Tag: SME

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Local digital publisher REV Media Group (RMG) has partnered with data analytics and consumer intelligence company Dattel Asia to launch its first AI-powered advertising manager platform in Malaysia to empower SMEs with data-driven advertising.

The collaboration offers a unique solution that empowers brands and agencies to target audiences based on strategic consumer insights. The self-serve platform powered with AI for better audience targeting, known as REV Ad Manager (RAM), allows SMEs to leverage the platform’s data to make more informed marketing decisions.

The platform is designed to be the starting point for running ad campaigns and reaching your ideal audience for SMEs to grow their business. Thus, RAM is basically a tool that lets a user segment customers, create ads, and manage them easily and effortlessly.

In addition, the partnership also provides an opportunity for SMEs to leverage on the 15.8 million visitors on RMG’s network audience, reaching 80% of Malaysians monthly and a special rate at a minimum of RM1,000 with a 100,000 audience reach.

RMG’s Chief Executive Officer, Samuel Wee said, “Gone are the days where SME business owners and agencies need to traditionally acquire data and create personas to match their audience targeting. Our AI powered recommendation engine will recommend the best media asset that is optimised for your market audience which makes it easier for the agencies and brands.”

Meanwhile, DAG’s Chief Executive Officer, Ashran Dato Ghazi, commented, “Targeting the right audience is crucial in any business aspect. We want to come in aid and empower SMEs with data that is actionable and most importantly yield results.”

Singapore – Singapore’s consumer bank DBS has launched its new complimentary cybersecurity training programme to help protect 280,000 SMEs in Singapore against the growing threat of cybercrime.

The programme, ‘DBS #CyberWellness’, comprises 10 online modules, each covering a different facet of cybersecurity, such as password protection, phishing, digital scams, and physical security, as well as social media security. These modules can be accessed on the go digitally through an e-learning platform, with all 10 modules taking no more than 120 minutes to complete. At the end of the programme, SMEs will be presented with recommendations for suitable cyber insurance and cybersecurity solutions. This enables SMEs to take immediate steps to protect their businesses from potential cyberattacks.

Following the launch of the new initiative, DBS has also appointed telco StarHub as its new programme partner for DBS #CyberWellness. StarHub will be providing participating SMEs with a complimentary two-month trial of their hardware-free, plug-and-play cybersecurity solution called ‘Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) for SME’, which enables SMEs to gain a business-wide defence against cyber threats.

Joyce Tee, the group head of SME Banking at DBS, believes that they can make the biggest impact by equipping the employees of SMEs with foundational cybersecurity skills, which become ingrained everyday habits as they put their skills to practice.

“We’re especially proud that DBS #CyberWellness was developed entirely in-house in partnership with our technology teams. This speaks to our commitment to come together as one Team DBS to help our SMEs, social enterprises, and even charities digitalise their operations safely,” said Tee

Meanwhile, Charlie Chan, StarHub’s chief of enterprise business group, shared that they are partnering with DBS to help SMEs and their employees stay safe online, and with the partnership, they have combined critical and free training with defensive tools that are easy to use. 

“There is no better time than now for SMEs to say ‘no’ to being an easy target, both for the business as well as their employees. We are in it for the long haul, to be a trusted partner for our customers in their digital and cybersecurity journey,” said Chan.

DBS said that the programme was first rolled out as a pilot to social enterprises and charities in Singapore and was subsequently expanded to include SMEs.

Jakarta, Indonesia – Financial institution, Indonesia Eximbank (LPEI), has introduced a number of export-oriented SMEs during Indonesia’s historic event, G-20 2022, which has the theme ‘Recover Together, Recover Stronger’.

The move aims to show the resilience of Indonesian SMEs amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. These SMEs have participated in ‘Coaching Program for New Exporters’ (CPNE) or new export pilot programs, which is one of the government’s mandates through the Act to LPEI to create new exporters.

