Majority of Filipino small businesses are taking steps in digitalizing operations to improve customer experience and grow their operations, according to a survey by web hosting company GoDaddy Inc.
In a study, GoDaddy revealed these small enterprises were using or planning to use technology tools to have better interaction with customers.
These include online customer service, digital payment systems, email notifications, online booking systems and digital invoicing. These tools represent a suite of solutions assisting entrepreneurs in customer inquiry and completing online transactions.
Apart from these, the businesses have also found it imperative to spend on web security, one of the current buzzwords given the heightened digitalization. Enterprises across the world, which have joined the digital pivot, are being targeted by cyber criminals who are taking advantage of a wider attack surface.
The cyberattacks vary from the usual phishing to a more serious ransomware that can paralyze operations. Phishing refers to fraudulent activities where threat actors illegally obtain sensitive information while ransomware holds an entity’s network hostage until a ransom is paid. Meanwhile, the GoDaddy study also revealed that Filipino small businesses also cited the need for social media presence, online store, digital advertising and website.
About 95 percent of the respondents said they were willing to invest more in online sales and marketing to beef up their presence.
Implementing digitalization efforts have become a necessity among businesses following the COVID-19 pandemic when mobility was severely restricted, forcing everyone to transact or complete tasks online.
Information technology service provider ManageEngine, in fact, said that companies in the Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia must invest in technology enabling hybrid work to retain talents.
ManageEngine president Rajesh Ganesan, in an earlier interview with the Inquirer, said employees preferred working under a hybrid scheme or the combination of onsite and remote work setup.
However, according to a study by consumer gadget company Dell, only 8 percent of Philippine enterprises and organizations were able to digitally pivot right away amid the rise of hybrid work setup during the pandemic.