Introduction
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Mexico encounter various hurdles and barriers that hinder their growth, both locally and globally. Among the primary concerns is financial management, identified by nearly half of the SMEs as the biggest obstacle to their growth.
Barómetro de pymes 2025 Study
The Barómetro de pymes 2025 study, conducted by Chubb, surveyed 202 employees or owners of urban-located SMEs in Mexico. The survey aimed to understand their concerns, worries, and future priorities.
External Concerns of SMEs
The survey revealed that 54% of the respondents have a positive outlook on the current situation, while 36% consider it average and 10% view it negatively, mainly due to external economic factors.
- Global and local competition (42%)
- Rising costs of production factors (38%)
- Changes in consumer behavior (38%)
Internal Challenges Faced by SMEs
The most frequent daily operational challenges relate to sales, productivity, and innovation. Balancing efforts in key areas is crucial for SMEs to remain competitive.
- Generating more sales (30% of SMEs consider this their main challenge)
- Technology adoption (32% of SMEs are concerned about this)
- Lack of digital skills training (18% of SMEs face this issue)
- Market participation concerns (28% of SMEs have this worry, possibly due to insufficient customer knowledge)
Security Concerns Among SMEs
SMEs’ uncertainty about their long-term survival is reflected in their future plans. The study shows that 46% of Mexican SMEs plan for medium-term growth (between two and five years), while 34% focus on short-term growth (within the next 12 months).
- Impact of theft: Three out of ten businesses worry about urban insecurity, affecting their operations and long-term plans.
- Equipment theft (47% of SMEs consider this the most disruptive factor for business operation).
- Theft of raw materials (7% of SMEs fear this).
Despite the security concerns, 20% of SMEs do not have any insurance to protect their assets, leaving them vulnerable to risks that disrupt their operations.
This situation indicates that, although SMEs maintain growth expectations, factors like insecurity and limited technology adoption continue to limit their long-term development and sustainability.
Key Questions and Answers
- What are the main challenges faced by SMEs in Mexico?
SMEs face financial management, competition (both global and local), rising production costs, changes in consumer behavior, sales growth, technology adoption, digital skills training, market participation concerns, and insecurity.
- How do SMEs perceive the current economic situation in Mexico?
54% of SMEs have a positive outlook, 36% consider it average, and 10% view it negatively, mainly due to external economic factors.
- What percentage of SMEs prioritize sales growth?
30% of SMEs consider generating more sales their main challenge.
- How many SMEs worry about insecurity and its impact on their operations?
Three out of ten SMEs worry about urban insecurity, affecting their operations and long-term plans. 47% consider equipment theft the most disruptive factor for business operation.
