Study: 4 out of 10 HoReCa and retail SMEs state that they are not prepared for global crises

Glovo, the delivery operator, together with the research company Ipsos, carried out a market research at the end of 2022, in which 304 took part respondents: entrepreneurs, procurement managers, decision-makers in SMEs from the restaurant and retail industries in Romania.

Technology, reliable partner for SMEs in Romania

The analysis shows that Romanian SMEs in the researched industries are increasingly open to new technologies, and according to the data, half of them declare themselves “early adopters” when it comes to innovative solutions. 59% of SMEs surveyed are confident that a technology partner will help them stay competitive in the market, innovate and scale. 3 out of 10 companies claim to be afloat, while nearly half of all businesses that have already been digitized before 2020 have seen slow but steady growth over the past 2-3 years.

Entrepreneurs remain skeptical when it comes to the future. About 40% of the surveyed SMEs consider themselves unprepared for the future, especially in the context of global crises, and in order to remain competitive and relevant they want to better understand the market and the changing needs of their customers and consider the involvement of a technological partner beneficial in this direction.

Half of HoReCa and retail businesses have started delivering during the pandemic

The pandemic context has pushed companies to be more attentive to the digital environment; 49% of businesses participating in the study started working with delivery partners during the pandemic, and more than half (57%) of these companies’ representatives say that the digital (home delivery) experience of their customers is becoming more important than the usual experience consumption in the restaurant. At the same time, more than half of SMEs (52%) claim that the pandemic has led them to listen more to consumers.

“For us, SMEs represent the largest part of Glovo’s partner portfolio in Romania, contributing decisively to Glovo’s mission, that of giving everyone easy access to anything in their city. For this reason, much of our expansion efforts have involved attracting and supporting the small, local businesses that are so important to the community they belong to. The study carried out in collaboration with the research company Ipsos gives us a clearer vision of the needs and challenges that these businesses face and helps us to support them in the areas in which they need.”, said Iustinian Belghir, General Manager of Glovo Romania and Moldova.

The Ipsos study was conducted between October and November 2022 through a mixed data collection method (online and telephone). The sample included a total number of 304 respondents: entrepreneurs, procurement managers, and decision-makers in SMEs from the restaurant and retail industries in Romania.