Google Canada boss prods 'slow' Canadian businesses to seize digital tools
Only half of small, medium-sized businesses have websites: Sam Sebastian
An American transplant leading Google Canada says Canadian businesses are moving "bad slow" in adopting digital
technology.
Managing director Sam Sebastian says only half of small and medium businesses in Canada have their own website, while fewer than one in three use cloud computing.
"The internet really can be the platform for growth. SMEs if they want to reach beyond and build their business, they need to embrace the internet and digital tools," he said in an interview with CBC's The Exchange with Amanda Lang.
"Five, 10 years ago it would cost you a lot of money to start something up, right now you can get online and use these tools very efficiently," he added.
Sebastian, who spent eight years with Google in Chicago, says there's resistance to change in the business here in Canada. He estimated Canadian retailers are two years behind their U.S. counterparts in adopting online technology.
But Sebastian urged Canadians to embrace the virtual office infrastructure that has diminished substantially in cost over the past two decades.
He told business leaders in a speech to the Vancouver Board of Trade that digital leaders outperform their competitors in every industry.
"We're trying to give them momentum. Once they start seeing the impact to their business they're going to continue to invest and they're going to continue to get on board," Sebastian said.
Sebastian says Canada is well-positioned to become a global digital leader, noting the country has one of the fastest teams on the ice — but the players still need to master the skills.