From vendors selling their goods on the street to large international corporations, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed business irrevocably. This blog reflects on digital transformation from the perspective of a small business.
Novateur is a private sector company, registered in 2010, that operates from Abuja. It provides technology, software and digital services, procurement and outsourcing services predominantly to medium-sized businesses. Its core business is to help companies with strategic transformation and digital marketing. It incorporates brands such as PrintAnything.ng and Signagekings.ng. which offer a full range of branding services. The lockdown forced a decline in projects and the company was forced to reduce its staff by 40%. New ways of remaining viable became imperative.
The Innovation
A 2015 report indicated that 98% of Nigerian businesses were either small or micro enterprises. Novateur was then dealing primarily with medium-sized businesses and did not cater for these smaller markets. Providing affordable platforms for small/micro enterprises to sell their products was not considered financially feasible at the time.
When the difficulties of physically purchasing products from stores became a reality, they realised that had they invested in this platform prior to COVID, they could have been ahead of the curve in terms of online buying. For example, small-time farmers in remote areas were experiencing difficulties getting their produce to market and it was then going to waste.
Novateur realised that small producers could sell their products using an online platform and transporters could deliver, thus creating online purchasing with potential opportunities for the company, small farmers, transporters and consumers. Furthermore, they could also revive a ‘shelved’ project - bottling tomatoes produced locally to prevent the degradation of fresh fruit due to poor storage and processing facilities.
In response to changes brought by COVID-19, Novateur implemented the following:
- Concluding work that will enable digital storefronts, so that small and micro businesses can sell their products online;
- Using the same software to develop two different but similar digital platforms: Zipzap.ng for the urban community (supermarkets, shops, etc.) and Foodieco.ng for fresh and processed food;
- Students are gathering data about small farmers in preparation for transitioning to online marketing;
- Planning for bottling tomatoes which involves automating the process for mass production in a small factory setting. This will open opportunities for employment in farming and in factories.
The Highs and Lows
The challenges involving the transition cannot be underestimated.
Novateur had to:
- reduce staff whilst needing new skills to shift strategy and prepare for the future;
- set up new operations that lacked technological infrastructure and establish logistics networks for product distribution;
- work with staff remotely and maintain quality of work;
- cope with skills gaps in the company and in the market;
- Develop ‘relevant for the time’ products to keep other areas of the business afloat.
However, Novateur found means to adjust to these challenges through developing platforms for collaborative and cross functional teams, using video and recordings, learning how to lead a team remotely and the integration of systems into streamlined production.
It also became evident that the changes in business operations required new skills, which has resulted in a number of opportunities, including:
- The use of young software developers to develop technological solutions to suit their environment;
- The integration of small farmers and transporters into a larger economic hub through online storefronts;
- Local bottling and canning of fresh produce to create the possibility for mass production.
The pandemic brought challenges and opportunities for Novateur, and there a new commitment to sourcing locally to create more opportunities. The company has also started looking towards manufacturing and is continuing to pursue this profitable venture. Advancement in technology and skills to maximise its benefits will be the investment of the future.
Company: Novateur Integrated Solutions Limited
