result in SME leaders assuming that building resilience requires expensive software, specialist knowledge, or full-scale Digital Transformation, none of which seem feasible with their current resources.
This short-term focus is understandable. But without continuity planning, a single setback can trigger lost revenue, frustrated customers and long-term reputational damage. Today, continuity isn’t about having an in-house IT department; it’s about knowing which tools to use and how to integrate them into everyday workflows.
How AI helps SMEs stay ‘always on’
For SMEs, being ‘always on’ doesn’t necessarily mean being available 24/7; it means having systems in place that keep things moving, even when the unexpected happens. Whether it’s a staff absence, a sudden surge in demand, or a temporary hit to productivity, AI can help businesses maintain continuity without overloading already stretched teams.
AI tools excel in automating routine tasks and triaging incoming enquiries. For example, if a small business is short-staffed due to illness or holidays, AI can prioritise urgent customer queries, respond to common questions and support routing complex enquiries, ensuring critical work continues without delay. This is a prime example of extending business capacity when people can’t be everywhere at once.
Imagine a busy independent restaurant heading into a weekend service when two employees call in sick. Customers will still expect the same level of service even if the restaurant is understaffed. In this scenario, AI-powered systems can prioritise customer enquiries based on urgency, whether that’s managing online reservations, answering common questions about menu options or opening hours, or flagging special requests for staff attention. These capabilities are especially valuable during high-pressure moments. Customers get a consistent experience and the team can focus on delivering great service in-house.
Cultivating a culture of continuity
Technology is only one part of the resilience equation. True business continuity is just as much about people and mindset as it is about tools. For SMEs, cultivating a culture of continuity means embedding adaptability into the everyday and making it part of how the business thinks, operates and evolves.
The good news is SMEs often have a natural advantage here. With fewer layers of process and decision-making, they can adapt and iterate quickly. What’s needed is a leadership mindset that sees continuity as a core value of the business and works to embed that across service, operations and communications.
Building this culture doesn’t require formal training programmes or large-scale change initiatives. It can start with something as simple as encouraging teams to test a new AI feature, reflect on recent customer interactions, or identify friction points in a process. Over time, these small behaviours build confidence and confidence builds resilience.
As teams become more comfortable navigating uncertainty, they also become more invested in shaping solutions. That not only improves service in the short term but strengthens the business for the long haul. In this way, a culture of continuity becomes part of the business’s growth strategy.
Setting up for success
Resilience in business is about having the right systems in place so you can keep delivering, even when things don’t go to plan. It means making sure the next enquiry doesn’t fall through the cracks, the next opportunity isn’t missed and every customer continues to get the service they expect, no matter the disruption.
Put simply, continuity is about more than survival. It’s about being consistent, being credible and forming a connection – especially when the pressure is on. Whether you’re on the frontline greeting customers or dealing with back-office support, every interaction is an opportunity to build trust. And in uncertain times, the small businesses that will stand out aren’t the ones scrambling to deal with disruption as it happens. They’re the ones who have already adapted and can keep showing up, powered by the right technology.
