Telkom Accelerates The Digitization Of MSMEs To Capture Changes In People's Consumption Patterns

Telkom foster partners. (Photo: Doc. Antara/Telkom)

JAKARTA - PT Telkom Indonesia (Persero) Tbk is committed to continuing to accelerate the digitization of the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME.) sector.

"In developing a business, innovation and refreshment in business patterns are needed from MSME actors, especially during this pandemic where there is a change in the consumption pattern of public goods and services from offline to online," said Senior General Manager Community Development Center Telkom Hery Susanto in a statement. written quoted by Antara, Sunday 27 February.

Hery said that MSMEs were definitely affected and had difficulty running a business when the economy was disrupted. For this reason, changes in existing conditions should be followed by innovations by MSME actors so that they can survive and even develop.

Of course, by optimizing technology and digitization. This is where Telkom plays a role in supporting local economic actors.

One of them is in the city of Lampung, a foster partner of Telkom Rumah Kopi JR Coffee who has succeeded in developing a business as well as helping to empower local communities. Has the initial name of Bintang Gajah Coffee Powder which was established in 2002.

JR Coffee runs a business with 8 workers from the surrounding environment with the entire production process from roasting to packaging is still done manually. With a total production of 500 kg per month, the manual manufacturing process takes a long time.

This is certainly a challenge for JR Coffee to develop its business even more in the future.

Until finally, JR Coffee joined as a foster partner of Telkom in 2007 and received support for business capital loans. The capital is used to purchase machines that increase production effectiveness by up to one ton per month to meet market demand, as well as expand marketing reach.

Not only capital, now JR Coffee has succeeded in marketing its products to outside Sumatra Island by participating in various SME exhibitions and successfully sold out at every opportunity.

Hery said that digitization has become an important need. It is proven that thanks to digitalization during the Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) period, the MSME sector is still able to provide an increase in the use of e-learning, e-Commerce, digital literacy, delivery requests, and the need for medical/cleaning equipment.

However, it is undeniable that there are still many digitalization problems experienced by MSMEs, especially MSMEs in some remote areas, limited internet access is still an obstacle. The understanding of MSME actors towards technology, limited online marketing, production processes and online market access are still considered not optimal enough.

For this reason, Telkom as a telecommunications company consistently continues to accelerate the distribution of connectivity so that all people can take advantage of internet access for their daily needs, including in running a business, so as to increase the digitalization of society and accelerate Indonesia's digital economy.