Digital transformation is a journey that many SMBs are embarking on, and resellers have a key role to play in helping customers to achieve the benefits they want – and scanners are also an important factor for many.
For many small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) digital transformation is a becoming a necessity if they want to continue to compete with other businesses. By digitising elements of their business – often ones that are traditionally paper-based – it can help them become more efficient and, hopefully, profitable.
This means that demand for digital transformation among SMBs is strong currently, says Ian Fox, UK channel solutions and services specialist at Xerox. “Organisations of all sizes are looking to streamline their processes and reduce operating costs, but this becomes even more critical for smaller SMBs whose operations are often dependent on key personnel, leaving their business processes exposed to the impact of staff holidays or long-term absence due to illness,” he explains.
“Digital transformation is a great way to streamline some of the more labour-intensive and mundane processes, such as scanning, data processing and extraction.”
David Malan, sales director, UK & Ireland at DocuWare, agrees that demand for digital transformation continues to rise among SMBs, adding that resellers have a vital role to play in guiding these businesses toward technologies that ensure a smooth and future-proof transition. “Many SMBs are moving away from manual, paper-based processes and adopting cloud-based document and workflow solutions that offer automation, security and accessibility,” he says.
“Events like DocuWorld 2025 highlight just how strong that momentum is, with clear focus areas emerging around cloud, AI, integration and usability.”
Greig Millar, chief revenue officer at Brother UK, adds that small businesses are continuing to invest in digital transformation “as they recognise the tangible benefits it delivers – from improved efficiency and security to lower operational costs,” he says. “The demand among the workforce for hybrid working and the need to manage documents across dispersed teams has made digitisation a top priority too.”
Trends
While SMBs in general are looking towards greater digitisation of their operations, there are some distinct trends in the market currently.
“Solutions that streamline operations, support collaboration and increase flexibility are in high demand, particularly if they integrate easily into companies’ existing systems, support compliance and can scale with business’ evolving needs,” says Greig.
David adds that current customer trends reflect a desire for simplicity, scalability and smart automation. “SMBs are prioritising solutions that are mobile-accessible, browser-based and easy to implement without needing deep technical expertise,” he says. “Tools like DocuWare, which offer intelligent document processing and workflow automation (DocuWare IDP), are seeing growing interest due to their ability to reduce manual tasks and deliver fast ROI – especially in areas like invoice processing and HR document management.”
Ian notes that while accounting and legal functions have always been popular targets for digital transformation automation, “channel partners shouldn’t overlook industries where high levels of temporary workers are employed – ideal for HR related onboarding workflows – or where detailed compliance and traceability are required, typically food and manufacturing industries,” he says.
“SaaS solutions with integrated AI, such as our DocuShareGo offering, are high on the agenda, allowing for rapid deployment timescales and providing a scalable platform that can grow with their business.”
Scanner role
For SMBs transitioning to a more digital model, scanners often have an important role to play and should be prominent in resellers’ thinking.
“Scanners are often the first step in this [digitalisation] journey,” says Greig. “They bridge the gap between paper and digital and play a crucial role in building automated workflows. Brother’s award-winning ADS range, for example, supports high-volume document processing and includes features like secure file routing, advanced authentication and automated document handling.
“For businesses, that means less manual admin, more time saved and less chance for costly user errors across the board.”
David agrees that the scanner is an important piece of equipment. “Surprisingly, one of the most critical yet overlooked components in digital transformation is the humble scanner,” he says. “Scanners, especially when paired with OCR technology, play a key role in digitising physical records and enabling searchable, editable archives. They serve as the first step in many businesses’ digital journeys, especially in sectors like legal, healthcare and logistics. Without them, even the most powerful document management systems can’t unlock their full potential.”
But Ian notes that while scanners can play an important part in digital transformation, it is a mistake to assume that the transformation processes revolve entirely around paper. “However, where the information to be processed exists in hard copy format, then this can be digitised using dedicated scanners, the scan capabilities of MFDs, or by outsourcing the scanning process to a third party,” he says.
“There are pros and cons to each approach, but many SMBs choose to maximise their investments and use their MFDs for scanning. The latest Xerox C8200 series MFD’s scan at speeds of up to 270 images per minute using single pass duplex mode and embedded AI technologies provides an effective and user-friendly path towards effective digital transformation.”
Overcoming barriers
But while the benefits of digital transformation are well established, there are still common perceived barriers to it, which resellers must help customers to overcome.
“There is a lack of understanding about the art of the possible,” says Ian. “Resellers can overcome this by sharing success stories from similar industries or processes. They should also emphasise the increased processing capacity the end solution will provide, making it easier for their business to scale to demand.
“Sell the benefits, not the features, and make these tangible. It’s also sensible to adopt a phased approach, perhaps selecting a relatively simple workflow initially and, as confidence builds, expanding the solution into other areas of the business.”
David adds that cost concerns, limited in-house IT expertise and fear of disruption remain major hurdles. “This is where resellers can shine – by offering tailored, scalable solutions, demonstrating ROI clearly and providing ongoing technical support,” he says. “Cloud-based platforms with flexible pricing models and low setup costs make it easier for SMBs to take the leap.”
Greig adds that it is important to note that digital transformation isn’t one-size-fits-all. “Every business is on its own journey, and while some are already embracing full cloud integration, others are moving more gradually,” he says. “That’s why resellers play a vital role, working closely with customers to understand their unique needs and building tailored solutions.
“Brother Cloud Solutions – integrated with Tungsten Automation’s AutoStore and Printix – enable employees to securely scan, access and share documents from any location, helping businesses to stay connected and productive. With these tools, resellers can support customers in navigating change with confidence.”
Future growth
There will continue to be opportunities in digital transformation in the coming years as more businesses digitalise more processes. “Undoubtedly, the volume of physical documents will decline in the coming years,” says Ian.
“However, there will still be a demand to streamline processes via digital transformation. We are working hard to support our resellers, providing them with new services they can resell, and allowing them to replace the recurring revenues lost due to the decline of paper-based workflows.
“Many digital transformation projects are now adopting a volume-based billing model, where the client is invoiced per image processed or amount of data extracted, regardless of the format of the original, i.e. born digital or paper-based origin.”
David adds that the digital transformation opportunity won’t fade – it will evolve. “While many businesses have made initial strides, the future lies in continuous upgrades, smarter AI integration and more refined workflow automation,” he says. “Solutions like DocuWare’s new Workflow Designer and Intelligent Insights chatbot show that innovation isn’t slowing down. Resellers should position themselves not just as tech providers but as long-term strategic partners, helping customers adapt, upgrade and scale over time.
“For SMBs, digital transformation is a journey, not a destination. And, with the right tools and advice, it can be a remarkably smooth and rewarding one.”
Greig says the opportunity for resellers is only growing. “As small businesses continue to upgrade and evolve, technologies that improve agility – like cloud-based scanning and workflow automation – will remain in high demand,” he says. “The role of the reseller will be to help businesses stay ahead of the curve and build smarter, more secure infrastructure for the future.”
