PLDT SME Nation’s #BeTheBoss is back!

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And they’re looking for the country’s most promising and tech-savvy entrepreneurs

(L-R) AVP and Head of SME Community Engagement Services and Marketing Communications Gabby Cui, VP and Head of PLDT SME Nation Mitch Locsin and AVP and Head of SME Fixed Product Marketing Amil Azurin

PLDT SME Nation’s pioneering social media crowd sourcing search for the new generation of entrepreneurs is all set to welcome a new batch of digitally-driven industry game-changers.

#BeTheBoss, in partnership with Rappler, is back for year two as it continues on its mission to recognize excellence in technological innovation and digital integration. 

VP and Head of PLDT SME Nation Mitch Locsin reiterates the pivotal role of digital in today’s business landscape.

“Our goal is simple and poignant—to demonstrate how digital technology can empower micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and help them grow their business by looking to young and savvy entrepreneurs who’ve actually done it,” VP and Head of PLDT SME Nation Mitch Locsin said. 

Online nominations are currently ongoing until July 10, 2016 at rappler.com/betheboss. A panel of judges will short list the nominations and choose the top three finalists for each category. The final phase will be the online public voting which will comprise of 40 percent of the finalists’ score. 

This year’s categories are: Boss for E-Commerce is for the e-commerce champ who knows how to own the internet and its opportunities through an innovative application or an online service; Boss for Social Media is the entrepreneur who knows how to maximize social media platforms and use it for growing an online community; Boss for Social Responsibility is the entrepreneur who goes beyond marketability and profitability by giving back to the community; and finally, Boss for Innovative Solutions is for the leader who thinks outside the proverbial box and utilizes technology to offer services and ideas that cater to a broad audience.

Last year’s first batch of winners and finalists, narrowed down from over 500 nominations from around the country, flew to Silicon Valley for a unique digital immersion in one of the world’s technological melting pots. 

Boss for E-Commerce Kim Lato of online tech store Kimstore, Boss for Social Media and top wedding photographer Jason Magbanua, Boss for Customer Service and queuing solutions company TimeFree Innovations founder Chino Atilano, Boss for Social Responsibility and Messy Bessy founder Kristine Reyes-Lopez, and Boss for Mobile Readiness and mobile app MobKard founder Carlo Calimon also received mobile business kits from SME Nation. 

This year’s winners will also get the opportunity to broaden their horizons and globalize their business with the Silicon Valley experience.

Locsin added, “For traditional entrepreneurs, digital can be daunting and discouraging. But that’s exactly what we want to disprove with #BeTheBoss. We want to show everyone that the right digital business solutions can actually democratize and level the playing field especially for MSMEs who are only starting to carve their niche in the industry.”

PLDT Smart SME Nation puts the focus back on MSMEs as part of nation-building mission

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MSMEs—or micro, small, and medium enterprises—are driving the Philippine economy to an interesting direction: inclusive growth.

As of 2013, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) recorded 937,327 businesses falling under the MSME category, which accounts for 99.6 percent of all registered enterprises in the country. The micro segment is the largest segment, with over 800,000 registered entities that provide 2.3 million local jobs and generate 25 percent of the country’s total exports.

These figures highlight a new economic landscape where more and more people—even those with little to no capital or those typically excluded from the job market—generate and gain productive employment. Students, housewives, retirees, and individuals with limited physical abilities can participate in income-generating activities through starting their own micro-enterprises.

PLDT VP and PLDT Smart SME Nation Head Mitch Locsin talks about the key role of MSMEs in nation-building

“PLDT Smart SME Nation believes in empowering individuals to become modern entrepreneurs,” said Mitch Locsin, PLDT VP and PLDT Smart SME Nation Head. “Entrepreneurship is not only about helping one’s self, but also about contributing to families and communities. Collectively, MSMEs contribute to an economically stronger Philippines.”

Leveling the playing field

Despite the increasing number of Filipino entrepreneurs and their growing economic impact, an overwhelming majority is missing out on profit and expansion opportunities.

“Only one percent of over 900,000 MSMEs have online presence,” noted Locsin. “With the rest of the world quickly moving to a more digital-centric business direction, MSMEs—especially the micro-enterprises—need to catch up, fast.”

A group dedicated to amplifying the business potential of MSMEs, PLDT Smart SME Nation offers the right digital tools to future-ready micro-entrepreneurs. Through a reliable landline and high-speed DSL connection, the SMART BizKit, and an online store powered by Tack This!, a micro-enterprise can reach and serve more customers with lower overhead costs.

“The digital arena is where MSMEs can directly compete with large enterprises,” added Locsin. “That’s why we support our entrepreneurs and help them conquer the digital landscape with our products and services.”

