A newly released survey by Zoho Corporation - the Zoho SMB Outlook Survey - reveals that Canadian small and medium-sized business leaders are optimistic about their company's prospects.

The survey - which queried 750 business people across Canada - found that 66.7% of respondents are optimistic about the next six months, with 74.2% of those surveyed forecasting upwards of 20-percent growth. This positive outlook stems, in part, from productivity, as more than three-quarters of respondents expressed satisfaction with their output.

"As Canadian SMBs emerge from the pandemic, business is good. The strong productivity experienced through flexible work options and collaborative technology bodes well for the future," says Chandrashekar LSP, Zoho Canada's evangelist. "The growth, planned for by business leaders and entrepreneurs, highlights resilience and flexibility as companies navigate staffing challenges and decide whether to maintain vaccine and mask mandates."

Key Survey Findings:

Productivity

• 77.7% of respondents are satisfied with productivity
• 83.9% of Quebec's respondents are satisfied
• 73.7% of Alberta's respondents are satisfied

Optimism

• 66.7% of businesses are moderately to very optimistic about the next 6 months
• 14.8% very optimistic; 20.8% moderately optimistic; and 31.1% optimistic
• 71.4% of Quebec's respondents are optimistic
• 64% of Ontario's citizens are optimistic

• 39.1% expect their business to grow by 1-10% during the next six months
• 51.3% of Albertan respondents anticipate growth of 1-10%
• 32.1% of respondents in Quebec anticipate growth of 1-10%

• 22.5% expect their business to grow by 11-20% during the next six months
• 26.8% of respondents in Quebec anticipate growth of 11-20%
• 15.8% of Albertan respondents anticipate growth of 11-20%

• 12.6% expect their business to grow by 20+% during the next six months
• 15.8% of Albertan respondents anticipate growth of 20% or more
• 14.3% of respondents in Quebec anticipate growth of 20% or more

Hiring/Retention

• 42.4% of businesses are hiring and 52.7% are neither hiring nor laying people off
• Only 4.9% anticipate layoffs

• 42.5% have struggled to retain employees
•  

• The majority of respondents have retained more flexible work options, with hybrid work accounting for 36.8% and at-home work accounting for 29.7%. Only 33.5% of respondents are working in-office.
• 39.3% of Quebec's respondents have a hybrid workplace model and 21.4% work from home; 39.3% work in the office
• However, 53.9% of Albertans work in the office, while 32.9% use a hybrid workplace and 13.2% work at home

Return To Workplace /Mask Mandates 

• 64.5% of businesses have already returned to the office, while 13.6% are planning to return in the Fall

●In Alberta, 81.6% of respondents have returned to the office while only 58% Quebec's respondents have gone back

• 38.4% of all respondents will maintain a mask mandate
• 41.4% in Ontario
• 32.1% in Quebec
• 17.1% in Alberta

• 44.7% of all respondents won't maintain a mask mandate

• 68.4% won't in Alberta
• 41.1% won't in Ontario
• 32.1% won't in Quebec

• 46.3% of all respondents will require employees to be vaccinated
• 48.2% in Quebec
• 46.2% in Ontario
• 34.2% in Alberta

IT Highlight

• 76.1% of IT respondents are optimistic about the future of their business, positioning them as the most optimistic vertical

“The survey certainly reflects what we’re hearing from our clients. SMBs are feeling optimistic about the year ahead and are putting a greater focus on productivity through technology to ensure their success,” said Massimo Ianniruberto, Founder of Zoho channel partner, BluRoot Inc. “Clients are looking to further enhance their tools and bring other teams into the fold that were previously not a focused area of improvement. This is happening as a result of a changing workplace dynamic, and advances in cloud-based software solutions that are streamlining processes in areas such as HR, accounting and operations.”

Link to survey dashboard

Report Methodology

Conducted in March 2021 by Zoho Survey, this study contacted 750 individuals across Canada. Participants in the study included a range of business leaders, from manager roles to the C-level, at small and large enterprises across a variety of industries.

