With small and medium enterprises (SMEs) still grappling with the economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, the question of survival remains up in the air as they seek to enter the recovery phase in an environment that has seen a drastic paradigm shift.
At the heart of the matter is the digital transformation imperative for SMEs to remain relevant and get back into full swing by transforming their businesses, said Maxis SME head Kevin Lee.
He added, “The pandemic has forced us to think and act differently. People have started to think about new possibilities and breakthroughs. Meetings and engagements can now be done virtually through collaboration tools.
“Retailers are leveraging online platforms and even conducting live streaming to demo their products. It is clear that we are heading towards an increasingly digital world and businesses have the opportunity to be more agile, adaptable and embrace change for the better.”
But digitalisation has never been easy for most smaller companies, especially as SMEs suffer tighter cash flows than ever.
Forging strong partnerships
In that vein, the converged solutions company is taking the lead to simplify the journey for SMEs, enabling them to tap into the SME Digitalisation Grant under Budget 2020. For more information on the full range of Maxis’ digital solutions or to apply for the grant, walk into any Maxis Centre, call 1919 or 1800-82-1919 or visit https://business.maxis.com.my/smegrant/.
SMEs will be able to leverage the RM500mil grant to accelerate digital adoption and become more agile and competitive. Under the grant, there are two categories of solutions that are eligible for subsidy, namely solutions-only with a 50% subsidy up to RM5,000 and connectivity and solutions bundle with a 30% subsidy up to RM3,000.
Those keen should apply immediately, because the grant is limited to only 100,000 SMEs.
“SMEs are a critical segment and an important contributor to the Malaysian economy. We understand the immediate needs of SMEs deeply and are ready to help them leverage digital solutions quickly and easily, so that they can get their businesses running,” he said.
As a telecommunications technology solutions provider (TSP) identified by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation for the grant, it leverages its fixed and mobile network to offer business customers more than 17 types of solutions, including digital marketing, electronic point-of-sale, remote working and e-commerce.
By partnering with Bank Simpanan Nasional, Maxis ensures a simpler, more efficient and convenient application where SMEs will benefit from a single Maxis touchpoint, which will help them manage the entire application process end-to-end with a complete digital onboarding experience.
He added, “Essentially, we are making it easy for SMEs to get the grant because we will help them apply for it, follow up and once approved, we will notify them, saving them the hassle of managing their own submission.
“As SMEs can only apply once for the grant, they would be able to take up multiple types of digital and connectivity solutions for their various business needs if they apply through Maxis.”
Commitment towards growth
This is the latest in a long line of its initiatives - in line with its recently unveiled to bring together the best of technology to help people, businesses and the nation to Always Be Ahead in the fast-changing world - to support the country’s SMEs in their digitalisation journeys, which it kickstarted more than two years ago.
During the movement control order (MCO) and conditional MCO periods, for instance, Maxis launched its #KitaSapotKita campaign.
In the campaign’s first phase, it collaborated with business opinion leaders to co-create 100 constructive tips and hacks on how to survive in difficult times, as well as pooled SME stories and experiences to inspire and educate their peers.
“The idea behind our #KitaSapotKita campaign is evident in its name - to call on the nation to inspire one another positively, both from a consumer and business perspective.
“Our goal was to help businesses use these platforms to uplift the SME community to participate in the ecosystem. Remarkably, it drove more traffic to the Maxis Business website than any other campaign, with 6.5 million visitors tuning in to listen to the case studies,” he said.
The campaign, now in its second phase, sees the telecommunications TSP going beyond offering products and solutions, by mobilising an SME Help Squad with 100 personnel to provide answers and advice to help SMEs get back on their feet.
According to Lee, Maxis’ role in the SME space is to provide value and act as a catalyst for a change in mindset.
He shared, “We are creating more awareness, helping businesses to understand the benefits of technology, the importance of connectivity in accelerating digital adoption and the value of collaboration or partnerships.
“Our priorities for this segment are to help them kickstart their business with bundled and cost-effective solutions in the short term and help them prepare well for the future and to future-proof their business with the right technology in the longer-term.”
An important part of the process is to work closely with customers to identify their current situation, pain points and goals to identify the right solutions together, which he pointed out would enable them to achieve the outcomes they want.
It also developed a free-for-download series of ‘how-to’ cheat sheets for businesses on its Maxis Business Insights Hub, alongside an online interactive tool called the Business Digital Readiness Index, which helps businesses gauge their digital readiness and assess themselves against competitors and industry benchmarks.
Upon receiving their full report, SMEs would be able to get recommendations for the right solutions to equip them through technology to improve efficiency, productivity and profitability, in order for them to succeed in the evolving digital age.
Maxis also runs the Digital Entrepreneurship Programme coached by Maxis volunteers called the M Squad. Meant particularly for entrepreneurs from rural communities and cottage industries, the programme is designed to equip small local enterprises with the right digital tools to optimise their business using social media, content creation and photography.
“Adapting to the fourth industrial revolution will also require the need to constantly digitally transform ourselves. For SMEs, this could mean transforming into the digital/mobile working culture - digitalising all communication and collaboration and mobilising their workforce.
“Because technology is always changing and at such a rapid pace, we now live in a world of reskilling and upskilling,” he concluded.