Gearing up for a digital future

Last April 22, 2016, PLDT Smart SME Nation gathered over 1,400 modern Pinoy entrepreneurs at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila for a day filled with revolutionary insights and key learnings from the country’s industry stalwarts. Dubbed TechIsland 3.0, the event is the first SME Nation business convention to be open to the general public.

To help MSME owners embrace a digital future and put their learnings into practice, PLDT and students from Pampanga’s St. Mutien College developed websites for each TechIsland 3.0 attendee. The students developed 30 percent of the websites, and will continue to work with PLDT Smart SME Nation for future projects to benefit MSMEs.

SME Nation also rolled out the TechMobile, a caravan of digital tools and solutions specifically designed for MSMEs, in several key provinces, including Negros and Cavite. Through this initiative, PLDT and Smart’s tech expertise can easily reach entrepreneurs wherever they are in the country.

Locsin added, “By empowering MSMEs to participate in the digital disruption happening in business right now, we also empower them to become active players in the journey towards nation-building through inclusive economic growth.

To find out how you can become a digitally savvy micro-entrepreneur, visit www.smenation.com.ph.

PLDT through PLDT SME Nation partner with Microsoft launched Digital Campus Suite

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The nation’s leading telecommunication and multi-media service provider Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), through its business unit PLDT SME Nation, and partnered with Global IT giant Microsoft Philippines, had launched the "Digital Campus Suite" a new service package that will enable students, academe and even their parents access to online learning programs and to earn  Information Technology certification for critical IT skills that are now in demand in today’s digitally driven industries.

Through the Digital Campus Suite, schools and universities will have high-speed connectivity with PLDT myDSL Biz or iGate, an online access to training courses of the Microsoft IT Academy Program.

PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan

Last Wednesday, August 26, 2015, during the Digital Campus Suite launched held at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel, PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan shared “We at PLDT are confident that this partnership can significantly contribute to enriching the digital content of Philippine education. By enabling schools through these programs, we are helping them, both educator and student, to gain new critical skills and lean IT courses with globally competitive technology programs that have become essential in today’s digital workplace.”

Though the Digital Campus Suite, schools will have high-speed connectivity with PLDT myDSL Biz or iGate and online access to training courses of the Microsoft IT Academy Program. 

Schools will receive licenses to Microsoft Office 365 to help students and teachers interact and teach using Cloud tools and platforms.

Educators and students will have access to the digital curriculum and earn IT certifications in the Microsoft IT Academy Program for fundamental technology skills, as well as courses that enable students to become more competitive for employment.

The suite also includes laptops, tablets, and WiFi access points in campus to enhance the overall digital education experience.

PLDT SME Nation, Microsoft and COCOPEA have joined forces for a digital innovation that will help change the landscape of Philippine education. In photo, from left, are: PLDT EVP and ePLDT President and CEO Eric Alberto, PLDT Chairman Manny V. Pangilinan, COCOPEA Chair Bro. Jun Erguiza, FSC, Ed. D, Microsoft Philippines Country Manager Karrie Ilagan, PLDT President and CEO Napoleon L. Nazareno, PLDT SME Nation FVP and Head of SME Business Kat Luna-Abelarde and APAC Education Partner Director Rani Burchmore.

A study conducted by International Data Corporation (IDC) revealed that increased spending on IT cloud services will open up an estimated 14-million new jobs worldwide. The same report also noted that there was an apparent “widening ICT professional skills gap” and a “shortage of skills” in the Asia-Pacific region.

PLDT is very active in partnering with schools and learning institutions to built their technology and connectivity resources in support of the education sector’s need to improve ICT learning among the students and academe.

Kat Luna-Abelarde

PLDT FVP and head of SME Business Kat Luna-Abelarde said “This initiative fully aligns with PLDT SME Nation’s efforts to empower the future generation with an ICT-enabled education system. ICT skills are no longer just added value to employment but are now necessities in today’s business and entrepreneurial landscape.” 

“An educated population is what we need to build a progressive Philippine economy, but we can’t educate tomorrow’s leaders with tools from the past. The increasingly competitive workplace is being driven by technology and digital literacy, and the Digital Campus Suite gives educators and students access to tools that will build their capability to excel in that environment. Our partnership with PLDT SME Nation helps us create a bigger impact on all aspects of education,” said Microsoft Philippines General Manager Karrie Ilagan.

Photos: Arts & Travel Magazine

PLDT, Voyager launch concierge service of social commerce platform TackThis!

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Online store creator to help more Filipino businesses go digital

Most businesses in the Philippines - large and small - recognize the potential of eCommerce, but only few are ready for the unique challenges that come with selling to customers online.

To address this gap, Voyager Innovations (Voyager), the digital unit of PLDT and Smart, together with PLDT Alpha and PLDT SME Nation, has launched today its premium concierge service for online store creator TackThis! to over a thousand partner businesses so they can quickly and efficiently build their own branded digital commerce footprint that incorporates a seamless social shopping experience for customers.

