This year, half of small and medium-sized companies reached at least a basic level of digital maturity

Almost half of the companies with a very low digital index

In 2023, 52 % companies with 10 or more employees and the self-employed achieved at least the basic level of digital maturity, i.e. have a low, high or very high digital index. Half of them were small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The goal of the European Digital Decade and Slovenia is that by 2030 this will reach more than 90 % among SMEs.

Most companies (48 %) showed a very low digital index, 29 % low, 18 % high and 5 % companies a very high digital index. Among small companies, most had a very low digital index (54 %), among medium-sized companies a low digital index (35 %) and among large companies a high digital index (43 %).

In manufacturing activities, 62 % companies had a very low, in service activities 34 % very low and the same proportion had a low digital index.

The degree of digitization is calculated on the basis of 12 indicators, which are used to monitor the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in companies in a given year. Companies are classified into 4 groups according to the extent to which they use ICT.

Almost a third of companies have a profile on at least two types of social media

In 2023, the digitization rate was calculated based on the following indicators:

• More than half of employees and self-employed in the company have access to the Internet for work purposes – 55 % companies fulfill this requirement, which is the same as in 2022.
• Artificial intelligence technologies are used by 11 % companies: 9 % small, 17 % medium-sized and 53 % large companies.
• The maximum contractually guaranteed download speed of the company's fastest fixed Internet connection is at least 30 Mbit/s - 83 % companies have it, the same as in 2022.
• Data analytics is performed by company employees or an external contractor at 19 % companies.
• Cloud computing services are rented by 40 % companies: 35 % small, 59 % medium-sized and 86 % large companies.
• Medium or more advanced cloud computing services are rented by 36 % companies: 31 % small, 53 % medium and 75 % large companies. These services are: rental of security software as a cloud computing service (29 % companies), rental of financial and accounting software (19 %), rental of company database hosting services (18 %), rental of ERP software solutions via the cloud (10 %) , rental of a computer platform that provides a hosting environment for the development, testing or deployment of applications (reusable software modules, programming interface - API) (10 %), and rental of software for customer relationship management (CRM - Customer Relationship Management) via the cloud (8 %).
• Social media is used (has a profile) by 57 % companies: 52 % small, 76 % medium-sized and 92 % large companies. Companies with a profile on social media most often use it to develop the overall image of the company or to market products or services (88 %) and 53 % for recruitment, employment.
• Two types of social media or more are used (have a profile) by 32 % companies: 27 % small, 49 % medium-sized and 79 % large companies.
• The ERP (Enterprise resource planning) software solution is used by 37 % companies: 30 % small, 64 % medium-sized and 95 % large companies.
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is used by 20 % companies: 16 % small, 34 % medium-sized and 61 % large companies.
• The company generated more than 1 % of its revenue in the previous year through sales through computer networks - websites or computer data interchange (RIP) - in 2023 there were 18 such % companies (20 % in 2022).
• The company generated more than 1 % of its revenue in the previous year through website sales and online sales to final consumers (B2C) accounted for more than 10 % of the value of online sales - there were 8 % such companies in 2023 (9 % in 2022).

Two-thirds of companies are struggling with digital transformation

This year, 66 % companies with 10 or more employees and self-employed (58 % in 2022) encountered problems with the digital transformation of the company's operations: 65 % small, 71 % medium-sized and 81 % large companies. In the case of digital transformation, the use of technologies changes the company's operations and thereby helps to reduce costs, increase productivity, etc.

Again this year, companies cited a lack of adequate staff or knowledge as the most common problem in digital transformation - 41 % (36 % in 2022): 40 % small, 46 % medium-sized and 54 % large companies. 37 %s are dealing with a lack of financial resources (31 %s in 2022). In 32 %, management or operations of companies cannot be quickly adapted to changes in the environment, e.g. it is not possible to experiment using digital technologies. Half of the companies believe that digital transformation is not essential for the successful operation of the company (43 % in 2022).