Nearly a third of South Africa’s small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) see digitisation as a challenge. Many are unsure about what to prioritise or feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of technology decisions to make, often without the support of IT departments or chief information officers (CIOs) that guide larger businesses.
This is why V-Hub was created. Launched by Vodacom Business, V-Hub is an online resource portal, specifically designed to help SMEs unlock their full potential as they embark on a digital transformation journey.
“Adopting the right digital solutions will help SMEs become more agile and resilient, enabling them to quickly adapt to customers’ evolving needs,” explains Vodacom Business Executive Head for SME and SOHO, Nastassha Dooks.
“With a wealth of knowledge and expertise at our disposal, Vodacom Business is perfectly poised to support SMEs on their digital transformation journey, which can seem daunting to tackle without the right partner by your side.”
V-Hub makes digitalisation goals attainable
This innovative, easy-to-use platform brings CIO digital-advisory services to the table. These services are two-fold. First, Vodacom Business Customers who own an SME can request one-on-one advice over the phone for free, from a local specialist on anything from IT decision making to tech set-up and troubleshooting.
Secondly, any SME owner can access the digital Knowledge Centre for free through Vodacom’s website. Here, users can browse a curated selection of articles, videos, and webinars on topics such as learning how to grow your online business, or how to save time and effort when implementing digital tools.
Crucial digital-advice services are grouped under five topic categories on the Knowledge Centre. Understanding that 55% of SMEs cite shrinking customer demand as a challenge, Finding and Keeping Customers is one of the categories SMEs can browse. With nearly 60% of SMEs saying insufficient support from banks is an obstacle, the Knowledge Centre also covers information on how to access funding and apply for tenders under the Business Opportunities and Support category.
The Workplace category gives sage advice on remote and hybrid office set-ups, while Business Continuity and Security tackles all-important topics like securing your cloud data or protecting your business from mobile phishing. The last category, Digital and Data, looks at making social media work for your SME – this is a great place to start if you’re on a budget, because this advice can be implemented at no cost; crucial considering 58% of SMEs are struggling with rising operating costs.
Over and above the five topic categories, the Knowledge Centre also shares details on SME Solutions and Events and offers monthly SME Bulletins on stories small businesses should read to stay in the know.
Growing together
“SMEs only need to go online for immediate access to the fantastic content and functionality that V-Hub offers,” notes Dooks.
“This is a portal we are proud of and will continuously expand on, tackling more and more topics of interest to our local market over time.”
The V-Hub platform is one of many solutions that Vodacom Business offers to SMEs, taking them further together on their future-proofing transformation.