Tech-enabled express logistics company, Ninja Van Philippines, continues to push its customer-first agenda to support micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) in the country. With the launch of the DIGeCONOMY Bootcamp Series, business owners can learn valuable insights and first-hand knowledge from industry experts to help them overcome the challenges of transitioning towards digitalization and maximize opportunities in the digital space.

“The Philippines is the fastest growing market in the region and this has been driven by strict lockdowns caused by the pandemic, which led to businesses having to adapt and shift their transactions online. Here at Ninja Van Philippines, it is our mission to supercharge MSME growth in the digital space. We believe that Filipino businesses can further reach their potential with the help of these advancements and technology,” said Sabina Lopez-Vergara, Chief Commercial Officer of Ninja Van Philippines.

Through multiple legs, the DIGeCONOMY Bootcamp Series will follow the digital transformation journey of SMEs and MSMEs—from building and growing their brand online to maintaining brand affinity among customers. Last March 22, the first leg of the series already began with a learning session that centered on developing a customer-centric brand for MSMEs and its importance as well as the available tools and solutions they can utilize to stay competitive in the digital market. It featured Ms. Nelly Nita Dillera, CESO III, Executive Director of the Department of Trade and Industry – Philippine Trade Training Center (DTI-PTTC); Ms. Kim Sabala, Founder and Managing Owner of Cold Gold; and Mr. Edward Cruz, CEO of ATOZ as the speakers.

Government support

Venturing into e-commerce is more than just presenting and selling products online. DTI-PTTC Executive Director Nelly Dillera ran through the end to end e-commerce management services that MSMEs have to know. From marketing management to data analytics and customer service, all of which are important for their businesses to be successful.

“The PTTC-GMEA (Global MSME Academy) has programs that can assist you on the different processes that I’ve mentioned. Our coverage includes business development, accounting and finance, and other business functions that support MSMEs,” Dillera said. “You can also visit PTTC’s website for self help training programs and further assistance on how you can progress more in your business.”

DTI has also compiled a list of TechTools that MSMEs can use to boost their businesses including e-commerce platforms/resources, e-payment channels, digital marketing solutions, and logistics providers like Ninja Van Philippines.

Branding essentials

Once you have all the tools and training to effectively run your business online, the next thing you have to do is focus on your branding. Founder and Owner of Cold Gold, Kim Sabala, shared how she grew her businesses to what they are today by maintaining consistent branding across all channels using three essentials: brand guide, social media strategy, and content calendar.

A brand guide helps you define the essence of what makes you stand out from your competitors. It involves identifying your target audience, mission and vision statements, unique selling proposition, core values and brand stylistics. On the other hand, having a social media strategy is important in knowing what works for your business goals and what doesn’t through social listening and setting key performance indicators (KPIs).

“From there, we can test, refine and evolve our practices to better work for our goals. Not having a strategy is like shooting in the dark. When you aim for nothing, you hit nothing,” she said.

Finally, your content calendar must include the type of content you want to deliver to your consumers, your preferred platform/s, a timeline, and some key events to make your content more relevant. Once you’ve done all these, you can begin implementing your plan and growing your brand.

Customer journey

According to the CEO of ATOZ and long-time Ninja Van shipper Edward Cruz, one of the most neglected processes when it comes to e-commerce is mapping the customer journey. “For us in ATOZ, we make sure that every data that is coming in the platform has an engagement whether it’s pre-purchase or after purchase.”

Customer journey begins with awareness of the product, which is a customer’s first engagement with your brand. From there, you can deepen the customer’s understanding of who you are and what you offer through influencer marketing and more advertisements that will drive consideration and finally, turn customers to buyers.

After purchase comes retention. “After the customer purchases from you, you have to re-engage them because at the end of the day, the first purchase they make on your platform will not really result in big profits. But if you have good retention, it’s very easy to re-engage those customers through email, SMS and social media content,” said Cruz.

The customer journey ends with loyalty where businesses get to deepen their relationship with their customers and really drive home the message, they want to instill to their customer base. Mapping out the customer journey can help MSMEs deliver better customer service and maximize every customer interaction, which can be advantageous for their brand.

Watch out for the next DIGeCONOMY Bootcamp Series learning session for this leg happening in May! Visit facebook.com/ninjavanph for updates and more information.