About Zoho

With 50+ apps in nearly every major business category, Zoho Corporation is one of the world's most prolific technology companies. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, with international headquarters in Chennai, India, Zoho is profitable and privately held, with more than 10,000 employees. For more information, please visit: www.zoho.com/

SAN MATEO – January 4, 2022 –  Kensington^®, the worldwide leader of desktop computing and mobility solutions for IT, business, and home office professionals and The Professionals’ Choice, will showcase its growing portfolio of innovative accessories for computers and mobile devices at Digital Experience!^®  on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022, at the Mirage Events Center.

In addition to the introduction of several new products designed to protect and extend the productivity of Microsoft Surface devices, Kensington will also highlight its award-winning family of solutions for Apple devices, and performance-enhancing products based upon Thunderbolt™ 4 technology.

Protecting and Enhancing the Functionality of Microsoft Surface Devices

Designed in collaboration with Microsoft, Kensington’s  Designed for Surface  (DFS) products integrate seamlessly with Surface devices to provide physical protection, secure data from digital and visual breaches, and enhance device functionality. Kensington DFS products are designed to deliver the highest quality, form, fit, and function to maximize the potential of the user’s Surface devices at home, in the office and everywhere in-between.

Kensington will showcase its newest DFS products specifically designed for Surface Pro 8. The new  BlackBelt™ Rugged Case for Surface Pro 8  is the ultimate case for protecting the Surface Pro, giving users the confidence to use the tablet in highly-mobile or harsh environments. Available in platinum and black, the BlackBelt™ Rugged Case meets MIL-STD-810H drop testing and MIL-STD-810H Method 504.3 Contamination by Fluids standards to provide military-grade drop and wipe-down protection for the device.

The new TAA-compliant  BlackBelt™ Rugged Case with Integrated Smart Card Reader (CAC) for Surface Pro 8  adds a FIPS 201-compliant Smart Card Reader to provide secure access to the device and the network. Ideal for use in U.S. Federal Government institutions and organizations, the case makes a great solution for second factor authentication (2FA). All BlackBelt™ Rugged Cases feature cable lock compatibility, a self-adjusting hand strap that allows the device to lie flat, a two-point shoulder strap for hands-free carrying (on select models), a kickstand opening allowing full use of the integrated Surface kickstand, integrated Surface Pen storage, and a keyboard holder and TypeCover strap to protect the keyboard.

Compatible with Surface Laptop Go and Surface Book (13.5” and 15”), Kensington’s new  Surface Laptop Riser  is an all-in-one work-from-home solution for establishing a Surface desktop setup. Featuring Kensington’s proprietary SmartFit® height adjustment system to elevate the laptop into an ergonomic position, the Surface Laptop Riser features fabric-covered docking station storage that accommodates Surface Dock 2 and other compatible docking stations and hubs including the Kensington  DFS SD4845P USB-C 10Gbps Triple Video Driverless Docking Station  and  SD5750T Thunderbolt™ 4 Dual 4K Dock. The riser incorporates a headset hanger and cable management system to keep the desktop tidy, and is made of sturdy aluminum alloy and steel to provide maximum stability and heat dissipation.

Kensington will also highlight its DFS portfolio of protection accessories for Surface Pro. The new  MagPro™ Elite Magnetic Privacy Screen for Surface Pro 8  conveniently attaches to the magnetic frame eliminating the need for damaging adhesives. In addition to filtering up to 22 percent of harmful blue light rays, the privacy screen narrows the field of vision to +/- 30 degrees to reduce the chances of a visual data breach when using the device in the office or in public venues. Created in collaboration with Microsoft, Kensington keyed and combination  Surface locks  are easy-to-use, beautifully designed and fit perfectly to provide professional-level security wherever the device is being used.