Rijani Tirtoso, LPEI’s executive director, shared that they have presented 16 selected SMEs during the event, of which are the results of the Consulting Services program, namely CPNE.

CPNE is a one-year mentoring and training program is also carried out by LPEI during the pandemic and has produced more than 2000 alumni. It aims to provide sustainable financial inclusion for SMEs can be accelerated, especially related to exports in accordance with one of the finance track agendas in the G-20 Indonesia presidency, namely ‘Financial Inclusion: Digital and SMEs’.

“A continuous training program for one year or we can say financial inclusion for export-oriented SMEs which aims to give birth to new exporters. Their presence at the G-20 presidency shows the resilience of SMEs to face the pandemic storm that has occurred for approximately the last two years,” said Tirtoso.

“We can find export-oriented SMEs from the CPNE program at the Rumah Joglo and Rumah Minahasa stands at JCC, Senayan. The products are also quite varied, such as fashion, handicrafts and home decorations, to accessories. Even more uniquely, a non-machine loom (ATBM) from one of the fostered partners that produce sarongs was brought directly to the JCC and attracted the attention of a number of delegates, even the Minister of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia,” said LPEI in a press statement.

Dubai, UAE — In an effort to assist Malaysian SMEs in their post-pandemic business recovery, three organizations have collaborated, namely the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (MEDAC) and the SME Bank. In addition, 11 companies from multi-sectors in the Export Acceleration Mission to Dubai, United Arab of Emirates (UAE) have participated in the endeavour to assist Malaysian SMEs.

The mission, spanning a week and is held in conjunction with the World Expo 2020 Dubai, aims to provide opportunities for the SMEs to expand their brands’ presence in the market and establish business partnerships with the UAE and its neighbouring countries; the Middle East and North Africa.

Mohd Mustafa Abdul Aziz, chief executive officer for MATRADE, said that the strategic collaboration between MATRADE, MEDAC and SME Bank signifies the importance of synergy within the trade ecosystem in strengthening Malaysia’s trade competitiveness as recommended by the National Trade Blueprint (NTBp).

The NTBp outlines a 5-year development strategy from 2021 to 2025 to enhance Malaysia’s trade competitiveness, specifically in the exports of merchandise. Launched in October 2021 by YAB Prime Minister, the blueprint aims to position Malaysia as a dynamic and pre-eminent trading nation through sustainable export development and promotion.

“MATRADE outlines a total of 286 export promotion and exporters development programmes this year for Malaysian companies to brace themselves in weathering the market demands as well as to expand their global footprints. Therefore, it is crucial that all parties work together to ensure that the programmes produce high-impact outcomes and, ultimately lift export onto a growth trajectory,” Mustafa said.

MATRADE has continuously sought strategic collaborations with various organizations to help implement export-related programmes to create opportunities for the business communities. The corporation encourages Malaysian companies to get in touch via their office, social media channels, or visit the MATRADE website (matrade.gov.my) to better understand the export promotions, assistance, and development programmes.

Singapore – Short-video sharing platform TikTok and Singapore’s national confederation of trade unions, National Trades Union Congress LearningHub (NTUC LHUB), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), aimed at delivering quality training and resources in social media marketing and content creation for small businesses.

NTUC LHUB said that more small businesses turn to digital platforms to reach new audiences, and many are leveraging new age platforms such as TikTok which has exceeded 240 million users in SEA alone. From increasing brand awareness to extending their business reach, TikTok has played a key role in helping local micro-businesses to connect directly with their customers and grow their presence online.

The MOU will see NTUC LHUB leveraging its strong network within the Labour Movement and its associations such as the Freelancers and Self-Employed Unit (U FSE), Singapore National Co-Operative Federation (SNCF), and Young NTUC. In addition, NTUC LHUB will be working closely with TikTok to develop a suite of courses that empower content creators to grow their brand presence on social media platforms. 

