KUALA LUMPUR: Running a business today often means navigating multiple pressures at once, from fluctuating costs to evolving compliance requirements and the steady push towards digital tools.
For an SME operator in the import, distribution and e-commerce space, these pressures are felt in direct and immediate ways.
“For my industry, logistics costs and forex always hit directly,” said Datin Dorph Peng, the founder of a company that promotes wellness and healthy lifestyles.
She noted that electricity and day-to-day operational expenses remain constant considerations “rain or shine”.
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Changes in these areas often translate quickly into pricing and planning decisions, leaving little room for delay in adjustments, said Peng.
“In this line of work, things can shift quite fast. You adjust where you can, just to keep things running smoothly,” she said.
While these challenges are part of normal business operations, Peng said the current environment stands out because several pressures are occurring at the same time.
“Individually, SMEs can and have to handle any challenges that come by because that is just business as usual.
“However, together, it becomes a capacity problem that can overwhelm and stifle business growth,” she said.
Like many SME operators, Peng is involved in multiple aspects of her business, from operations and supplier coordination to financial management and customer engagement, leaving limited time for longer-term planning.
Compliance requirements such as e-invoicing add another layer to daily operations.
While manageable in isolation, she noted that these changes often require system upgrades, external support and additional administrative effort.
“There are times when you depend on external parties, and that slows down the process. At the same time, you are still responsible if anything goes wrong,” she said.
Despite these constraints, Peng said digital tools are gradually being introduced into her operations, particularly for marketing content, customer communication and basic administrative work.
Simple applications are helping to ease some workload, although adoption remains gradual.
“It helps in small ways, but it still depends on how much time you actually have to learn and use it properly,” she said.
Beyond internal adjustments, broader cost shifts are also influencing business planning.
Peng pointed to fuel and electricity-related expenses as areas that have become less predictable, requiring more flexible budgeting approaches.
For SMEs like hers, stability now comes less from fixed planning and more from constant adjustment.
“You plan, but you also have to be ready to change things when needed,” she said.
Even so, Peng said the focus remains on maintaining operations and adapting step by step.
“At the end of the day, it’s about managing everything at once,” she said.
