Letter to the Editor | Relevant authority could help S’pore businesses achieve our national goal to become a knowledge-and-technology based hub

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Dear Editor,

I refer to the report, “Some heartland shops struggling with digitalisation despite big push, saying they lack the means” (TODAY, May 15).

It is an irresistible trend that many businesses have to innovate their business strategies and adopt online digitalisation to secure their prominent and continued presence and survival.

If this is the only way for the businesses to go forward and compete with rivals, the most vital considerations are how to strike a healthy balance between profit and costs. The imperative edge of a digital touchpoint is to broaden its sales exposure while engaging with its customers.

The positive gain for small and medium enterprises going with digital transformation online is that they could seriously cut rental space, as rent remains a persistent cost factor.

However, the flip side of going online for any specific business, it has to fork out and pay a management fee to the engaging software media. Besides, the stiff competition of product pricing and services online could dilute the earnings of the business.

Deploying resources for managing online sales, marketing, and delivery of products and services would require added costs.

Thus, if every enterprise could ride a smooth business wave throughout the entire digitalisation process and eventually find itself successful or prosperous in its business endeavours like logistics company Ninja Van and kitchen appliance maker Rotimatics is yet to be seen.

In short, if the relevant authority could actively step up their efforts to assist the SMEs and heartland shops owners in innovating their businesses and enriching their means financially and technically, this might greatly expedite Singapore businesses to compete globally, and also achieve our national goal to be the knowledge-and-technology based hub.

Teo Kueh Liang (Mr)

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of The Independent Singapore.