Maxis study: Over half of Malaysian SMEs haven't fully embraced digital technologies

More than half of Malaysian SMEs (58%) are not ready in reaching their full potential in embracing digital technologies to a greater extent to reap the benefits in efficiency, productivity, customer experience and employee satisfaction. According to the new Digital Readiness Index (DRI) recently launched by Maxis, which surveyed 2,000 SMEs across industries such as retail, manufacturing and transporation, the use of digital tools for customer engagement is still at a basic level.

The index found that 61% of the SMEs are still using email and 40% are using social media as main communication channels with consumers. Meanwhile, the SMEs in Malaysia are most digitalised in the efficiency pillar and least digitalised in the customer engagement pillar. Additionally, only 26% of SMEs in the transportation, manufacturing, trade, and oil and gas sector track their company's vehicles digitally.

The DRI survey analysis three key pillars in business - customer satisfaction, employee productivity and operational efficiency. The overall score to gauge digital readiness ranges from ready and nearly ready to not ready and at risk. In conjunction with the launch, Maxis and the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (MEDAC) are also collaborating on several initiatives through the ministry's agencies – National Entrepreneurship Institute, TEKUN Nasional and Co-operative Institute of Malaysia. The initiatives include offering digital solutions for the micro and SME segments.

Maxis has been advocating for SMEs to digitalise. The telco was appointed by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation as Technology Service Provider under PENJANA’s SME Digitalisation Grant. Under the grant, SMEs will receive up to 50% or RM5,000 matching grant per company for any connectivity and business solutions.

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Photo courtesy: 123RF

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