Gojek supports 100,000 MSMEs move online

Over the past three months, Indonesian super app Gojek has supported the online transformation of 100,000 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), placing Gojek at the forefront of helping MSMEs respond to a changing consumer landscape and the constraints brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gojek’s online-transformation initiatives are a welcome solution as it fulfils a critical need to help MSMEs, which are some of the hardest hit by the pandemic.

So how is Gojek driving the online transformation? According to Gojek co-chief executive officer Andre Soelistyo, the MSME online transformation initiative is based on providing MSME with access and know-how to a suite of tools that not only support the move online but foster professional and successful business practices.

Andre Soelistyo said, “Covid-19 has significantly changed human behavior in many ways including the way we do work, socialize, and also consume goods and services. Businesses can no longer solely rely on walk-in traffic to survive as consumer priorities and focus have been placed on physical distancing and doing as much as possible from home. Because of this behavior change, it has become increasingly important for businesses to move online.

At Gojek, we have a long history of working closely with small businesses and empowering them through the use of technology. Today, our comprehensive and integrated ecosystem is positioned to help businesses, especially the MSMEs who need it the most, to go online and not only survive but also thrive. We have prioritized making the transformation online for MSMEs as easy and seamless as possible because this will not only help individual merchants but also support the government’s effort to maintain economic stability during the pandemic.”

To bring businesses online efficiently and effectively, Gojek focuses on two key areas:

A. Integrated ecosystem

Gojek has a suite of tools and solutions that are critical to online success, namely;

1. On-demand services. GoFood gives MSMEs access to millions of customers where success is amplified by various promotions, including the most recent “National Culinary Day” activities. Besides GoFood, MSMEs can take advantage of Gojek’s leading e-payments platform GoPay which provides safe, secure, and contactless payment options. MSMEs can also send their products to customers using GoSend, Gojek’s logistic service which places high importance on customer safety and satisfaction
    
2. Three standalone business applications to support MSMEs, including:

• GoBiz, a reliable versatile and easy to use application which is capable of helping MSMEs manage and develop their businesses online;
• The Selly App, which allows MSMEs using social media like Instagram to efficiently interact with customers through a specialized chat feature and manage their financial transactions, bookkeeping, and logistics systematically.
• Moka, the largest point of sales provider in Indonesia, which Gojek just recently acquired. Moka supports the digitization of merchants and enhances their ability to run a professional business online and offline.

To further encourage MSMEs to move online, Gojek works closely with traditional offline merchants on special educational programs aimed at equipping MSME players with hard skills such as online marketing tips, promotional campaign design, financial management strategies and social media skills. With these skills, merchants realize the value of being online and joining the Gojek ecosystem.

B. Partnerships

Gojek partners with various organizations, including governmental institutions to promote the MSME online transformation. Gojek recently collaborated with the Ministry of Agriculture on the Ministry’s Traditional Farmer Market program. Using the Gojek platform, farmers are given access to a large online market and also GoSend to safely and reliably deliver their goods to customers. 

Gojek is also a strong supporter of the government’s “Better Buy Local” program whereby Gojek connects local producers to millions of potential customers through the Gojek App.

Andhani Prima owns and operates Ganci Unyu Muslimah, which sells uniquely designed key chains and stationery in Yogyakarta. Andhani joined the Gojek ecosystem to access a much larger market when walk-in sales began to slow down.

Andhani Prima said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has turned online shopping into the normal way our customers shop. Small business owners like me have no choice but to make sure our products are available online. Because I rely mainly on our website and Instagram to attract customers, I found using the Selly app dramatically improved my customer’s experience and my business management skills. The Selly app also makes using GoPay and Gosend very seamless so the customer enjoys a great experience when they visit our site to shop. Going online has led to a revenue increase for my business and I never thought that selling items online could be this easy.”

The Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) said that there are more than 64 million MSMEs across Indonesia and estimated that approximately 60 million people working for MSMEs will lose their income due to the economic slowdown caused by the Covid-19 epidemic.

With over 500,000 merchant partners using the Gojek ecosystem, Gojek is taking a leadership position in MSME online transformation, but there is much more to be done. Gojek will continue to introduce new innovations to support MSMEs which are the backbone of Indonesia’s economy.