Knowledge‐intensive service firms achieve superior productivity levels with management practices oriented to improve the relationship with customers. Managerial practices linked to digital and IT‐based practices and cash management techniques contribute to enhance SMEs’ productivity level. The positive effect of cash management techniques and digital/IT‐based practices is conditioned by the characteristics of the businesses’ operations, in our case, the knowledge orientation of the organization. While nonknowledge‐based businesses benefit more from practices linked to digitization and IT practices, knowledge‐intensive businesses capitalize more on management practices that seek to improve the relationship with customers.