SMB (Small and Medium-Sized Business)

SMB stands for small and medium-sized business – organizations with fewer than 250 employees and annual revenue of up to €50 million by EU definition. SMBs represent the backbone of most European economies.

What are SMBs?

The term SMB (Small and Medium-sized Business) refers to – by official EU definition – companies that meet all three of the following criteria:

  • Employees: fewer than 250
  • Annual turnover: up to €50 million
  • Annual balance sheet total: up to €43 million

Within this category, further distinctions are made:

  • Micro-enterprises: <10 employees, <€2 million turnover
  • Small businesses: 10–49 employees, €2–10 million turnover
  • Medium-sized businesses: 50–249 employees, €10–50 million turnover

Significance in European Economies

In most EU countries, SMBs account for more than 99% of all businesses. They employ the majority of the workforce and generate a substantial share of total economic output. SMBs are the backbone of European economies and provide the bulk of apprenticeships and vocational training.

SMBs and Messaging Platforms

SMBs have different requirements for communication software than large enterprises:

  • No dedicated IT team: Solutions must be configurable without technical expertise
  • Limited budgets: Costs must be clearly calculable and scalable
  • Fast onboarding: No months-long implementation projects – setup in hours, not weeks
  • Personal touch: Despite automation, SMB customers want the feeling of personal attention
  • Multichannel need: Customers arrive via WhatsApp, email, and phone – everything must be centrally manageable

Platforms like the WhatsApp Business API offer especially high leverage for SMBs: the direct channel to customers, already installed on every smartphone, enables open rates of over 90% – without the scatter of social media or email newsletters.

The Right Starting Point for SMBs

The typical path for SMBs into professional customer communication:

  1. Start with WhatsApp: WhatsApp Business App as a free entry point for micro-businesses
  2. Growth: Switch to the WhatsApp Business API once more than 1–2 employees are in customer contact or message volume increases
  3. Multichannel: Integration of a Unified Inbox that bundles all channels in one inbox

SendSeven for SMBs

SendSeven is specifically designed for SMB requirements: setup in under 5 minutes, transparent costs with no minimum contract, and GDPR-compliant EU hosting. Whether retailer, trade business, or service provider – the Unified Inbox bundles WhatsApp, email, live chat, and more channels centrally. 14-day free trial, no credit card required.