Page 70 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 10

ECONOMY

remain productive and operational very expensive to run brick and handling. The responsibility of
as they worked remotely or with mortar (physical) establishments ensuring data is handled and trans-
a minimal workforce. Many also without the assistance of technology mitted securely and kept away from
came to realize that there is a better and mechanization. those who would like to mishandle
way of achieving their daily targets it falls on our shoulders. There’s a
by changing how they work. What’s needed to work online? need to ensure that our websites
Considering all the functions needed Here are some things to consider have SSL certificates (those padlocks
to operate a business daily, what when thinking of shifting some on web pages) that not only guaran-
organizations needed was a shift functions of the business online: tee authenticity but also provide safe
towards the use of online solutions • A Website. Originally environments for online transac-
and platforms like CRMs (Customer considered by many as an online tions. These certificates can be ob-
Relationship Managers) and ERPS brochure, has to become more than tained online and added to websites.
(Enterprise Resource Planning just a marketing tool. As a starting • Organizations should
Software) that allow for the integrat- point, dynamic and mobile-friendly conduct backup operations for their
ed management of main business websites are needed since most peo- information and have a plan in place
processes, operations, sales, purchas- ple now use mobile devices more concerning the frequency of these
es, inventory, accounting, reporting than they use laptops. Dynamic back-ups and the location that the
and teams in real-time from a single sites allow for frequent updates and backed-up data will be kept. We all
platform. changes to reflect what’s on ground. know what happens in the event of
Most people would normally not When management tools and pro- data loss. Unfortunately, we rarely
consider such solutions for small ductivity applications are added to give back-up operations the impor-
and medium organizations because these sites, they suddenly become tance they are due.
everything was manageable on management tools with customer
Whatsapp and by ‘walking around’. support systems, billing applications, As they say, there is need to ‘put
When faced with the challenges of e-commerce solutions and even our house in order’ as we prepare to
having to deliver results remotely, offer a communications platform engage with others. This is a good
online solutions make good sense for teams allowing all staff members time to begin incorporating ICT
regardless of business size. to always be on the same page; en- tools into our day-to-day operations
Those dealing with product sales abling companies to manage all their as a way to help us do more even
had to consider embracing e-com- tasks and resources more efficiently with fewer resources. When working
merce platforms and social media online. online becomes a way of life, we’ll
sites as channels of reaching their • Clarity about your current not have to run around looking for
clientele during the lockdown sea- processes and what needs to go new solutions to handle the inflow
son and beyond. online goes a long way in assisting of opportunities that are definitely
Fortunately, there are lots of those setting up these systems in heading our way with the opening
solutions in existence locally and making the best choice for your of African borders for trade.
globally that are easy to set up and organization. My prayer is that the harvest season
incorporate with existing business • Gradually building an will not find us without granaries to
processes as a way of streamlining online culture in the organization store and preserve the food.
operations as more and more people begins with the availability of an in-
consider doing business online as ternet solution that the whole team Footnote references
the new normal. can access or have access to wher- Tralac, “Status of AfCFTA Ratifica-
What it takes is an inquisitive mind ever they are. Internet and com- tion.” Available at: www.tralac.org/
and the openness to embrace new munications costs become essential resources/infographic/13795-sta-
ways of doing things. Many people operations costs for today’s busi- tus-of-afcfta-ratification.htm
are faced with the fear of learning nesses. With the prohibitive costs [1] https://www.tralac.org/
and using new systems since there’s of internet in many places, business documents/resources/african-
already a preconceived notion that owners will need to research to find union/2162-afcfta-agreement-le-
‘ICT is hard and not for me’. Yet in reliable and affordable alternatives gally-scrubbed-version-signed-16-
reality, most of the tools are not as for their teams. may-2018/file.html
difficult to use as they appear to be. • We can’t talk about infor- [2] https://unctad.org/press-materi-
As businesses grow bigger and serve mation handling without consider- al/facts-figures-0
more and more clients, it becomes ing information security and data

70 | Heal . Restore . Rebirth . Afrika