Fundamentals

For Small to Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs), the concept of Privacy Investment Metrics might initially seem complex or even daunting. However, at its core, it’s a straightforward idea with significant implications for business growth and sustainability. In simple terms, Privacy Investment Metrics are the tools and methods SMBs use to measure the effectiveness and return on their investments in protecting customer and business data. It’s about understanding if the money, time, and resources spent on privacy initiatives are actually making a difference and contributing to the overall business objectives.

Understanding the Simple Meaning of Privacy Investment Metrics for SMBs

Imagine an SMB, perhaps a local e-commerce store, investing in cybersecurity software, employee training Meaning ● Employee Training in SMBs is a structured process to equip employees with necessary skills and knowledge for current and future roles, driving business growth. on data protection, and updating their privacy policy to comply with regulations. Without Privacy Investment Metrics, they would be operating in the dark, unsure if these investments are truly beneficial or just adding costs. Metrics provide the necessary light to see if these privacy efforts are yielding positive results. For example, are they reducing the risk of data breaches?

Are they building customer trust? Are they contributing to a better brand reputation?

At a fundamental level, Privacy Investment Metrics help SMBs answer crucial questions like:

• Are We Spending Enough on Privacy? Is our investment proportional to the risks we face and the value of the data we hold?
• Where should We Invest Our Privacy Budget? Which privacy initiatives offer the most significant impact for our business?
• Are Our Privacy Efforts Working? Are we actually improving our privacy posture and reducing risks?
• How can We Demonstrate the Value of Privacy to Stakeholders? Can we show employees, customers, and investors that privacy is a worthwhile investment?

These questions are not just about ticking boxes for compliance; they are about building a resilient, trustworthy, and customer-centric business. For SMBs, where resources are often limited, understanding the ROI of every investment, including privacy, is paramount.

Why Privacy Investment Metrics Matter to SMB Growth

SMBs are the backbone of many economies, and their growth is vital. In today’s data-driven world, privacy is no longer just a legal obligation; it’s a business imperative. Customers are increasingly privacy-conscious, and a strong privacy posture can be a significant competitive advantage. Privacy Investment Metrics play a crucial role in SMB growth Meaning ● SMB Growth is the strategic expansion of small to medium businesses focusing on sustainable value, ethical practices, and advanced automation for long-term success. by:

1. Enhancing Customer Trust ● In an era of frequent data breaches and privacy scandals, customers are wary of sharing their personal information. Demonstrating a commitment to privacy, backed by measurable metrics, can significantly boost customer trust Meaning ● Customer trust for SMBs is the confident reliance customers have in your business to consistently deliver value, act ethically, and responsibly use technology. and loyalty. This trust translates directly into repeat business and positive word-of-mouth referrals, both crucial for SMB growth.
2. Reducing Business Risks and Costs ● Data breaches can be catastrophic for SMBs, leading to financial losses, legal penalties, reputational damage, and business disruption. Investing in privacy measures and tracking their effectiveness through metrics helps SMBs proactively mitigate these risks. Reduced risk translates to lower potential costs associated with data breaches, legal battles, and customer attrition.
3. Improving Operational Efficiency ● Implementing privacy processes and technologies, when measured and optimized, can streamline operations. For instance, automated data management Meaning ● Data Management for SMBs is the strategic orchestration of data to drive informed decisions, automate processes, and unlock sustainable growth and competitive advantage. systems not only enhance privacy but also improve data accuracy and accessibility, leading to more efficient business processes. Metrics can highlight areas where privacy investments are also yielding operational benefits.
4. Attracting and Retaining Talent ● Employees, especially younger generations, are increasingly concerned about working for ethical and responsible companies. A strong privacy culture, demonstrated through investment and measurable outcomes, can make an SMB more attractive to potential employees and contribute to higher employee retention rates. This is particularly important in competitive labor markets.
5. Facilitating Access to New Markets and Partnerships ● As SMBs grow and expand, they may need to comply with various international privacy regulations to enter new markets or partner with larger organizations. Having established Privacy Investment Metrics demonstrates a mature approach to data protection, making it easier to meet compliance requirements and build trust with international partners and customers.

Essentially, Privacy Investment Metrics provide SMBs with a data-driven approach to privacy, transforming it from a perceived cost center into a strategic investment that fuels growth, enhances reputation, and builds long-term business value.