Maximizing Laptop Performance with Thunderbolt™ 4 Technology

Kensington will show their industry-leading Thunderbolt 4 docking solutions,  SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Dual 4K Docking Station with 90W PD  and  SD5750T Thunderbolt 4 Dual 4K Dock (DFS).  Developed in partnership with Intel^®, the Kensington SD5750T is the only DFS-certified Thunderbolt 4 dock and the SD5700T is a featured Thunderbolt accessory for Intel Evo™ platform-verified laptops.

The SD5700T and SD5750T docking stations transform compatible laptops or Surface devices into complete desktop workstations by enabling users to charge the laptop, connect external monitors, USB devices, a full-sized keyboard and mouse, speakers, Ethernet, and other devices and accessories, through a single Thunderbolt cable.

"Thunderbolt™ 4 technology enables our partners like Kensington to deliver high-performance docking solutions that maximize the performance and capabilities of laptops with Thunderbolt 4 ports,” said Jason Ziller, General Manager of Intel’s Client Connectivity Division. “Thunderbolt 4 continues to build on the innovation of Thunderbolt 3 for a truly universal cable connectivity experience, and we’re proud that Thunderbolt 4 has just been recognized as a CES 2022 Innovation Award Honoree¹ for its design, innovation and engineering.”

Solutions that Make the Apple Ecosystem More Productive and Efficient

Kensington will demonstrate its growing family of award-winning solutions for the Apple ecosystem which are designed to organize and enhance the functionality of Apple devices in the home and office.

A CES 2021 Innovations Award Honoree and recipient of eight Best of CES 2021 awards, the patent-pending  StudioDock™ iPad Docking Station  is the ideal desktop solution for people who want to maximize their productivity and creativity while using their USB-C-based iPad Pro or iPad Air. Now available in versions that support the 2021 12.9” iPad Pro, 12.9” iPad Pro (2018/2020), 11” iPad Pro (2018/2020/2021) and iPad Air (2020), the iPad magnetically attaches to StudioDock in portrait or landscape modes and allows the use of a wide range of accessories that can be connected via USB (Type-A and Type-C), HDMI 2.0 video and Gigabit Ethernet ports, 3.5mm audio jack and SD 4.0 card reader. In addition to charging the iPad, the StudioDock includes Qi wireless iPhone and AirPod charging, and supports an optional Apple Watch charging accessory.

StudioCaddy™ with Qi Wireless Charging for Apple Devices  is a versatile, space-saving solution that maximizes desktop space while keeping all of the devices in the Apple ecosystem charged, organized and within reach.  Ideal for use in both homes and offices, StudioCaddy reduces clutter and provides a stylish, yet functional, solution for centrally showcasing and storing the complement of Apple devices. StudioCaddy features a dual Qi charger and multiple USB charging ports to ensure that all of the user’s mobile devices are fully-charged and ready to go, when needed.

Kensington is introducing a new line of  MagPro™ Elite Privacy Screens  for the new 2021 14” and 16” MacBook Pro. The new privacy screens conveniently attach to the MacBook Pro frame with magnets, eliminating the need for potentially damaging adhesives and complex setup processes. Featuring a reversible design that offers matte or glossy viewing options, the privacy screens narrow the field of vision to +/- 30 degrees to keep information on the screen private, and filters out harmful blue light rays by up to 22 percent to ease eye strain.

“Over the past 40 years, Kensington has evolved with the emergence and advancement of personal computers, laptops and mobile devices leveraging a culture of innovation to deliver accessories that expand functionality, enhance security, and ease the use of computing devices,” explained Louie Yao, Director of Global Product Management at Kensington. “We’re excited to showcase our newest and most innovative products this year at CES 2022. Many of the products that we will be introducing are examples of our work with with Microsoft, Intel and others that enable us to bring new accessories to market that are designed in partnership with key technology leaders.”

To learn more about Kensington’s comprehensive portfolio of products and solutions for consumers and businesses, visit  www.kensington.com.

