MUMBAI, INDIA: Amidst the huge IT budgets outcry among large enterprises and businesses, the technology providers are going all out to help the small and medium businesses (SMBs) and trying to beat the slowdown.

In last six months, the demand for technology solutions and services has fallen in the enterprise segment, while the SMBs are getting much needed attentions from the IT solution providers. It's not just the attention, but tech companies have come out with new business models as well as launched business critical applications specifically for SMBs.

Today, applications ranging from Internet and web security to highly business critical solutions such as customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource management (ERP) and many others are available for SMBs.

Websense, the the global integrated web, email and data security provider for enterprises, launched its Hosted Email Security version 5.1 for SMBs based on software-as-a-service (SaaS) model. According to Jyoti Prakash, Websense's channel manager for South East Asia and India, this hosted security solution is highly beneficial for SMBs as emails remain the integral part of business.

Prakash pointed out that most SMBs either have small IT infrastructure or outsource IT requirements but today, businesses are not keen on investing in IT infrastructure due to operational costs of upgrades and scalability at later stages. "Hence," he said, "the Websense's hosted security solutions help SMBs save IT infrastructure cost, add efficiency and thereby find time and resources to concentrate on core business.

Recently, Talisma came out with its Talisma CRM Atom, the CRM application for SMB market. Interestingly, for the SMBs, the new application is offered with the options of outright purchase, rental and SaaS.

According to Raj Mruthyunjayappa, Talisma's managing director for Asia Pacific and European Operations, the Atom CRM is a well-built package of the best practice methodology for the SMBs.

"It's bundled with applications for operational and analytical CRM that helps SMBs meet their business requirements using technology mapping with easy installation on existing IT infrastructure," said Raj.

Moreover, he stressed that India's SMB sector is mainly untapped; however, in general, businesses in the country have grown two folds in terms of market economics. "They are looking at affordability, and competence against large enterprises," he added.

The initiatives of tech companies clearly reflect how significant is the SMB market from business stand point. In fact, the tech biggies such as IBM and Salesforce.com have taken major technological initiatives in reaching out to SMB market and also have set up a separate SMB unit.

Salesforce.com is the leading CRM application providers based on cloud computing technology for both large and small businesses. According to Salesforce.com's vice president – marketing, Andrew Knott, companies (both enterprises and SMBs) now are looking for alternatives to manage major capital expenditures and massive maintenance costs.

Cloud computing lowers cost, complexity and deployment risks. It doesn't require procuring hardware, software or data center equipments, IT infrastructure provision and maintenance expense. Moreover, cloud computing offers a predictable pay as you go for such businesses models that helps you access computing resources in a cost effective ways.

"The cloud computing model is even more important for the 35 million SMBs in India who are looking for easy to use, reliable and scalable applications to enable good business growth. For SMBs, cloud computing is particularly attractive as it allows them to embrace enterprise-class business application without buying or maintaining hardware, software or data centers," said Knott.

While, IBM came out with IBM Smart Business for SMBs, which allows the businesses to acquire, use and manage technology in a simple way. In addition, IBM under the brand Express Advantage offers hardware, software, services, solutions and financing as per the requirements of SMBs.

According to Ramesh Narasimhan, IBM's director – General Business for India/South Asia, with the Express Advantage product portfolio, the company is offering solutions that address security, business recovery, employee collaboration and energy efficiency needs for SMBs, which are categorized as point products, infrastructure and business solutions.

Interestingly, the Smart Business concept evolved after company interacted with hundreds of SMB executives globally and tried to understand their IT experiences and needs, Narasimhan added. He pointed out that according to those experiences and needs, the Smart Business brought in an innovative way to acquire, use and manage the IT environments with zero complexity.

He concluded that SMBs have unique IT needs and IBM invests a great deal in designing and developing cost effective solutions, products and services for SMB market. He further said that IBM will continue to deliver industry's widest range of end-to-end offerings and facilitate growth and innovation for SMBs.