Basic Privacy Investment Metrics for SMBs ● A Practical Starting Point

For SMBs just beginning to think about Privacy Investment Metrics, starting simple is key. Overcomplicating the process can lead to analysis paralysis. Here are some basic, yet highly valuable, metrics SMBs can start tracking:

1. Compliance Costs

This metric tracks the direct costs associated with achieving and maintaining compliance with relevant privacy regulations like GDPR, CCPA, or local data protection Meaning ● Data Protection, in the context of SMB growth, automation, and implementation, signifies the strategic and operational safeguards applied to business-critical data to ensure its confidentiality, integrity, and availability. laws. It includes:

• Legal Fees ● Costs associated with legal advice, drafting privacy policies, and compliance audits.
• Technology Costs ● Expenses for privacy-enhancing software, security tools, and data management systems.
• Training Costs ● Investment in employee training programs on data privacy and security.
• Consulting Fees ● Costs for external privacy consultants or Data Protection Officers (DPOs), if applicable.

Tracking these costs provides a baseline understanding of the financial investment in privacy compliance.

2. Data Breach Incident Rate

This metric measures the frequency of data security incidents or breaches within a specific period. It’s often expressed as a rate (e.g., incidents per year or per quarter). While ideally, the rate should be zero, any reduction in incident rate after implementing privacy measures is a positive indicator.

3. Customer Privacy Inquiries and Complaints

Monitoring the volume and nature of customer inquiries and complaints related to privacy can provide valuable insights into customer concerns and the effectiveness of privacy communications. A decrease in complaints and an increase in positive inquiries (e.g., questions about privacy practices) can signal improved customer trust and understanding.

4. Employee Training Completion Rate

For SMBs investing in employee privacy training, tracking the completion rate is a basic but important metric. A high completion rate indicates that employees are engaging with the training, but it’s also important to assess the effectiveness of the training through other means (e.g., knowledge quizzes, observed behavior changes).

5. Website Privacy Policy Engagement

For online SMBs, website analytics can be used to track engagement with the privacy policy page. Metrics like page views, time spent on page, and bounce rate can provide insights into whether customers are actively seeking out and reviewing the privacy policy. Higher engagement suggests greater customer interest in privacy information.

These fundamental metrics are easily accessible and provide a starting point for SMBs to understand and measure their privacy investments. As SMBs mature in their privacy journey, they can move towards more sophisticated metrics and analysis, but establishing these basics is a crucial first step.

For SMBs, Privacy Investment Metrics, at their simplest, are about understanding if spending on privacy actually leads to better data protection and business outcomes.

Intermediate

Building upon the fundamental understanding of Privacy Investment Metrics, the intermediate level delves into more nuanced and strategic approaches for SMBs. At this stage, it’s not just about tracking basic costs or incident rates, but about understanding the Return on Investment (ROI) of privacy initiatives, aligning privacy investments with business goals, and implementing more sophisticated measurement frameworks. This level requires a deeper engagement with data, analysis, and a more proactive approach to privacy management.

Moving Beyond Basic Metrics ● Measuring ROI of Privacy for SMBs

While tracking compliance costs and incident rates is a good starting point, it doesn’t fully capture the business value Meaning ● Business Value, within the SMB context, represents the tangible and intangible benefits a business realizes from its initiatives, encompassing increased revenue, reduced costs, improved operational efficiency, and enhanced customer satisfaction. of privacy. Intermediate Privacy Investment Metrics focus on demonstrating the ROI, showing how privacy investments contribute to tangible business benefits beyond risk mitigation. This is crucial for justifying privacy spending to stakeholders and integrating privacy into the core business strategy.

1. Cost Avoidance Metrics

One of the most compelling ways to demonstrate ROI is through cost avoidance. Privacy investments, when effective, can prevent costly data breaches and related expenses. Metrics in this category include:

• Potential Data Breach Cost Avoidance ● Using industry benchmarks and historical data, SMBs can estimate the potential cost of a data breach (including fines, legal fees, customer notification costs, reputational damage, etc.). Privacy investments aimed at preventing breaches can be seen as cost avoidance measures. For example, if a robust data encryption system reduces the likelihood of a breach by a certain percentage, the potential cost savings can be calculated.
• Reduced Insurance Premiums ● Some cyber insurance providers offer lower premiums to organizations with strong privacy and security postures. If privacy investments lead to a reduction in insurance premiums, this is a direct financial benefit that can be measured.
• Minimized Downtime and Business Disruption ● Data breaches and security incidents can lead to significant downtime and business disruption. Privacy measures that enhance system resilience and incident response capabilities can minimize downtime and associated financial losses. Metrics could include reduced average downtime after security incidents, compared to industry averages or historical data.

2. Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV) and Privacy

Privacy can directly impact customer loyalty Meaning ● Customer loyalty for SMBs is the ongoing commitment of customers to repeatedly choose your business, fostering growth and stability. and retention, which are key drivers of Customer Lifetime Value. Metrics in this area explore the link between privacy practices and customer value:

• Customer Retention Rate Meaning ● Retention Rate, in the context of Small and Medium-sized Businesses, represents the percentage of customers a business retains over a specific period. Improvement ● SMBs that demonstrably prioritize privacy may experience higher customer retention Meaning ● Customer Retention: Nurturing lasting customer relationships for sustained SMB growth and advocacy. rates. Tracking customer churn rates before and after implementing significant privacy enhancements can reveal the impact on customer loyalty. Surveys can also be used to directly assess customer perceptions of privacy and their influence on loyalty.
• Increased Customer Acquisition Meaning ● Gaining new customers strategically and ethically for sustainable SMB growth. through Privacy Differentiation ● In competitive markets, privacy can be a differentiator. SMBs can track customer acquisition rates specifically attributed to their privacy-focused marketing messages or certifications (e.g., privacy seals, certifications of compliance). A/B testing different marketing messages, with and without privacy emphasis, can also help measure the impact on customer acquisition.
• Higher Customer Satisfaction Scores Related to Privacy ● Customer satisfaction surveys can include questions specifically about privacy perceptions and satisfaction with the SMB’s data handling practices. Improvements in these scores after privacy investments indicate a positive impact on customer sentiment and potentially, future business.

3. Operational Efficiency Gains from Privacy

As mentioned in the fundamentals section, privacy investments can sometimes lead to operational efficiencies. Intermediate metrics can delve deeper into these gains:

• Time Savings in Data Management ● Automated data governance and privacy tools can reduce the manual effort required for data management tasks like data subject access requests (DSARs), data deletion, and consent management. Tracking the reduction in time spent on these tasks can quantify efficiency gains.
• Improved Data Accuracy and Quality ● Privacy-focused data management practices often necessitate better data quality and accuracy. Metrics could include reduced data error rates, improved data completeness, and faster data retrieval times, all contributing to operational efficiency.
• Streamlined Compliance Processes ● Automating compliance-related tasks (e.g., privacy impact assessments, data mapping) can reduce the time and resources spent on compliance, freeing up staff for other business-critical activities. Metrics could track the reduction in time taken to complete compliance processes after implementing automation tools.

Developing an Intermediate Privacy Investment Metrics Framework for SMBs

To effectively measure the ROI of privacy, SMBs need a more structured framework. This involves:

1. Defining Clear Privacy Objectives ● What specific privacy outcomes is the SMB aiming to achieve? Examples include reducing data breach risk, enhancing customer trust, complying with specific regulations, or gaining a competitive advantage Meaning ● SMB Competitive Advantage: Ecosystem-embedded, hyper-personalized value, sustained by strategic automation, ensuring resilience & impact. through privacy. Objectives should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
2. Identifying Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) ● Based on the objectives, select relevant KPIs that will track progress towards those goals. KPIs should be quantifiable and directly linked to privacy investments. Examples include data breach incident rate, customer retention rate, DSAR response time, employee training completion rate, and website privacy policy engagement.
3. Establishing Baselines and Targets ● Before implementing new privacy initiatives, establish baseline measurements for the chosen KPIs. Set realistic targets for improvement based on industry benchmarks, historical data, and business goals. For example, aim for a 20% reduction in data breach incident rate within the next year.
4. Implementing Data Collection and Reporting Mechanisms ● Set up systems to regularly collect data on the chosen KPIs. This may involve using existing business analytics tools, implementing new data tracking systems, or conducting surveys. Establish regular reporting schedules to monitor progress against targets and identify areas for improvement.
5. Analyzing Data and Making Adjustments ● Regularly analyze the collected data to understand trends, identify successes and failures, and assess the effectiveness of privacy investments. Based on the analysis, adjust privacy strategies, refine metrics, and optimize investments to maximize ROI.

