Cavinti, Laguna — The global pandemic Covid-19 had brought cessation not only to some human lives but also to businesses all around the world. Part of adjusting to the digital and new norms is to identify appropriate strategies to sustain one’s business. Business Sustainability, also known as Corporate Sustainability, is the management and coordination of your resources to determine unsustainable practices that lead to business stagnation or worst closure. In relation to business sustainability is identifying your business growth strategies. With both process and methods identified, one’s business is armed and can continually operate.
Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) had been doing eCommerce even before the pandemic started but not all totally understand it as a whole. Movement restrictions had brought about Internet selling and wider use of social media platforms to introduce and sell products and services.
In order to help MSMEs to have a broader sense of eCommerce, the Negosyo Center Cavinti of the Department of Trade and Industry Laguna Provincial Office conducted its second run of SME Roving Academy (SMERA) entitled “eCommerce: Business Sustainability and Growth Strategies Amidst Pandemic” last September 24, 2020. It was conducted via the online conferencing platform Zoom and was also shared through Facebook Live. This was spearheaded by DTI-Laguna Kapatid Mentor ME (KMME) Batch 3 Graduate Mr. Joel R. Galit. Entrepreneurs from different municipalities and cities participated in the said Webinar; entrepreneurs from Makati, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, Pagsanjan and Cabuyao took their time to learn.
One of the learning objectives of the webinar is to educate MSMEs on the difference of Digital Marketing and eCommerce, with the latter being expounded.
The first half of the session discussed the different technologies other companies from around the globe were adapting to sustain business operations — from self service kiosk, digital menu boards to contact less safe pay. Galit also mentioned the different social media platforms that are very popular and are very accessible to the market. He reiterated the advantages of being technologically aware and encouraged MSMEs to never quit exploring new advanced ideas in selling their products. Aside from Facebook, he mentioned other social media sites or platforms that MSMEs can explore to do business. He also tackled about digital e-payments and citing AUB PayMate as the leading E-Payment System due to its Filipino-Chinese clients. Adding to the discussion were also about using the QR Code which you can just scan using a downloadable cellphone application to direct you to the branch or store site. The speaker intended to provide MSMEs a wider perspective on different search engines and phone applications they can use and not just rely on Facebook.
The second half of the session was dedicated to expounding eCommerce. The Resource Speaker discussed the types of eCommerce and invited MSMEs to participate in a short activity wherein he let them decide which strategies suited their business best. Afterwards he proceeded with discussing the importance of having a physical store as well as having an online platform to cater to customer demands. He also identified the process or ways to eCommerce and sharing some eCommerce activities in the Philippines which they can use as a reference to identify sellable, in-demand products. Each strategy and process was carefully explained by the Resource Speaker and he was patient enough to answer questions from participants.
To further equip and make the entire learning experience of the participants complete, the Resource Speaker generously shared his online site called “lagunaonline.net” where MSMEs, should they be interested, are welcome to post or do business. They need only to agree to pay for the maintenance fee and nothing more. A “Bayanihan Act 3” which Galit had chosen to name his cause, Galit had also clarified that the site is open not only for MSMEs in Laguna but also for entrepreneurs all across the country. He then later mentioned renaming the site to avoid confusion.
The SMERA on eCommerce was concluded to digital accomplishing of Client Survey Form and information regarding their certificates of participation. This was followed by acknowledging again the participants and generosity of the speaker in sharing his online marketing site to help fellow MSMEs. Participants were also invited to like the official DTI-Laguna Facebook Page to learn more about free upcoming webinars by Negosyo Centers.