As a platform, TackThis! enables businesses to set up their online shops in just a matter of minutes. They can then “tack” their store to Facebook and other websites and the platform facilitates the customer’s entire digital commerce journey - beginning from the point of order, through the management of inventory, and ending with fulfillment and payment.

The premium concierge service aims to enable larger retailers who need a more comprehensive suite of features on top of the basic offerings of TackThis! Together with the wide array of solutions from PLDT Alpha and PLDT SME Nation, TackThis! is seen to further boost digital commerce in the country. 

“At Voyager, we believe that eCommerce is one of the building blocks of the digital economy. TackThis! is already changing eCommerce as it integrates the social shopping experience. Meanwhile, our partners can benefit from the one-stop solution that TackThis! provides, including our enhanced concierge service,” said Mitch Padua, vice president and head of digital commerce at Voyager Innovations.

“The premium concierge service gives retailers an end-to-end service that streamlines their online store requirements. This way, businesses don’t have to allocate huge resources in maintaining their online stores. TackThis! allows them to focus on what they know best: selling their products,” said Kat Luna-Abelarde, First Vice President and Head of PLDT SME Business.

The advanced features that come as a part of the concierge service include professional services for an effortless online store creation as well as hassle-free store management of logistics, payments and customer service via a team of TackThis! Ambassadors.

The concierge service also includes store marketing via placement on Takatack, the sister site of TackThis! Takatack is now the largest online shopping discovery platform that aggregates and promotes not only offerings from the thousands of merchants who have established their online shops through TackThis!, but also products from other online stores and retailers in the country including Rocket Internet-backed Zalora and Lazada.

Tackthis! has over 30,000 merchants in Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines with more than 400 merchants already part of the premium Tackthis! Concierge Program - an end to end solution tailored to get retailers selling online quickly.

An industry trend analysis released by BMI Research last July estimated that 82% of all Internet users in the country or around 22 million Filipinos shop online. Retail sales account for USD207 billion but only 0.6% accounts for online retail.

The growth rate for eCommerce is high. A 2014 study by Ken Research estimates that Philippine eCommerce can expect a 101.4% annual growth rate from 2013 through 2018 due to increasingly heavier Internet usage and mobile penetration.

Out of the over one million registered businesses in the country, it is estimated that only 1% have a website. In the past, a company would have had to hire a large development and operations team to establish their digital footprint. TackThis! provides the simplicity and ease of having an online store. TackThis! aims to help businesses tap into this huge opportunity to reach more Filipinos going and shopping online. 

To know more about TackThis!, please visit: www.tackthis.com.ph/

To know more about Takatack, please visit: www.takatack.com/

Smart Enterprise and PLDT SME Nation unveil first ever Bozz Awards to recognize new generation of digitally savvy entrepreneurs

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Smart Enterprise, under PLDT SME Nation, has unveiled its latest initiative to empower the new breed of Filipino entrepreneurs.

The Bozz Awards is a social media crowdsourcing search for the new generation of entrepreneurs who are harnessing digital tools to grow their businesses. These entrepreneurs are known for spearheading a revolutionary change in business platforms through their use of technology.

In partnership with Rappler, a pioneer in embracing online platforms for news generation and distribution, the Bozz Awardshopes to inspire more entrepreneurs with success stories of those who have boldly embraced the challenges and opportunities of the digital era.

Rappler will house the main site for the Bozz Awards, and will facilitate the crowd sourcing aspect of the campaign which will carry the online handle #BeTheBoss.

PLDT First Vice President and Head of SME Business Kat Luna-Abelarde

“For years now, PLDT SME Nation has been known for our MVP Bossing Awards which celebrate Filipino business titans whose stories of success embody perseverance and continuous innovation. They are the industry icons start-up entrepreneurs look up to,” PLDT First Vice President and Head of SME Business Kat Luna-Abelarde explained. “The Bozz Awards is all about the new breed of entrepreneurs, who are just as persevering and innovative, albeit faced with a different set of challenges and opportunities in this digital age of doing business.”

The Bozz Awards is part of the line-up of activities for PLDT SME Nation’s recently launched Small Business Monthcelebration which is a pioneering initiative aimed at empowering small businesses to embrace the digital revolution.

Rules of digital engagement

To qualify for the Bozz Awards, entrepreneurs must be 45 years old and below, based in the Philippines, and must be business owners for at least two years. 

Nominations, which will officially open on August 10, must be done online via the microsite on Rappler. Those who want to nominate their own bozz can also ‘Tweet-pitch’ a 140-character nomination using the hash tag #BeTheBoss. More details will also be announced on August 10 via the official Bozz Awards site.