By implementing such a framework, SMBs can move from reactive privacy measures to a proactive, data-driven approach, demonstrating the tangible business value of their privacy investments and aligning them with overall business strategy.

Challenges in Implementing Intermediate Privacy Investment Metrics for SMBs

While the intermediate level offers significant benefits, SMBs may face challenges in implementation:

• Data Availability and Quality ● Measuring ROI effectively requires access to reliable and comprehensive data. SMBs may struggle with data silos, incomplete data, or lack of data analytics expertise. Investing in data management infrastructure and skills may be necessary.
• Attribution Challenges ● It can be difficult to directly attribute business outcomes solely to privacy investments. Many factors influence customer retention, acquisition, and operational efficiency. Careful analysis and consideration of confounding factors are needed to establish a credible link between privacy and business results.
• Resource Constraints ● SMBs often operate with limited budgets and personnel. Implementing a robust metrics framework and conducting in-depth analysis may require resources that are not readily available. Prioritization and focusing on the most impactful metrics are crucial.
• Lack of Expertise ● Measuring privacy ROI requires a combination of privacy knowledge, business acumen, and data analytics skills. SMBs may lack in-house expertise in these areas. Seeking external consulting support or training internal staff may be necessary.

Overcoming these challenges requires a strategic and phased approach. SMBs should start with a manageable set of metrics, gradually expand their framework as they build capacity and expertise, and focus on demonstrating the most compelling ROI arguments to stakeholders. The key is to demonstrate that privacy is not just a cost, but a strategic investment that contributes to the long-term success of the SMB.

Intermediate Privacy Investment Metrics are about showing the tangible business value of privacy, moving beyond just compliance and risk mitigation Meaning ● Within the dynamic landscape of SMB growth, automation, and implementation, Risk Mitigation denotes the proactive business processes designed to identify, assess, and strategically reduce potential threats to organizational goals. to demonstrate ROI and strategic alignment.

Advanced

At the advanced level, Privacy Investment Metrics transcend simple ROI calculations and become deeply integrated into the strategic fabric of the SMB. It’s about recognizing privacy not merely as a compliance obligation or risk mitigation tactic, but as a potent Strategic Asset and a driver of sustained competitive advantage. This advanced perspective necessitates a sophisticated understanding of privacy’s multifaceted impact, embracing both quantitative and qualitative measures, and adopting a future-oriented, ethical approach. For SMBs aiming for market leadership and long-term resilience, advanced Privacy Investment Metrics are indispensable.

Redefining Privacy Investment Metrics ● A Strategic Asset for SMBs in the Advanced Stage

From an advanced perspective, Privacy Investment Metrics are not just about measuring the past or present effectiveness of privacy investments. They are about Proactively Shaping the Future of the SMB by leveraging privacy as a strategic differentiator. This involves a shift in mindset from viewing privacy as a cost center to recognizing it as a value creator. The advanced definition of Privacy Investment Metrics, therefore, becomes:

Privacy Investment Metrics, in Their Advanced Form, are a Comprehensive Suite of Quantitative and Qualitative Indicators, Strategically Deployed to Measure, Monitor, and Optimize the Contribution of Privacy Investments to an SMB’s Long-Term Strategic Objectives, Competitive Advantage, Ethical Standing, and Sustainable Growth in a Complex, Globalized, and Increasingly Privacy-Conscious Business Environment.

This definition emphasizes several key aspects:

• Strategic Alignment ● Metrics are directly linked to overarching business strategies and long-term goals, not just compliance requirements.
• Comprehensive Measurement ● Embraces both quantitative data (e.g., breach statistics, financial ROI) and qualitative insights (e.g., brand perception, ethical reputation, customer trust narrative).
• Proactive Optimization ● Metrics are used not just for reporting but for continuous improvement and strategic decision-making, guiding future privacy investments and strategies.
• Competitive Advantage ● Privacy is seen as a source of differentiation, attracting customers, partners, and talent in a privacy-sensitive market.
• Ethical Foundation ● Metrics reflect a commitment to ethical data handling Meaning ● Ethical Data Handling for SMBs: Respectful, responsible, and transparent data practices that build trust and drive sustainable growth. and responsible business practices, going beyond mere legal compliance.
• Sustainability and Long-Term Growth ● Privacy investments are viewed as contributing to the long-term resilience and sustainable growth of the SMB, ensuring adaptability in a dynamic regulatory and technological landscape.

