Enabling business development through digital partnerships

By Kevin South, Head of Digital & CX at Seacom

Small businesses can no longer survive by simply selling products to the people who live or work within the same neighbourhood. Digital platforms are now enabling small companies to extend their offerings and facilitate growth and development.

Emerging technologies are changing business models and disrupting industries across the globe. As more sectors transform, companies are seeing how partnerships with digital platforms and service providers enable them to target wider audiences, streamline their operations and improve their offerings.

Small companies can now access the same insights and technologies that were previously reserved for large enterprises. While the recent global landscape has been unpredictable, now is an exciting time to be forging ahead with business, embracing new opportunities and investing in meaningful innovations.

Small businesses are going digital

It’s no secret that small companies have been the hardest-hit by lockdowns. To help struggling retailers and small businesses, Google has adjusted its Shopping Search algorithm to make it easier for internet users to find small local businesses.

Where we previously relied on shopping malls to draw consumers to retailers, we now see digital technologies empowering organisations of all sizes to tap into mobile, data and cloud to refresh their business models. A recent report from the Facebook and Small Business Roundtable revealed that 79% of companies have made changes to their daily operations to accommodate customers in the post-Covid era.

In addition, 35% of these companies have expanded their use of digital payment methods. Furthermore, 56% of businesses that use online tools reported that at least of their total sales are done online. It’s clear that companies that embrace digital will be better off than those still relying on traditional means of reaching their customers.

This highlights the importance and power of digital partnerships. A Connected Commerce Council study found that small businesses without a pre-existing e-commerce store were twice as likely to be forced into closure during periods of lockdown.

Digital pioneers in Africa

Tapping into the growing digital market is a secure way to ensure that your company remains competitive. Darth Kitchens - a Cape Town-based startup that aims to become South Africa’s largest virtual kitchen network - is a prime example of this. Virtual kitchens were born out of the global explosion of online meal delivery services.

These centralised production spaces host many pop-up restaurants and rely on third-party meal delivery apps, such as Uber Eats and Mr D, to deliver food to customers. Not only does this allow Darth Kitchens to lower overhead costs, but it also gives restaurants a way to meet customer needs amid the pandemic.

Similarly, farming pioneers Farm Direct South Africa have created digital platforms to sell high quality produce directly from smallholder farmers to the consumer. This helps to improve food security and grow the local economy. As most farmers take pride in their produce but live in remote areas, these digital platforms connect small-scale growers to a wider customer base.

The power of teamwork

Some organisations may recognise the benefits of digital transformation but don’t have the capacity to go digital just yet. This is where strategic partnerships with digital service providers will be a great interim solution. Digital partnerships enable businesses to quickly use the expert knowledge they have to expand their operations without having to take on the costs of building that knowledge in-house.

This means that companies can focus on their core offerings while taking advantage of the digital economy and contributing to the growth of the economy. Entrepreneurs and startups should consider teaming up with digital platforms to offer free products or services using application programming interfaces (APIs). These companies will benefit from plug-in, modular, scalable services.

The modern business landscape is highly competitive and customers are more demanding than ever. The reality is that data, digital skills and capabilities are always changing, so active collaborations between businesses and digital platforms or service providers are vital. This will enable more meaningful digital assets that capitalise on new opportunities.

In addition, these partnerships don’t have to be complicated. Accessing the skills and knowledge that your company needs can be as simple as finding a cloud provider, feeding customer data through a CRM system and outsourcing your digital advertising. The best place to start is to know what your business needs from a partnership perspective.

If you’re looking for a service provider whose expertise will help you to decipher consumer data or create agile cloud-based solutions tailored to your needs, then spend some time researching the best service providers in your country. Just make sure that they can offer a multi-digital channel that will ensure your company’s continued growth and success. For more information or to get a quote for our various connectivity and digital solutions, email us at marketing@seacom.com or leave us a message.

Seacom owns Africa’s most extensive network of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure, including subsea cables and secure internet connections. We offer a diverse range of flexible, scalable and high-quality solutions for businesses that meet world-class standards for connectivity.

Seacom is privately owned and operated, making it agile and adaptable to the needs of the customer. This makes us the preferred ICT and internet connectivity partner for African businesses and peripheral service providers. We can guarantee high-speed, low-latency and secure internet connections to corporates and small enterprises.

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