Enterprises are better able to absorb these rising costs. But caught between limited financial resources and the pressure to keep prices low to be competitive, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) really feel the pinch.

The best strategy is to plan ahead. Ultimately, your goal should be to focus on being proactive instead of simply reactive, says Lauren Ventura, senior director of market management for SMBs at Cisco. "Being proactive means you've anticipated, as best you can, the opportunities for improvement your business faces. And in the long run, being proactive costs a lot less than being reactive."