Advanced Privacy Investment Metrics ● Expanding the Measurement Horizon

To embody this advanced definition, SMBs need to move beyond the intermediate metrics and explore more sophisticated and forward-looking indicators. These metrics often require more complex data analysis, qualitative research, and a deeper understanding of the evolving privacy landscape.

1. Privacy-Enhancing Technologies (PETs) Adoption Rate and Impact

In the advanced stage, SMBs should consider investing in and measuring the impact of Privacy-Enhancing Technologies (PETs). These technologies, such as differential privacy, homomorphic encryption, and secure multi-party computation, enable data processing and analysis while minimizing privacy risks. Metrics related to PETs include:

• PETs Adoption Rate ● Track the percentage of relevant business processes or data systems that have implemented PETs. This indicates the SMB’s commitment to advanced privacy protection.
• Data Utility Vs. Privacy Trade-Off Metrics ● PETs often involve a trade-off between data utility (the usefulness of data for analysis) and privacy protection. Advanced metrics should assess this trade-off, ensuring that PETs implementation maintains sufficient data utility while significantly enhancing privacy. This might involve measuring the accuracy of analytical results obtained using PETs compared to traditional methods, while quantifying the privacy gains.
• Customer Perception of PETs Usage ● Communicate the use of PETs to privacy-conscious customers and measure their perception. Do customers value the SMB’s commitment to advanced privacy technologies? Does it enhance trust and brand reputation? Qualitative surveys and focus groups can provide valuable insights.

2. Data Ethics Score and Responsible AI Metrics

Ethical data handling is becoming increasingly important, especially with the rise of AI and machine learning. Advanced Privacy Investment Metrics should incorporate data ethics Meaning ● Data Ethics for SMBs: Strategic integration of moral principles for trust, innovation, and sustainable growth in the data-driven age. considerations:

• Data Ethics Score ● Develop or adopt a data ethics framework and assess the SMB’s performance against it. This could involve evaluating data collection practices, algorithmic bias, transparency, accountability, and fairness. The score can be tracked over time to measure improvement in ethical data Meaning ● Ethical Data, within the scope of SMB growth, automation, and implementation, centers on the responsible collection, storage, and utilization of data in alignment with legal and moral business principles. handling.
• Algorithmic Bias Metrics ● For SMBs using AI, measure and monitor algorithmic bias Meaning ● Algorithmic bias in SMBs: unfair outcomes from automated systems due to flawed data or design. in data processing and decision-making. Metrics should assess fairness across different demographic groups and ensure that AI systems are not perpetuating or amplifying societal biases. Regular audits and bias mitigation strategies should be implemented.
• Transparency and Explainability Metrics ● Measure the extent to which the SMB is transparent about its data practices and AI algorithms. Are privacy policies clear and accessible? Are AI-driven decisions explainable to customers and stakeholders? Metrics could include website transparency scores, customer feedback on privacy communications, and the availability of explainable AI documentation.

3. Brand Reputation and Privacy Leadership Metrics

In the advanced stage, privacy becomes a core element of brand reputation Meaning ● Brand reputation, for a Small or Medium-sized Business (SMB), represents the aggregate perception stakeholders hold regarding its reliability, quality, and values. and market leadership. Metrics in this area focus on external perception and competitive positioning:

• Brand Sentiment Analysis Related to Privacy ● Use social media monitoring, online reviews analysis, and brand tracking surveys to assess public sentiment towards the SMB’s privacy practices. Positive sentiment indicates a strong privacy reputation, which can be a competitive advantage.
• Industry Privacy Leadership Ranking ● Benchmark the SMB’s privacy practices against industry peers and competitors. Are they recognized as a privacy leader in their sector? Industry rankings, awards, and media mentions related to privacy can be indicators of leadership.
• Attraction of Privacy-Conscious Investors and Partners ● In an ESG-focused investment landscape, privacy performance can influence investor decisions and partnership opportunities. Track the SMB’s ability to attract investors and partners who prioritize ethical data handling and strong privacy practices.

