Study shows: SMEs are lagging behind digitally
The Swiss population has long been digitally ready - but many SMEs are lagging behind. A new study by localsearch and Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) shows: There is a huge gap between customer wishes and digital offerings. Customers are demanding more online presence and AI connectivity, which many SMEs have not yet been able to meet.
82 % of Swiss people would like to find out about SME services online, but only 36 % of companies have their own website. Microenterprises with fewer than ten employees in particular, which make up 90 % of all SMEs, are barely present - two thirds do not have a website. "The vast majority of Swiss SMEs can hardly be found online - and a lack of online presence means lost business," warns localsearch CEO Stefano Santinelli.
Appointment booking remains an exception
The discrepancy is even greater for digital bookings: 77 % of the population would like to book appointments directly online. However, only 7 % of SME websites have a professional booking tool. If you include those without a website, just 3 % of all Swiss SMEs offer this option.
This is relevant for customers: More than half see online booking as a decisive criterion when choosing a provider. This need is particularly strong among 30 to 44-year-olds, where 69 % explicitly prefer providers with digital appointment booking.
The study also shows that digital affinity is not a question of age. Even in the 60-79 age group, a majority would like to receive information and make bookings online. There is also a high level of trust: 80 % of respondents state that they trust online appointment bookings at SMEs, and 82 % feel competent in using the tools.
AI is changing the customer search
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming the new search channel. Already 19 % of the population have used ChatGPT, Copilot or similar systems to search for SME services - among 18 to 29-year-olds, the proportion is 26 %.
The trend is clearly pointing upwards: around half of the population wants to use AI in the future to obtain information about SMEs. "Digital visibility doesn't end with the search engine. In the age of AI, the presence in intelligent systems such as ChatGPT determines whether an SME is noticed at all - or remains in the digital shadows," says Santinelli.
HSLU expert Thomas Wozniak also emphasizes: "A complete company profile on various platforms in combination with optimized content is not only crucial for classic search engine searches - it also improves visibility in search queries via AI tools such as ChatGPT or Copilot."
Search engines and social media remain important
Despite AI, traditional channels remain relevant: 80 % search SMEs first via Google or Bing, 75 % follow recommendations and 37 % use review platforms. However, social media is also gaining in importance: 13 % already name it as their first port of call when searching for services.
Conclusion: the time to act is now
The study "SME Digital Pulse 2025" shows impressively that the population is digitally ready - but many SMEs are not. Professional websites, booking tools and optimization for search engines and AI channels are crucial for visibility, trust and business success. "Micro businesses are at a turning point. Those who don't build a digital bridge to their customers now will be left behind - and lose relevance and sales," summarizes Santinelli.
Sources: localsearch / Lucerne University