For images, videos and more, visit  www.kensington.com/pepcom

Follow Kensington on:

• Instagram:  Instagram.com/Kensington_tech    
• Facebook:  facebook.com/KensingtonTech
• LinkedIn:  linkedin.com/company/Kensington
• Twitter: @Kensington
• Contact us: globalmarketing@kensington.com

 

 About Kensington

Kensington is a leading provider of desktop and mobile device accessories, trusted by IT, educators, business, and home office professionals around the world for more than 40 years. Kensington strives to anticipate the needs and challenges of the ever-evolving workplace and craft professional-tier award-winning solutions for organizations committed to providing peak professionals the tools they need to thrive. The company prides itself as The Professionals’ Choice, and on its core values surrounding design, quality, and support.

 

In office and mobile environments, Kensington’s extensive portfolio of award-winning products provides trusted security, desktop productivity innovations, and ergonomic well-being.

 

Headquartered in San Mateo, California, Kensington is the inventor and worldwide leader in laptop security locks. Kensington is a division of ACCO Brands (NYSE: ACCO), one of the world’s largest designers, marketers, and manufacturers of branded business, academic, and consumer products, sold in more than 100 countries across the globe.

 

Kensington and SmartFit are registered trademarks of ACCO Brands. Kensington The Professionals’ Choice, BlackBelt, MagPro, StudioCaddy and StudioDock are trademarks of ACCO Brands. All other registered and unregistered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

 

© 2022 Kensington Computer Products Group, a division of ACCO Brands. All rights reserved

Austin, Texas — October 19th, 2021 — Zoho Corporation, a leading global technology company, today introduced new apps and services in Zoho One, the operating system for business. The new release empowers businesses to solve disjointed data challenges and close communications gaps across silos, so organizations can become more productive, adapt more quickly to changing business conditions, and become poised for growth.

"The experience that employees, customers, partners, and suppliers get when dealing with businesses is typically a reflection of how that business and its systems are structured internally. Today, the majority of systems are disconnected as a result of siloed solutions offered by vendors," said Raju Vegesna, Chief Evangelist at Zoho. "Unification of a business requires unification of the underlying systems, which can then provide a truly unified experience, internally and externally, along with unified insights. Zoho One was created with this vision and keeps expanding its unbeatable value with new additions and improvements year over year."

Zoho One aims to resolve operational, digitization, and retention challenges that businesses encounter. Enhancement categories include:

Unified, Real-time Insights for Critical Business Decisions

Businesses now have stronger real-time, organization-wide analytics, connecting the dots between data previously lost across departments, teams, and accounts. Powered by Zia, Zoho's AI assistant, and Zoho's BI and Analytics Platform, Zoho One allows users to predict and provide insights across the organization enabling confident decision-making. New innovations include:

• Embedded and Conversational BI: Zoho One now features embedded and conversational analytics enabling decision makers to drill down into their data and glean cross-departmental insights, all through natural language commands using Zia Insights. By providing 1,500+ pre-built analytics reports and dashboards, critical business decisions can be made with greater precision and speed.
• Data Preparation: This self-service data preparation and management tool is now available in Zoho One. Whether users are preparing data from third-party apps or other sources, DataPrep, powered by machine learning, can help business users integrate, model, cleanse, transform, enrich, and catalog data, as well as integrate with Analytics or a third party for new-found insights.

• Work Graph: Zoho's new back-end service, an industry-first for business software, maps interactions between people, resources, systems and processes by studying signals and their strength across the board to build a business-wide work graph that is specific to each individual within the organization. The result of a work graph will be seen in the day-to-day productivity of users across various apps.
• Enterprise Search: Zoho's actionable, organization-wide search, which is powered by Zia, can now understand natural language requests. Natural language powered search will lead to more accurate data discovery across teams and functions.

