IN Malaysia, there are 1.15 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – making up 97.2% of the total number of business establishments.

       On a whole, SMEs contributed 38.2% or RM512.8bil to the national gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020, which renders them the backbone of the Malaysian economy.

       It is to no surprise that SMEs were among the most badly hit during the Covid-19 pandemic.

       Despite their importance as the mainstay of the national economy, the sector has performed relatively poorly in terms of digitalisation. A digital divide exists among SME businesses in Malaysia.

       While there has been a rise in adoption of digital solutions in response to the pandemic, the World Bank reported in June that the digital adoption rate of SMEs continues to lag behind large firms.

       At the aggregate level, the World Bank said that most of the digital adoption was related to sales and marketing functions, with a smaller portion of firms using digital solutions for more complex business and production functions.

       For large firms, the rationale behind digitalisation is clear, as it improves efficiency, competitiveness and economies of scale. Firms can use complex technologies such as the automation of production processes and data-driven quality control processes to reduce costs and increase profit margins.

       As for SMEs, digitalisation is often perceived as complex, costly and unnecessary.

       Key digitalisation areas

       What most businesses do not realise is that digitalisation does not necessarily mean expensive equipment and total automation.

       There are seven key digitalisation areas that have been identified by the government, which SMEs are strongly encouraged to adopt. They are:

       > Digital marketing and sales

       > Electronic point of sales (e-POS)

       > Human resources payroll system and customer relationship management (CRM)

       > Procurement

       > e-commerce

       > Remote working

       > Enterprise resource planning (ERP)/ accounting and tax.

       In the ever-changing business environment in a post-Covid world, having a sustainable business and staying relevant is a key part of the game.

       SMEs will require structural guidance and assistance in addressing all key aspects that are required to realise their targets.

       From generating new ideas and products for customers to finding customer-focused solutions, SMEs require business-focused solutions so that their visions are in line with the markets’ needs.

       unifi Business provides tools and solutions for MSMEs to enhance their businesses in different ways while upgrading their brands, products or services, as well as the lives of their customers, to achieve better standards and customer experiences.

       It also provides exclusive customisable business offerings and enables merchants to achieve better levels of development and performance with seamless connections and networks.

       Business model evolution

       The Covid-19’s onslaught on the economy forces SMEs to be creative. Businesses were allowed to open with limited capacity and operating hours, causing changes to their existing operating models into online businesses, including those from the food and beverages (F&B) sector.

       Most business owners turn to online food delivery platforms to tap into a wider customer base. One such example is KUEH Café in Shah Alam.

       KUEH Café was among many F&B businesses impacted by the no dine-in rule during the periods of movement restriction.

       But since the sector was classified as an essential service, KUEH Café was allowed to operate – using online food delivery platforms to cater to its customers.

       Knowing that they needed the extra mileage to reach out to a wider base of customers, café founder Mohamad Ezwan Mohamad Zain opted for the unifi Business solutions to digitalise his business.

       This gave KUEH Café the connectivity and a cari@unifi premium listing with an affordable plan, coupled with extra savings of up to 50% with the SME Digitalisation Grant.

       Under the grant, businesses are eligible for up to 50% or RM5,000 matching grant per company for any of unifi’s business solutions, together with the connectivity. SMEs can also expand their businesses digitally with free training sessions when they sign up.

       With the cari@unifi premium listing, KUEH Café will automatically be registered on the cari@unifi marketplace where they can be featured on the platform’s monthly article and the electronic direct mail (EDM) sent to more 400,000 existing unifi Business customers.

       What makes it more interesting is, KUEH Café will stand a chance to be featured on unifi Business social media posting for a wider reachability.

       “Adopting digitalisation and transforming ourselves into an online business gave us new hope, especially those in the F&B industry.

       “I’m also glad that unifi Business has SME consultants that are ready to provide us with any assistance and hand holding for any problem that arises,” Mohamad Ezwan said.

       He added that the webinar, digital class and masterclass conducted by the unifi Business Club (uBC) for unifi Business customers made their digitalisation journey smoother – on top of a complimentary proper guidance on business tips and tricks.

       Through the unifi Business Club (uBC), unifi Business aims to assist MSMEs in growing their businesses online and significantly boost sales and productivity at minimal costs through an array of tried-and-tested business solutions, including productivity and marketing tools.

       Combining the best of business solutions, expert advice and marketing tools, uBC is a one-stop business centre that houses everything that businesses need to grow, exclusively for its business customers.

       To know more about unifi Business product offerings, go to www.unifi.com.my/business.

       For details

       on the SMG Digitalisation Grant, go to bit.ly/3HKj2EK or scan the QR Code.