A shortlist of 15 nominees will be chosen by a panel of judges with three each under five categories:

—The Boss for Mobile Readiness

—The Boss For E-commerce,

—The Boss for Social Media,

—The Boss for Customer Service,

—The Boss for Social Responsibility and Entrepreneurship

The public will then have a chance to cast their votes and these votes, together with the results of the panel deliberation, will determine the final five Bozz Awardees (one from each category). The finalists will be honored in a grand celebration and post-awards culmination party to mark the end of the first ever run of the Bozz Awards.

The first batch of Bozz awardees will each receive a full-powered Smart Enterprise Biz Kit which consists of business-enhancing tools and gadgets, including year-long data subscription, to help keep them always connected to their customers and updated with their operations, even while on the go.

As a fitting tribute to game-changing entrepreneurs who are leading the digital revolution in business, the final five Bozzawardees will also be given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the world’s melting pot of technology via an exclusive Silicon Valley tour.

Abelarde added, “We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again—there’s nowhere to go but digital. We’ve seen a lot of budding and progressive entrepreneurs who’ve managed to revolutionize the traditional ways of doing business through online presence or ground-breaking use of digital tools and platforms. This new breed of movers and shakers paved the way, and we want to recognize and empower them so they can inspire more entrepreneurs.”

For more information on how to #BeTheBoss, visit rappler.com/betheboss.

Three Industry Leaders: PLDT SME Nation, Samsung Philippines and Microsoft Philippines forge a Partnership to Empower SMEs with Broadband and Digital Solutions

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The Philippines’ fast-growing digital, social and mobile users definitely creates unprecedented opportunities for the 800,000 strong small and medium enterprise (SME) market segment. However, the challenge today is how SMEs can efficiently tap and engage this community.

Today, there are over 34 million Facebook users, over 10 million Twitter followers and with over 44 million Filipino internet users and counting. 

With this, PLDT SME Nation partners with Samsung & Microsoft Philippines to create innovative business solutions that will enable entrepreneurs to run their business better, grow faster, be more globally competitive and engage with the country’s digital, social and mobile population.

SMEs can now enjoy the benefits of having PLDT SME Nation’s premium and faster fixed and wireless broadband solutions running on our latest fiber and LTE network. These broadband offerings provide unlimited access which give entrepreneurs the ability to continuously conduct online activities without the fear of bandwidth throttling. Our services also feature committed information rates or CIR, which guarantee minimum bandwidth speeds for businesses and a static IP used to power up their websites and enable faster inter-office data transfers.

Second, PLDT SME Nation boasts of its most robust network and nation-widest reach for its fixed, wireless and now satellite service, ensuring that entrepreneurs will have the best broadband service suited for their business wherever they are. 

Lastly, these new broadband packages come with supercharged flexible freebies ranging from relevant and business enabling Cloud Solutions such as Microsoft Office 365 and PLDT Cloud apps for video monitoring, asset tracking, POS, infrastructure and more. SMEs will also be able to get for free and choose the latest array of smart devices from Samsung Philippines and High Definition (HD) TV content from Cignal.

In an event entitled “Growing your Business in the Digital Age”, PLDT SME Nation together with two other industry leaders, Samsung and Microsoft, announced this partnership to create and introduce groundbreaking technologies and tools that will enable SMEs to efficiently manage their businesses anytime, anywhere. 

In his welcome remarks, PLDT Executive Vice President and ePLDT President and CEO Eric Alberto highlighted the significance of the partnership saying, “This collaboration and synergy among today’s leaders in the telecommunications industry ushers in a new era of enablement for the small and medium enterprise market segment.

Through this strategic partnership, SMEs will have access to game-changing business tools such as faster and nationwide fixed and wireless broadband solutions, latest gadgets and devices and relevant collaboration cloud applications which should ultimately lead to higher levels of operational efficiencies, expanded market reach, higher profit margin levels, and in the process create higher economic multiplier for our country” Alberto adds.

PLDT SME Nation showcased some of this technology’s capability during the event, inviting several bloggers from Cebu and Manila to virtually take part of the press conference from remote locations using Microsoft Office 365.

To signify the formalization of the partnership among the three companies Alberto was joined on stage by PLDT First Vice President and Head of SME Business Kat Luna-Abelarde, Samsung Philippines Managing Director Harry Lee, Samsung Philippines Business Manager James Kwon, Samsung Philippines Enterprise Director Irene Catane, Microsoft Philippines Director for Small, Midsize Solutions Partners Diana Tibbs and Microsoft Philippines Business Group Lead Tovia Va’aelua for the push-button inauguration. 

Abelarde pledged PLDT SME Nation’s commitment to provide SMEs with the best broadband and digital solutions saying, “PLDT SME Nation reaffirms its support for Filipino SMEs as it continues to innovate and form partnerships with industry leaders to provide our country’s aspiring entrepreneurs with only the best broadband solutions for their businesses.”