Taking baby steps to e-‘nirvana’

PDB SME Solutions, Inc. started operations in June 2000, right in the middle of the dotcom crash. The joint venture between Planters Development Bank and the International Finance Corp., the investment arm of the World Bank–at the time known as PlantersbankeCommerce.com, Inc.–was envisioned to assist small and medium enterprises in doing business electronically or through the Internet.

Because of the anticipated slow down in e-commerce uptake, SME Solutions decided to go with the flow. In the last two years, the company engaged in specialized assistance it could call its own–development information and communications technology.

"First, we want to help SMEs adopt technology as a utility. It’s like taking baby steps. Once they are already comfortable with technology and the Internet as regular business tools, then we can go to the next phase which is e-commerce, the nirvana of the electronic world," said general manager Roberto de Guzman.

Basics first

While everybody else wants to be wired and to do business on the Internet, most SMEs will initially want only basic applications while looking for bargain prices.

This is what SME Solutions provides– Internet and non-Internet based business solutions encompassing the whole business cycle from start-up stage to diversification.

For P8,000 a year, membership in its web portal, sme.com.ph, gives the SME-member a two-gate website, web hosting service, a duly registered domain name, personalized email service of up to 50 mailboxes and 25 megabytes.

"In the e-world, it’s just like putting up shop in a popular mall," said de Guzman.

Slowly SMEs are realizing the benefits of having a presence on the world wide web. As part of a virtual marketplace, they can do business with other members of the web community composed of other business establishments as well as government institutions. The web site gives information on their products 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to anyone with a computer, a modem and an Internet connection anywhere in the world.

By becoming well-versed with technology, SMEs will be able to participate more actively in New Economy ventures like e-commerce.

"We believe we are in the best position to do this. Planters Bank has been helping SMEs do business since the 1970s through its lending activities. We can replicate this in terms of technology assistance," said de Guzman.

Database

SME Solutions is working with government to build a database on SME information such as ICT spending. It also hopes to get SME tool kits– the World Bank will aggregate accounting tools, human resource and technology issues, among others, which can be downloaded from the Internet or through a compact disc–to its members.

Portal sme.com.ph now has 190 members. By 2004, it hopes to reach a critical mass of 3,000 SME-members, including trade associations and chambers of commerce. With this critical mass, it will be easy for SME-members to move on to the e next phase of ICT development: e-commerce, otherwise known as e-nirvana.