In a time when technology has infused every part of our lives, from sunrise to sunset, the writing is already on the wall: adopt, adapt or get left behind.
The COVID-19 pandemic, with its myriad social restrictions, has practically turbocharged technology and digital adoption across all levels of society. From working and studying, to deciding what to eat for lunch, going online enabled individuals around the world to bypass physical limitations.
The same can be said for businesses. In an era where disruption is to be expected, digital adoption is merely one step of the way to survive and thrive.
Marketing expert Yuswohady cited research by global management consulting firm McKinsey, which estimated that there were 30 million Indonesian online shoppers in 2017. In an US$8 billion market, he continued, 37.5 percent were social commerce sellers, who used social media and technology to their advantage to rake up sales.
“McKinsey also forecast that before 2022, the market would grow to between $55 and 65 billion. With its enormous potential, it is important for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to understand how to optimize this opportunity,” he said.
MSMEs make up approximately 99 percent of Indonesian businesses, and a 2020 study by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) and Cooperatives and the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Ministry found that 95 percent of MSMEs experienced declining revenues during the pandemic.
The ministry found that 35 percent of MSMEs experienced difficulty in selling their products, with 34 percent experiencing a turnover reduction of 40 to 90 percent throughout the pandemic, with the most impacted sector being food and beverages, followed by services and fashion.
A 2021 survey by the Cooperatives and SME Ministry found that only 21 percent of 65 million MSMEs had digitized their businesses, significantly hampering their prospects.
Even without the pandemic, the rapid rise of technology and social media has made it quite clear that going digital is the best way for businesses to grow.
One example of social selling can be found in Oma Elly, a restaurant and catering business based in Jakarta.
Established in 2018 by chef Andry Susanto, Oma Elly is named after Andry’s grandmother, who came from the coastal town of Castiglione della Pescaia in Italy. With her love of cooking, Elly’s authentic Italian cuisine became synonymous with home and family.
The story behind Oma Elly started with a request from a friend of Andry’s wife, who was pregnant and craving for lasagna — particularly Andry’s lasagna that he always brought to their apartment potlucks. He thought that making just one serving of lasagna would not be enough, so he asked his wife to set up a preorder list in the apartment WhatsApp group.
Andry’s lasagna slowly became more and more popular, and one day a friend wanted to post a review of the lasagna on Instagram. When asked about the lasagna’s brand name, Andry and his wife decided to name it Oma Elly as a tribute to his inspiring grandmother who passed away three years prior.
Over time, Oma Elly grew to the point where Andry decided to focus full time on the business. What started life as a WhatsApp and Instagram-based preorder setup quickly grew to include food ordering apps, marketplaces as well as its own private dining establishment, which includes delicacies ranging from tiramisu, pizza, gelato and of course the now legendary lasagna.
Oma Elly’s journey is one of the many stories included in Kiat Jitu Menjadi Best Seller: Dukungan GoSend untuk Pertumbuhan UMKM di Era Digital (Tips on becoming a bestseller: GoSend's support for MSME growth in the digital era), a guide book launched by leading on-demand logistics service GoSend to support Indonesian MSMEs.
As part of the #BestSellerGoSend campaign that aims to enrich the business and marketing knowledge of MSMEs, the book summarizes the landscape and various MSME business strategies in the digital era, ranging from strategies to capture opportunities and start new businesses after the pandemic and social selling strategies, to tips on building consumer loyalty.
The book launch is part of GoSend's ongoing efforts to support social seller MSMEs in increasing their business scale, and also contains information about the #BestSellerGoSend program, where sellers can join and gain access to special promotions, loyalty programs, welcome kits, the Best Seller Award, as well as educational activities to increase sales.
Widely used by businesses and customers alike, GoSend offers a range of solutions to fit its users’ needs, including instant delivery for time-sensitive items, its Same Day service for more relaxed yet prompt orders, a Multidelivery option that suits both online and offline businesses, as well as an Intercity service for a wider reach.