To kick off the partnership, NTUC LHUB will begin running the TikTok-endorsed ‘Design Thinking for Social Media’ course in March 2022. The two-day course leverages design thinking concepts for social media content creation. Furthermore, the collaboration will translate into training courses that are applicable to all workers in due course.

Anthony Chew, NTUC LearningHub’s director of Infocomm Technology, commented that they are thrilled to be partnering with TikTok to empower Self-Employed Persons (SEPs) to navigate and keep pace with the rapidly changing social media landscape in order to create new business and employment opportunities. 

“Working closely with TikTok, NTUC LearningHub will be on the pulse of new trends and developments straight from the source, hence ensuring that our training in social media and digital marketing remains highly relevant, timely and spot-on for our learners. In addition, NTUC LearningHub is also uniquely placed within the Labour Movement ecosystem to support the outreach efforts to self-employed persons,” said Chew.

Meanwhile, David Jay Gomez, TikTok’s head of brand partnerships for SEA, noted that they are witnessing an increase in small businesses across SEA, leveraging their platform to drive tangible impact and they are deeply committed to using their platform to educate and equip their community with the relevant skills and training as they navigate the ever-evolving business landscape. 

“Through our partnership with NTUC LearningHub, we look forward to empowering more micro-businesses and freelancers to drive their business and Singapore’s digital economy forward,” said Gomez.

Jean See, the director of NTUC Freelancers and Self-Employed Unit (U FSE), said, “With continual learning support as a cornerstone of NTUC’s membership proposition, we are excited that U FSE and NTUC LearningHub will be jointly rolling out a ‘Community of Practice’ series to bridge classroom training with expert insights to empower members to stand out from the competition.”

Singapore citizens and permanent residents can enjoy 50% off the course fees, and are eligible for the utilisation of SkillsFuture credit and Post-Secondary Education Account (PSEA). Interested individuals can register for the ‘Design Thinking for Social Media’ course at NTUC LHUB website.

Singapore – Metigy, an AI-powered marketing solution for small businesses, has opened its first office in Southeast Asia and hired a team of four in Singapore, as part of its commitment to make digital marketing easier for SMEs across the region.

The market expansion comes one year after the company had raised US$20m in funding.

As part of the new Singapore office, Hemant Doshi will step in to lead the team in the market as the company’s first director of strategic partnerships. Prior to joining Metigy, Doshi was CEO of The Praxis Company Singapore and Malaysia, and had previously co-founded DriveMate. He is now driving Metigy’s partner-led growth strategy in the region. 

Speaking about the appointment, Doshi said that Singapore is an essential pillar in their geographic expansion strategy as they look to ramp up efforts in Southeast Asia. He added that having an office that serves as their headquarters for the entire region is key for their market presence in Singapore, and for the benefit of SEA clients.

“We’re already working with some great local partners such as the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME), JustCo and Julian Grey and are focused on growing the local content, growth and customer service teams, giving them access to tools designed to help make digital marketing easier for SMEs in Southeast Asia,” he stated.

The ASME, JustCo, and Julian Grey are Metigy’s local channel partners in Singapore.

Meanwhile, David Fairfull, CEO and co-founder of Metigy, commented, “There’s a massive opportunity to help the 150 million small businesses across Southeast Asia. According to Google, 97% of Southeast Asian SMEs have no ad tech or martech solutions and also lack the supply of talent to meet that demand. In response, technology like ours will solve the challenges faced by this market.”

Metigy’s platform operates by turning contextual real-time data from social and digital advertising channels into easy-to-understand insights and recommendations. This in turn takes the guesswork out of marketing to help businesses who don’t have large or experienced marketing teams.

Manila, Philippines – B2B tech platform Zilingo which offers commerce solutions to businesses and retailers, has launched Zilingo Digitize in the Philippines. The new solution is a cloud-based SaaS to help brands & distributors digitize their distribution needs. 

Zilingo Digitize adds to the line of product offerings of the tech platform which includes, among others, Zilingo Trade, which aims to bring a seamless process in the bulk-buying and -selling of ready-made (RMG) and made-to-order (MTO) goods as well as Zilingo Factory, an MES software for the garment industry that helps factories increase efficiency and reduce waste.

