Going Digital Is Not Too Expensive. Going Digital All at Once Is.

Most SMB owners in India do not avoid digital because they dislike technology. They avoid it because they are responsible about money. When you are managing salaries, inventory, rent, and vendor payments, “let’s invest in tools” can feel like a risky line item.

You are also not alone in feeling this way. A TechRadar Pro article referencing a Shopify study reports that 44% of SMBs say high costs are a major barrier, and 30% cite uncertainty about ROI as another barrier.

So the myth does not come from laziness. It comes from a real, common fear: “What if I spend on digital and it does not pay back fast enough?”

Let’s unpack this the way an SMB actually lives it.

The myth: “Going digital is too expensive for us.”

This myth usually shows up at a very specific stage: when your business is functioning, but it is also starting to feel messy.

• Customer calls and WhatsApp messages are coming from everywhere.
• Quotes are being shared, but follow-ups are inconsistent.
• Payment tracking is happening in heads and spreadsheets.
• Files are being passed around with “final_final_v3” in the name.
• Your team is growing, but work is not becoming easier.

In that moment, “going digital” sounds like a big, expensive transformation project. New software, consultants, implementations, training, and a long timeline before you see value.

But modern digital adoption does not have to look like that. In fact, SMBs do best when digital is adopted like an upgrade, not like a rebuild.

What most SMBs get wrong about cost

Cost is rarely the problem on its own. The problem is the buying pattern.

SMBs often assume they need to do all of this together:

• Set up new systems
• Move all data
• Train everyone
• Integrate everything
• Buy “complete” plans upfront

That is where the price feels high.

The better model is simpler: adopt one digital capability at a time, using pay-as-you-go or subscription models, measure impact, and then scale.

TechRadar’s summary of the Shopify study makes an important point: SMBs believe tech will help them grow, but cost and ROI uncertainty slow adoption. The answer to both is the same: start small and prove value early.

What pay-as-you-go really means for an SMB

Pay-as-you-go is not about settling for “basic tools.” It is about matching spend to usage and growth.

For an SMB, the best kind of tool is one that:

• Can be started with a small monthly plan
• Works without heavy IT involvement
• Can be expanded as your team grows
• Shows measurable benefit quickly
• Does not lock you into buying capacity you will not use

This is why cloud software and managed services have become so relevant. They shift the financial decision from “big upfront investment” to “manageable monthly cost.”

And for many SMBs, that is the difference between adopting now versus delaying for years.

A simple way to go digital without overspending

Here’s the approach I recommend when cost is the biggest concern.

Start with one business problem that is already costing you money or time. Not ten problems. One.

For example:

• Too many missed calls and missed leads
• Slow customer responses because messages are scattered
• Payment follow-ups taking too much time
• Sales pipeline visibility is poor
• File sharing is chaotic and mistakes happen

Pick the one that is most tied to revenue or customer experience. Then choose a digital tool that fixes that one problem first.

This approach does two important things:

• 1. It keeps your spend limited and focused.
• 2. It gives you proof, quickly, that digital tools can create business outcomes.

That second part matters because, as the TechRadar Pro piece notes, many SMBs hesitate because they are unsure the ROI will be worth it.

What “proof” should look like

SMBs do not need complicated ROI models. You need a few simple measures.

If you implement one tool to solve one problem, track outcomes like:

• Response time improved
• Missed leads reduced
• Faster collections or fewer payment delays
• Fewer customer complaints
• Less internal confusion and rework
• More deals tracked and followed up

These are outcomes you can feel in the business, not just in dashboards.

The hidden cost of staying manual

Here’s the part many businesses only realise later: not going digital is also a cost. It just does not show up as a bill.

It shows up as:

• Leads that drop because someone forgot to follow up
• Deals delayed because the latest proposal was not found
• Customer frustration because support is inconsistent
• Founder time spent coordinating instead of growing

If you look at your week honestly, you will often find that your team is already paying for inefficiency. Digital tools simply convert that invisible cost into visible control.

What digital adoption should look like for Indian SMBs

Indian SMBs have a specific reality: fast decisions, mixed customer channels, a blend of online and offline operations, and teams that do many roles at once.

That is why the best digital path is usually:

• 1. Fix communication and customer response first
• 2. Improve internal collaboration and file control
• 3. Build basic process visibility for sales, service, or payments
• 4. Add security and access control as you grow

This is not about buying the biggest suite. It is about building a foundation that can carry growth.

And it aligns with the same insight from the Shopify study summary: SMBs want growth, but they need affordable, outcome-driven tech adoption, often through pilots before scaling.

The way forward: Go digital the way you grow

If you are worried about cost, you do not need a dramatic digital transformation. You need a sensible digital adoption plan.

Start with one problem. Use pay-as-you-go models. Run a short pilot. Measure outcomes. Keep what works. Expand only when the business demands it.

Going digital is not too expensive.

Going digital without focus is.

References:

• TechRadar Pro: “SMBs want to use tech more in order to grow, but costs are proving a big barrier” (references a Shopify study; notes 44% cite high costs and 30% cite ROI uncertainty).