E-commerce congress seen to lead SMEs to profitable, affordable IT

How small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can do e-business affordably and profitably is the thrust of the 2nd National E-Commerce Congress and Exhibit, which will be staged at the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC) on Dec. 2 to 4.

The details and mechanics of how affordable and profitable e-business can be to SMEs will be discussed lengthily throughout that three-day event organized by the Philippine Internet Commerce Society (PICS).

Citing 45 percent of last year’ $28-billion global IT spend coming from SMEs, PICS president Mary Anne D. Tolentino said the cost of doing e-business could now be substantially trimmed down with the convergence of technologies and the emergence of innovations in accessibility.

"With this development, our local SMEs must not allow themselves to be left out by their counterparts all over the world in taking advantage of the new markets and the cost-efficient operations that the new digitized environment creates," Tolentino said.

As such, Day 1 of the e-commerce congress focuses on SMEs and covers such topics as E-APEC Strategy for SMEs, Digitizing Philippine SMEs, Starting Your E-Business: Basic Steps, Financing Your E-Business, Essential Intellectual Property for SMEs, Online Advertising, and Case Studies of SMEs Doing E-Business (services, manufacturing, retail trade, distribution, healthcare, insurance, financial/lending).

Day 2 focuses on electronic payment and solutions and zeroes in on such issues as Electronic Payment As a Major Challenge in the Success of E-Business (The Philippine Payment System – credit cards, charge cards, debit cards, electronic cash, automatic payroll deposit), Internet Security: Making Online Transactions Secured, Online Payment Solutions (credit cards, virtual cards, ATM, cash cards), Wireless Financial Transactions (mobile banking and remittance), and Wireless Payment – What’s the Uptake?

Day 3 tackles Convergent Technologies Making it Affordable for SMEs to Do E-Business, Making ERP solutions Accessible and Affordable to SMEs, Making Wi-Fi Technology Accessible to SMEs, Mobility and Wireless Solutions for the SMEs (via portable and handheld computing devices), Transforming the Internet Cafe into Shared Access and Business Solutions Center, Making Inventory Management More Efficient through Automation, and Sales Automation Using Wireless and Mobile Technologies.

Business consultation session caps each day of the congress. Participants include leading technology and software vendors, Internet and web service providers, IT and management consulting firms, mobile and wireless telecom companies, financial institutions and e-banks, training institutes, education centers, software development organizations, and government agencies.

Details can be obtained from Fiera de Manila (tel. 899-6893, 896-0639, 896-0637; email [email protected]; and website www.fmi.com.ph, www.pics.org.ph).

Aside from SMEs, expected to benefit immensely from the congress are entrepreneurs, chief information officers, wireless content providers, financial and e-bankers, IT/MIS managers, IT project managers, cyber lawyers, policy makers, legislators, educators, web developers, law enforcement personnel, and venture capital firms, among many others.

The congress is sponsored by Globe Telecom Inc., Innove, Globe Quest, PLDT, BancNet, PCI Equitable Bank, Computer Associates, Microsoft, Pacific Internet, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Times, Business World, INQ7.net, Business World Online Inc., Computer Times, Computer World, IT Update, ITpros.ph, Softrigger Interactive and Web Philippines Inc.