Shiela Mauricio, the platform’s country manager in the Philippines, said that Zilingo is reimagining the entire supply chain and is aggregating all parties within the same platform by offering services and software that can help businesses do better. 

“This has been the brand’s focus since day one,” Mauricio said.

Meanwhile, Dhruv Kapoor, the co-founder & CTPO of Zilingo, said that the company remains committed to bringing new tools, technology, and innovation that will unleash the entrepreneurial spirit in the Philippines, boost exports from the country and build greater supply chain transparency to reduce cost and wastage.

“With the internet and technology becoming an integral part of our lives, we see a massive opportunity to empower MSMEs across the country and Zilingo is dedicated to being a catalyst for progress and innovation,” said Kapoor. 

The platform further comments that with its direct access to raw material suppliers, manufacturers, and brands, it is able to offer MSMEs the means to achieve product quality, quantity, and availability, and better pricing models.

Singapore – Due to the pandemic, many merchants have explored the benefits of social commerce features to extend their reach. And with this, the global smart-commerce platform, SHOPLINE, has launched a new month-long campaign that aims to educate and assist SMEs which are considering to enter the emerging social commerce space. 

Titled, ‘Retail Revolution: Three Easy Ways to Succeed in the New Retail’, the campaign will be running from 1 to 30 September 2021. It includes three free webinars for the public on 15, 22, and 29 September 2021 and benefits for both new SHOPLINE merchants and Singapore Retailers Association (SRA) members.

According to SHOPLINE, it has seen a rise in signups of over 46% across Asia and threefold growth in transactions via SHOPLINE Live. As consumer appetite increases for a more immediate, social, and engaging form of shopping, SHOPLINE aims to encourage retailers to integrate new kinds of purchase points such as live streaming into their existing channels. As consumers embrace ‘shoppertainment’ to bridge the omnichannel retail gap, SHOPLINE Live’s latest enhancements will enable merchants to conveniently sell and receive orders while live streaming and interact with consumers through live streaming tools such as live bidding, lucky draws, and concurrently sell their products on Facebook without leaving the stream.

Beyond live streaming, SHOPLINE also seeks to encourage retailers to invest resources in useful technology to help manage their multichannel approach to capture more sales and optimize their operations via logistics and digital marketing tools. For example, the recently upgraded digital marketing tool – Smart Ads System – is also Singapore’s first combination of AI with an e-commerce platform designed to manage Facebook Ads and Google Shopping Ads. Meanwhile, ONESHIP will be providing merchants with a centralized web-based shipping solution that would help them save time, which is a precious commodity for business owners so that they could focus on other aspects of growing their brand.

Jeff Lim, SHOPLINE’s general manager for Singapore, believes that there is no better time than now to introduce social commerce and leverage new solutions and tools to provide satisfying contactless shopping experiences for all.

“It has been a great opportunity to work with SRA, who share our vision — to empower retailers by equipping them with the tools and local ground support they need to succeed in the changing retail landscape,” said Lim.

SHOPLINE said that new merchants who will sign up with the platform this September can get to enjoy the benefit of free delivery for the first 10 orders via ONESHIP and receive cash rebates based on the number of orders they hit in a month. SRA members will also enjoy exclusive benefits including extended subscriptions and SmartAds credits.

Moreover, SHOPLINE’s solutions have been approved by IMDA’s extended Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) to support eligible SMEs looking to improve their productivity and enhance business processes. From 30 September 2021 until 31 March 2022, eligible companies can get up to 80% of their plan fees covered if they fulfill the PSG eligibility criteria.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Small businesses have been hit hard during the pandemic, which resulted in setbacks and shutdowns. With this, Astro, the satellite television provider in Malaysia, has launched a new campaign called ‘Time to Evolve’, which aims to help SMEs identify their weaknesses and turn their operations around and get back up from the recent downturn. 