Research conducted in 2021 by the Economic and Business School at the University of Indonesia’s (FEB UI) Institute of Demographics found that 71 percent of social sellers said GoSend had helped save time, while 35 percent had felt the change in online business income since starting to use GoSend services.
Merging reliable logistics services and e-commerce partners is also an option for sellers, with GoSend internal data recording an increase of more than double in GoSend transactions at Tokopedia in the first quarter of 2022 compared with the similar period last year, while the number of MSME sellers using GoSend on Tokopedia rose by 65 percent in the same period.
Gojek head of Marketing Logistics Marsela Renata said the book was compiled to equip MSMEs, especially social sellers, with relevant insights so as to enable them to maximize their business potential in the digital era.
“Quite a number of MSME players have gone digital but are still facing challenges, especially in digital marketing channels and business effectiveness. We hope that this book can help MSME players answer these challenges,” she said.
Marsela explained that Gojek involved various business and marketing experts in writing the book, particularly those experienced in the MSME sector so as to present the appropriate materials and insights.
Experts involved in the preparation of this book included professor of management at the FEB UI Rhenald Kasali, inventure marketing consultant and author of 60 bestselling books on business and marketing Yuswohady; principal of the Bandung Institute of Technology School of Business Management (SBM ITB) Jakarta Campus and director of the Center for Policy and Public Management of SBM ITB Yudo Anggoro; entrepreneur consultant, author and UMKMKU founder Wulan Ayodya and Funtastic Business consultant and author Arief Ardinugroho.
“In addition, this book is also equipped with inspirational stories from #BestSellerGoSend, which shares experiences as well as tips and tricks for the twists and turns of entrepreneurship,” Marsela added.
Kiat Jitu Menjadi Best Seller: Dukungan GoSend untuk Pertumbuhan UMKM di Era Digital consists of four main chapters: Memulai Usaha Baru Sejak Pandemi (Starting a New Business Since the Pandemic); Berawal dari Social-Selling (Starting from Social-Selling); Lika-liku Bisnis untuk kategori F&B, Fashion, Art Craft (Business twists and turns for the F&B, Fashion, Art Craft categories) and Tips Penting dari Seller untuk Sellers yang meliput Brand Activation, Content Creation & Risk Management (Important Tips from Sellers for Sellers covering Brand Activation, Content Creation and Risk Management).
Published by Elex Media Komputindo, the book can be purchased at Gramedia stores nationwide, with proceeds from the sale to be fully used for GoSend’s various MSME development programs.
Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno expressed his appreciation for the launch of the book, saying that he appreciated GoSend’s initiative in supporting the growth and capacity building of MSME knowledge, paving the way for the creative economy to not only survive, but also revive and thrive.
“Through various insights and the involvement of experts in the MSME business alongside the inspirational stories of bestsellers, I hope this book can bridge MSMEs to their business success so that they are able to create new jobs and contribute to the revival of the tourist sector as well as the national economy,” he said.
Separately, Cooperatives and SMEs Minister Teten Masduki also expressed his appreciation for the book.
"GoSend's efforts in compiling a travel map for MSMEs in the digital era is very informative, practical and inspiring for MSMEs to develop markets and increase their business scale, especially during the post-pandemic recovery period," he said.
“Unique material that is not often found in other sources is what this book offers, and it is hoped that it will provide a fresh and out-of-the-box perspective,” Yuswohady concluded.
While Kiat Jitu Menjadi Best Seller proves to be a beneficial initiative for MSMEs and the general public interested in purchasing the book, GoSend has also taken a step further to ensure a wider reach. It plans to distribute a number of copies to MSMEs throughout the archipelago in collaboration with the government as well as conducting social initiatives for the public. The proceeds from the sale of this book will be fully used for various MSME development programs by GoSend.
At the same time, GoSend has also made it clear that more initiatives are currently underway, further cementing its commitment for MSMEs players, from #GoSendBestSeller community engagement, premium insurance options, GoSend MultiDrop feature that will help sellers to save time and costs up to 70 percent with route efficiency as well as expansion for SameDay services.
