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IDC Survey Spotlight: How and Where European SMBs Perceive the Impact of AI and AIOps on Their Network and Connectivity Strategy?

Daniela Rao — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

This IDC Survey Spotlight provides an overview of the top connectivity-related initiatives and strategic priorities of European midmarket SMBs (100–999 employees). The results are based on IDC’s August 2026 Worldwide Future Enterprise Connectivity Infrastructure and Services Survey, European SMB subsample.

“Embedding AI into connectivity transforms the network from a passive infrastructure layer into an intelligent, self-optimizing service, helping SMBs improve reliability, security, performance, and operational efficiency while reducing IT complexity,” says Daniela Rao, senior research and consulting director, SMB Communication Services program at IDC.

IDC Survey Spotlight: What Drives SMBs to Select a Trusted Provider for Their Overall Connectivity Strategy?

Daniela Rao — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

This IDC Survey Spotlight provides insight into the top reasons driving European midmarket SMBs (100–999 employees) to choose the most trusted connectivity provider. The results are based on IDC's August 2026 worldwide Future Enterprise Connectivity Infrastructure and Services Survey, European SMB subsample.

"The choice of the primary connectivity provider is driven by trust built through a long-term relationship and the involvement of top management, to ensure that services align with the company's strategy and network reliability requirements," said Daniela Rao, senior research and consulting director, Worldwide Telecom and Unified Communication at IDC.

IDC Survey: SMB Communications Services Survey, 2026 — Bundled Services

Daniela Rao — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

This IDC Survey explores the key adoption drivers and preferences of telecom bundled services among U.S. small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), based on findings from IDC's 2026 SMB Communications Services Survey, collected in August 2026.

IDC Survey Spotlight: Which Connectivity-Related Initiatives Will Be the Priorities for European Midmarket SMBs Over the Next 12 Months?

Daniela Rao — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

This IDC Survey Spotlight provides an overview of the top connectivity-related initiatives and strategic priorities of European midmarket SMBs (100–999 employees). The results are based on IDC’s 2026 Worldwide Future Enterprise Connectivity Infrastructure and Services Survey, European SMB subsample.

“For European midmarket SMBs, connectivity is a strategic business enabler, underpinning digital transformation, secure cloud access, hybrid work, AI adoption, operational resilience, and sustainable growth,” says Daniela Rao, senior research and consulting director, Worldwide Telecom and Unified Communications, IDC.

IDC Survey Spotlight: What Are the Network Configurations that Midmarket SMBs Will Prioritize to Support Hybrid Work and AI Requirements?

Daniela Rao — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

This IDC Survey Spotlight provides an overview of the network configurations that midmarket European SMBs will prioritize to support hybrid work and AI requirements. This overview is based on the European SMB sub-sample results of IDC's August 2026 Worldwide Future Enterprise Connectivity Infrastructure and Services Survey.

"Midmarket SMBs are prioritizing investments in mobile and cloud connectivity bandwidth to manage the complexities of a hybrid and highly distributed workforce and cloud-based AI-enabled operations. Capturing this demand with integrated network solutions could be the key success factor for Providers targeting this SMB segment," says Daniela Rao, senior research and consulting director, SMB communication services program at IDC.

IDC Survey: SMB Communications Services Survey, 2026: Broadband & Wi-Fi

Daniela Rao — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

This IDC Survey presentation explores the key trends and drivers shaping broadband and Wi-Fi services among U.S. small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), based on survey findings collected in August 2026.

Beyond the Chatbot: How HubSpot's Context Bet Sets Up CRM's Next Act

Roger Beharry Lall — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

HubSpot used UNBOUND 2026 in Boston (September 16–18) to retire the 15-year-old INBOUND name and rebuild its CRM positioning around a Growth Context Graph, a rebuilt Breeze Assistant, and a model-agnostic agent harness called Aviator. HubSpot also became OpenAI's first named CRM partner for ChatGPT Ads and its Sponsored Agents test. With a strong focus on outcomes and a big bet on context, HubSpot is well positioned for the midmarket. What remains to be seen is whether customers disenchanted by the first Breeze iteration, now armed with plenty of AI-native alternatives, will give it another try.

IDC MarketScape: Worldwide AI-Enabled Accounts Payable Automation Software for Midmarket 2026 Vendor Assessment

Kevin Permenter, Jordan Steele — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

This IDC study provides an assessment of accounts payable automation software providers serving midmarket organizations with 100–999 employees. The study evaluates the capabilities and strategies of vendors in the market and examines the criteria most important for technology leaders selecting an AP automation platform.

For midmarket organizations, the AP technology decision is increasingly shaped by complexity rather than transaction volume alone. As companies add entities, suppliers, systems, approval structures, and financial requirements, AP platforms must help finance absorb that complexity rather than simply automate individual tasks.

"The midmarket AP challenge is no longer simply processing more invoices. It is keeping growing business complexity from becoming growing finance complexity." — Kevin Permenter, research director, Financial Applications, IDC

IDC MarketScape: Worldwide AI-Enabled Accounts Payable Automation Software for Small Businesses 2026 Vendor Assessment

Kevin Permenter, Jordan Steele — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

This IDC study provides an assessment of accounts payable automation software providers serving small businesses with 0–99 employees. The study evaluates the capabilities and strategies of vendors in the market and examines the criteria most important for technology buyers selecting an accounts payable (AP) automation platform.

Small businesses should increasingly evaluate AP automation based on the amount of organizational capacity the technology creates rather than the number of individual tasks it claims to automate.

"For small businesses, the real promise of AP automation is not simply processing invoices faster but allowing the business to grow without requiring the finance team to grow at the same rate," says Kevin Permenter, research director om financial applications, IDC.

IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Accounts Receivable Automation Software for Small and Midmarket Businesses 2026 Vendor Assessment

Kevin Permenter, Jordan Steele — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

This IDC study provides an assessment of accounts receivable automation software providers serving small and midmarket organizations with 0–999 employees. This study evaluates the capabilities and strategies of vendors in the market and examines the criteria most important for technology leaders selecting an AR automation platform.

For small and midmarket businesses, the value of AR automation increasingly lies in shortening the operational distance between the invoice and usable cash. That requires more than automating collections. It requires a coordinated approach to customer payment experience, collections, disputes, cash application, and cash intelligence.

"The real measure of AR automation is not how much collection activity the software can generate. It is how effectively the platform removes the friction standing between an invoice and usable cash." — Kevin Permenter, research director, Financial Applications, IDC