‘Time to Evolve’ campaign, which has the tagline ‘Watch, Learn and Evolve’,is part of its efforts in supporting the affected enterprises. It features programs with expert guests from various industries who will share professional insights.

The new campaign includes Astro’s AEC signature ‘Business Talk’, which is returning for the 4th season. This latest installment of the series will see its host Gan Jiang Han and his new partner, renowned financial and current affairs DJ Xiao Ma, hosting together with a new lineup of experts from various industries, helping the SMEs to discover new business opportunities.

The talk show, which will premiere on 16 August 2021 at 9:30 pm MYT on Astro AEC (HD CH306) and Astro GO, will be tackling different challenging business topics, from navigating economic uncertainty to seizing opportunities amid adversity. It will also be providing all-around solutions to SMEs, allowing the viewers to submit questions related to the topic of the show via QR code scan. The experts will then answer the relevant questions via Facebook Live on Hotspot FB page the day after the show’s premiere.

Furthermore, the campaign includes a series of exciting business programs and activities for SMEs, including ‘Astro Equipped to Evolve Webinar’, a virtual seminar by experts in various aspects to support SMEs and furnish them with the right tools, techniques, and knowledge in adapting to the uncertain economic climate. Under the ecosystem, there will also be free online courses catering to different business sectors.

Siah Ping Wong, Astro’s vice president for Chinese customer business, said that with the pandemic going on for more than a year and the nation undergoing a prolonged lockdown, transformation is inevitable especially for the SMEs. 

“We hope to be able to help these enterprises in observing, learning, and evolving from the crisis in order to revive their businesses,” said Wong.

The campaign is also launching Astro’s brand new series ‘Small Business Big Ideas’, which provides microentrepreneurs with more knowledge, from the fundamental skills and information such as how to register for their businesses to the allocation of shares and more. And lastly, viewers can expect to see the return of ‘SME Great Helper 2.0’, a reality show showcasing mentors who are ready to give advice and help SMEs turn their businesses around.

Astro said that they have always been committed to assisting SMEs with their previous initiatives, and they were able to equip business owners with free advertising packages to gain optimal exposure for business growth.

Singapore – With employee well-being a key factor in determining an organization’s success, AXA Insurance has decided to launch its new ‘Better Me Business’, an employee benefits solution designed for SMEs and start-ups in Singapore.

The new ‘Better Me Business’, which is part of the company’s enhanced #BetterMe employee benefits proposition for businesses of all sizes and needs, features a wide range of plan and rider options that cater to different coverage needs and budgets. It also goes beyond medical benefits to include supplementary health and wellness services that can help boost employee satisfaction and productivity, and it does not come with any minimum group size requirement. 

Firstly, companies and their employees will get comprehensive coverage without the constraints of sub-limits, allowing them to have greater certainty about how much of their medical bills will be covered if they have to undergo major or minor medical procedures.

Another employee benefit is a range of health and wellness services that are more often associated with larger companies, such as a chronic disease management program, mental support through in-person or virtual consultations, and fitness and wellness experiences at exclusive rates, as well as discounted health screening packages.

Meanwhile, employees can also get an added layer of personalization with the option to enhance their coverage according to their needs, such as critical illness insurance, personal accident insurance, and general practitioner coverage, as well as specialist coverage, and dental coverage.

And lastly, the solution offers both the company and employee the convenience of accessing policy information and services through a one-stop HR portal and MyAXA app. They will be able to easily track claims and generate reports on the platform, which helps to reduce administrative work and increase efficiency.

Julien Callard, AXA Insurance’s managing director for Retail and Health, shared that they want to better serve enterprises by offering a comprehensive employee benefits solution which not only takes care of their employees’ health protection needs for peace of mind, but that can also help improve their physical and mental well-being. 

“Companies who invest in the well-being of their employees can benefit from improved productivity and performance, and importantly build a stronger and more resilient workforce,” said Callard.