SMEs need to be techno savvy: Bikky Khosla

(From left) Pradeep Gupta, Chairman, CyberMedia Group, Rajeev Mittal, Group Director, SMEs, Microsoft India and Bikky Khosla, CEO, Trade India during the panel discussion

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Saurabh Gupta | 13 Dec, 2008
SMEs need to change their mindset and they need to be more techno savvy so that they can walk along with others. This was stated by Bikky Khosla, CEO, Trade India and Chairman of ASSOCHAM's SME Expert committee, during a panel discussion on 'IT solutions for MSMEs: lip service or real solutions?' in the second day of the Milagrow World SME Conference 2008, being held in New Delhi.

Delivering his speech on 'How SMEs are using internet and benefits they are getting by using B2B portals or e-marketplaces or any other IT-enabled services,' Khosla said, "The biggest challenge we face today is educating SMEs, whether it's a portal or software, or technology related tool. For instance, they put up their electronic catalog in a B2B portal but don't update their product range for almost a year. SMEs need to understand that product profiles need to be updated regularly. Unless their product profiles are updated, buyers would not come to them."

"Lots of suppliers come to our portal to register themselves and put up their catalogs here. Online catalog is probably one of the most effective ways of selling products worldwide today. This is perhaps the simplest way best suited for SMEs to market their products. But the problem is they are unaware of the benefits of internet usage and IT solutions; they need to be educated on these aspects."

"When buyers come to me they say 'how can we do the business with somebody who doesn't reply a email for two or three days. It is when we inform these Indian suppliers they reply to the queries or inquiries of buyers. As such it gives a very bad impression on the company or the supplier," Khosla said.

"B2B portals like ours can only generate inquiries, but it's up to the SMEs to convert these inquiries into deals. So lack of awareness is the biggest challenge we face today when it comes to IT usage amongst SMEs. However if you talk to them they understand that technology is very important for them. But the question is 'what kind of technology they really need' is the most important thing. SMEs also need to change their mindset and for me to help them to change for the better is perhaps the most important thing for me. They need to understand that adoption of technology is going to help them."

SMEs also need to understand that technology comes with a price which might pinch their pockets initially. But they can reap huge dividends in the long run from this little initial investment. SMEs also need to understand that if they don't adopt technology related tools now, it will be very difficult for them to survive in the future," Khosla added.