4. Long-Term Privacy Risk Resilience Metrics

Advanced metrics should also look beyond immediate risk mitigation and assess the SMB’s long-term resilience to evolving privacy threats and regulatory changes:

• Privacy Regulatory Agility Score ● Measure the SMB’s ability to adapt to new privacy regulations and compliance requirements quickly and efficiently. This could involve tracking the time taken to implement changes in response to regulatory updates, the cost of adaptation, and the level of disruption to business operations.
• Emerging Privacy Threat Preparedness Index ● Assess the SMB’s preparedness for emerging privacy threats, such as AI-driven privacy violations, privacy risks in new technologies (e.g., metaverse, Web3), and evolving cyberattack techniques. This might involve scenario planning, threat intelligence analysis, and proactive security assessments.
• Privacy Culture Maturity Level ● Evaluate the maturity of the SMB’s privacy culture. Is privacy embedded in organizational values and decision-making processes? Is there a strong sense of privacy ownership across all departments? Qualitative assessments, employee surveys, and cultural audits can be used to measure privacy culture maturity.

Controversial Insights and Expert Perspectives ● Privacy as a Revenue Generator for SMBs

A potentially controversial, yet increasingly relevant, advanced perspective is to view privacy not just as a strategic asset Meaning ● A Dynamic Adaptability Engine, enabling SMBs to proactively evolve amidst change through agile operations, learning, and strategic automation. or cost avoidance measure, but as a Direct Revenue Generator for SMBs. This challenges the traditional view of privacy as solely a compliance burden and opens up new business opportunities.

The Controversial Premise ● In a market saturated with data breaches and privacy concerns, SMBs that genuinely prioritize and excel in privacy can differentiate themselves and attract customers willing to pay a premium for privacy-enhanced products and services.

Examples and Strategies ●

• Privacy-Premium Services ● Offer premium versions of products or services with enhanced privacy features. For example, a SaaS SMB could offer a “privacy-enhanced” subscription tier with end-to-end encryption, data anonymization, and stricter data retention policies, priced higher than standard subscriptions.
• Privacy-Focused Marketing and Branding ● Position the SMB as a “privacy champion” in its marketing and branding. Highlight privacy certifications, ethical data practices, and commitment to customer data protection. This can attract privacy-conscious customers willing to choose the SMB over competitors, even at a slightly higher price point.
• Data Trusts and Ethical Data Monetization ● Explore innovative data monetization models that prioritize privacy and ethical data handling. For example, SMBs could participate in data trusts, where customer data is pooled and anonymized for research or societal benefit, with revenue sharing models that reward privacy-conscious data contributors.
• Privacy Consulting and Services for Other SMBs ● SMBs that develop strong privacy expertise can offer privacy consulting, training, and implementation services to other SMBs. This leverages their privacy knowledge as a revenue stream and contributes to a broader privacy-positive ecosystem.

Metrics to Track Revenue Generation from Privacy ●

• Revenue from Privacy-Premium Services ● Directly track the revenue generated from premium products or services with enhanced privacy features.
• Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) Reduction Due to Privacy Marketing ● Measure if privacy-focused marketing campaigns lead to lower customer acquisition costs compared to generic marketing, indicating a higher conversion rate among privacy-conscious customers.
• Customer Willingness to Pay (WTP) for Privacy ● Conduct market research surveys to assess customer willingness to pay a premium for products or services from privacy-focused SMBs. Quantify the potential revenue uplift from pricing strategies that reflect privacy value.
• Revenue from Privacy-Related Services ● Track revenue generated from privacy consulting, training, or other privacy-related services offered to other businesses.

This controversial perspective requires a bold and innovative approach to privacy. It challenges SMBs to think beyond compliance and risk and to actively explore how privacy can be transformed into a source of revenue and competitive advantage. For SMBs willing to embrace this advanced view, Privacy Investment Metrics become not just a measurement tool, but a compass guiding them towards a future where privacy is not a cost, but a profit center and a core value proposition.

Advanced Privacy Investment Metrics are about recognizing privacy as a strategic asset, measuring its contribution to long-term competitive advantage, ethical standing, and even revenue generation for SMBs.