Scale and Manage Operations More Effectively in Unpredictable Climates

Global health and economic crises have accelerated the need for digital solutions that support varying workplace and business models. Operations have become more complex, making employee data and security a priority. The addition of Mobile Application Management and Zoho Commerce aim to help businesses better manage operations:

• Mobile Application Management (MAM): With remote work now persistent, Zoho One now includes enterprise-grade Mobile App Management capabilities. Admins can easily add and manage all of their users' devices for better insight and control of provisioning, specific app permissions and policies, locking and wiping devices remotely, and more, to support employee mobility and flexibility.
• Zoho Commerce: Businesses need to digitize faster than ever. The addition of Zoho Commerce enables retailers to easily build online shops with the tools needed to construct a website, accept orders, track inventory, process payments, manage shipping, market their brand, and analyze data. Zoho Commerce also integrates with third party payment gateways.

Build Strong Employee Experiences, From Anywhere

To help close the distance between employees, employers, and teams, which has widened with remote work, Zoho One delivers solutions that promote stronger collaboration and employee experience to support any mode of work:

• Zoho Learn: Organizations now have a learning management tool that enables interactive training programs and assessments with Zoho's course builder. Online centralization of company information, training programs, and more, gives businesses a better way to nurture employee growth.
• Zoho Lens: To facilitate better communication and collaboration in a remote-work environment, Zoho Lens provides remote assistance and guidance to employees through augmented reality (AR) via real-time AR annotation, VoIP and text chat, and more.
• TeamInbox: Teams use this shared email inbox to eliminate task duplication and streamline email conversations in one central location.
• Org Dictionary: Another industry-first, this new organization-wide service offers a central dictionary for the entire organization. It automatically incorporates the organization's employee name and other sources offering a central, consistent diction across various Zoho applications and users.

Unified and Personalized Experience with Context

Zoho One's enhanced user experience allows easy customization and personalization of workspaces:

• Unified Console, Dashboards, and Smart-Stack UI: Employees are now able to see their apps, services, and dashboards in one view with centralization across calendars, dashboards, navigation, and more.
• Customizable Dashboard with Pre-Built Widgets: Widgets encapsulating data across the organization can be aggregated together in a custom dashboard. This provides users visibility across the organization in a single view with the ability to drill down just one click away.

“The combination of software that we were using wasn’t cutting it. None of it was integrated, so there was a lot of double work and wasted time,” said Avi Levinson, vice president at Royal York Property Management. “It would have been absolute chaos to manage this many clients the way we were before. The decision to make the switch to Zoho One came about because we needed to find a system that was going to unify all of our customer service in one place. We knew exactly how we wanted to use the software and had specific goals in mind when implementing it, so understanding our business process and knowing how we wanted to use the software made the adoption of Zoho feel really logical and intuitive,” said Levinson.

A Deep Ecosystem that Extends and Integrates

Recognizing that businesses value flexibility in choosing apps that serve their specific needs, the Zoho One platform already integrates with 1,000+ third party solutions on Zoho Marketplace and now extends integration with 100+ telephony providers to enable seamless communications between stakeholders. Zoho One also includes a comprehensive platform for developers and business users to create, extend, and integrate. The platform includes newly released no-code tool, Canvas, low-code tool, Zoho Creator, and pro-code platform, Catalyst.

Zoho Pricing: Pricing starts at $50 CAD per employee. For comprehensive pricing information, please go to: https://www.zoho.com/one/pricing/

Zoho Privacy Pledge

Zoho respects user privacy and does not have an ad-revenue model in any part of its business, including its free products. More than 70 million users around the world, across hundreds of thousands of companies, rely on Zoho every day to run their businesses, including Zoho itself. For more information, please visit https://www.zoho.com/privacy.html

About Zoho

With 50+ apps in nearly every major business category, including sales, marketing, customer support, accounting and back-office operations, and an array of productivity and collaboration tools, Zoho

Corporation is one of the world's most prolific technology companies.

Zoho is privately held and profitable with more than 10,000 employees. Zoho is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with international headquarters in Chennai, India. Additional offices are in the United States, India, Japan, China, Canada, Singapore, Mexico, Australia, the Netherlands, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. For more information, please visit www.zoho.com/