Targeting 1,000 SMILE Offices, BRI Wants To Provide Funding For 18 Million Micro Enterprises

JAKARTA - PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk or BRI is targeting 1,000 offices of Ultra Micro Service Centers (SENYUM) by the end of 2022.

SENYUM is a one-stop office between BRI-Pegadaian-PNM that makes it easy for customers from the three companies to make transactions according to customer needs.

Sunarso revealed that the main difference between SENYUM's co-location services compared to regular BRI Unit offices is that Pegadaian and PNM customers can make transactions and save at the same time at the same office. Vice versa, for BRI customers who want to pawn or open a gold savings account, this can be done through the SMILE co-location.

"This year BRI is targeting 1,000 SMILES. The collaboration is clear and does not compete with each other, but we collaborate well," said Sunarso in CNBC Indonesia Economic Outlook 2022 in Jakarta, Tuesday, March 22.

Furthermore, Sunarso explained, Holding UMi formed a work culture synergy team called BRIGADE MADANI which is an acronym for BRI, Gade (Pegadaian) and Madani (Permodalan Nasional Madani).

Sunarso also targets that by the end of 2022, Holding UMi can serve 5 million new customers in the Ultra Micro segment, implement 100 percent cashless disbursements in the PNM and Pegadaian ecosystems and 500 thousand successful referrals from Smile Mobile as well as the acquisition of 60 thousand chairmen/members of the Mekaar Group to become agents. BRILink.

Since starting last September 2021, Sunarso revealed that SMILE has been present in 153 locations.

Before starting this UMi, Bank BRI has conducted research which shows that there are 18 million micro-enterprises that have not been funded by official financial institutions. Through the MADANI BRIGADE, Sunarso is optimistic that he can reach the 18 million micro-enterprises.

"The approach is different. We have to be accompanied first, then we set the target, we provide working tools, we build infrastructure, we also change the mindset of the MADANI BRIGADE," he said.

He continued, the BRI Group's future growth strategy is to systematically encourage existing customers to upgrade to class and enlarge the customer base by seeking new sources of growth.

"The establishment of the Ultra Micro Holding (UMi) consisting of BRI, Pegadaian, and PNM has ensured this new source of growth," concluded Sunarso.