Staff Reporter
Local small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly looking to grow their businesses internationally and access new markets to mitigate the effects of a global economic slowdown, and ensure sustainable and inclusive economic growth. Now, local SMEs are able to access data-based tools to enable a shift to e-commerce and global markets to accelerate revenues, reduce costs and manage their risks.
Through a partnership between TransUnion Africa and global commercial data company Dun & Bradstreet, Namibia’s SMEs can now make their businesses visible on the global stage. And, according to TransUnion Namibia Country Manager Lara Burger, this will enable local businesses to access international trade opportunities.
The partnership gives SMEs access to two key Dun & Bradstreet services, D&B Hovers & DataVision. Hoovers is a web-based lead prospecting tool allowing companies to build local and global pipelines, and DataVision helps companies assess markets and develop entry strategies through data analytics.
“This won’t just help Namibian businesses rebound from the effects
of the Covid-19 pandemic, but will open up entirely new growth avenues. And ultimately, that will be good for the country, and the continent’s economy,” said Burger.
Effectively, this makes Namibian businesses visible on the global stage, and gives them access to international trade opportunities.
Recently, data-based tools have proven to be a key driver in the growing trend of SMEs expanding beyond Namibia’s borders into the region and globally, said Rafi Kotler, Head of Commercial Bureau Solutions at TransUnion Africa.
“Big data and analytics used to be seen as something only large enterprises could afford, or use. That’s changing rapidly, with Namibia’s SMEs increasingly turning to data-driven business intelligence tools to grow their businesses, access new markets and develop their pipelines,” said Kotler. “They’re looking to quality data and enhanced analytics to gain a complete view of customers, suppliers, partners and prospects, and make informed decisions. That’s where analytical techniques are critical for deciding which market to target, where to find customers within those markets, and how to manage the risks of transacting with business customers at arm’s length”.
“For companies that want to jumpstart their businesses, or accelerate their growth into global export markets or the e-commence space, these platforms provide an intuitive experience to decide which markets they should enter, and which customers they should reach out to in those markets,” added Kotler.
This helps businesses organise their own data, and combines it with 400 million international D&B-sourced records. This allows companies to get on with running their businesses and competing in global markets, rather than spending their time cleaning up spreadsheets.
The partnership with Dun & Bradstreet builds on TransUnion’s existing range of fraud and risk solutions, which help Namibian businesses form trusted relationships and make more informed decisions. This includes products that address fraud, identity and risk management, automated decisioning and marketing across a range of sectors, including banking, retail, insurance, automotive and telecommunications.
According to the African Development Bank Group, the continent’s economy is projected to grow by 3.3% in 2022 on the back of a steady recovery in financial services, tourism, retail and wholesale trade, and the mining industries—combined with an improvement in the regional and global economic environment.
But the economy still faces substantial risks and challenges in the short to medium-term. For instance, the Group noted, if adverse impacts of the pandemic persist, the revival of critical sectors such as tourism, agriculture, retail and wholesale trade would be slower than anticipated.
The Labour Resource and Research Institute of Namibia (LaRRI) points out that the Namibian SMEs sector has become a booming area of commerce. The sector provides an estimated 60 000 full-time jobs, which makes it very significant in terms of employment- creation. Moreover, its potential for employment- creation seems even larger than Namibia’s large business sector due to its labour-intensive nature and its use of local resources.
However, according to IGI Global, the general reduction in the supply of labour, disruptions of supply chains, sudden loss of demand and revenue by Covid-19 have negatively affected SMEs, leading to their inability to operate normally, causing liquidity constraints.
*SMEs can sign up for a free webinar, ‘How News Can Boost B2B Sales’ on 21 July from 10:00 to 11:00; and a free Masterclass, ‘Expand your Exports’, on 28 July from 10:00 to 11:00. Both events are part of the TransUnion D&B Hoovers Webinar & Masterclass Series.