United Overseas Bank (UOB) is making it easier for small businesses to take the first step towards digitalisation with the launch of monthly digital clinics.
Through the clinics, small businesses will learn how they can use technology to improve their processes and receive practical, oneon-one guidance from digitalisation experts on how to implement digital solutions into their operations.
The digitalisation experts will be drawn from UOB’s ecosystem of partners, including SAP, HReasily and Enterpryze. Each small business that takes part in the clinic will receive expert advice on the areas in which their company can benefit from digital technology and information on the funding support that is available to them.
After the session, the small business will receive a detailed report with recommendations on the next steps they can take in digitalising their business.
Mr Mervyn Koh, Managing Director and Country Head of Business Banking Singapore, UOB, said,
“As the banker to almost one in two small- and medium-sized businesses in Singapore1 , our experience tells us that despite their desire to build digital capabilities2 , small businesses remain unsure of how to take the first step in their digitalisation journey. In fact, two in three small businesses that took part in our SME Transformation Study said that they would appreciate a more customised approach when it comes to the assistance they receive on adopting digital solutions.
“As such, we hope that our practical and hands-on digital clinics will provide Singapore’s small businesses with personalised and actionable recommendations which can then be implemented easily and with confidence,”
Mr Koh said.
One digital solution helping to improve the performance of small businesses is UOB BizSmart, a cloudbased integrated business solution, which enables them to automate administrative processes such as payroll, invoicing and inventory management.
With UOB BizSmart, small businesses can reduce the average time spent on administrative work from four days to only 2.5 days per month, freeing up their resources to focus on areas such as improving the customer experience.
Ms Jasmine Goh, the second-generation owner of Intertech Electronics, a traditional hardware store, and a UOB BizSmart user, said,
“Prior to using UOB BizSmart, I had actually tried using another solution only to find out that it did not meet my requirements after adoption. It was a challenging process as I had to determine the most suitable digital solution among the wide array of options and ensure that the solution was integrated smoothly into our operations.
“By introducing dedicated digital clinics, small businesses like mine have the opportunity to receive advice and hands-on support in determining the best digital solution for their business needs. Through such sessions, we can gain expert advice on what solution is right for our business and have a higher chance of success when integrating it into our operations,”
Ms Goh said.
The cost of the digital clinic is $90 for a two-hour session. As part of UOB and NTUC U SME’s collaboration3 , the clinic is being offered to U SME members on a complimentary basis. UOB launches
Tech My Biz competition
To encourage more small businesses to digitalise, UOB has launched the Tech My Biz competition where one small business will win a two-year subscription, on-site implementation support and employee training for UOB BizSmart.
The total value of the prize is worth $20,0004 . To join the Tech My Biz competition, small businesses will have to complete an online entry form and share the reasons why they need a digital makeover. The submission deadline is 15 July 2018. The digital clinic and the Tech My Biz competition were launched at the SMEs’ Road to Business Transformation in a Digital Age event which was attended by more than 200 small businesses today.
Featured image via Pexels
