Speech by MOS Low Yen Ling at the SGTech Global Future Series 2023 - Launch of the Digital Transformation for SMEs (DT-SME) Programme

Mr Wong Wai Meng, Chair of SGTech and Chief Executive Officer, Keppel Data Centres Pte Ltd

Mr Nicholas Lee, SGTech Chair of the Digitalisation Steering Committee and Chief Executive Officer, EZ-Link Pte Ltd

Ms Yean Cheong, SGTech Executive Director

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Introduction

1. Good afternoon. Thank you for inviting me to join you in launching SGTech’s Digital Transformation for SMEs Programme, or DT-SME.

2. Every business would do well with a digital strategy and presence in today's increasingly digital world. Digitalisation can empower SMEs with greater productivity, enable them to gain new markets and make better-informed decisions. Yet, digitalisation can be challenging, particularly for smaller enterprises with limited resources and expertise. The journey to digital transformation can be an arduous one for small companies. This is where TACs like SG Tech play a critical role in providing a strong community of support for SMEs to learn, share and innovate.

SGTech Support for Businesses

3. I commend SGTech for tirelessly supporting businesses in seizing new digital growth opportunities. Despite the difficulties encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic, SGTech persevered to launch the Stronger Together, Aiding Recovery (STAR) Fund with Meta and Enterprise Singapore. The fund supported the adoption of digital solutions by enterprises to build capabilities in marketing and business continuity.

4. A total of 55 SMEs tapped on the STAR Fund to emerge stronger and more resilient after the pandemic. Among them was Torio Japanese Restaurants Pte. Ltd. (Torio), which used to rely on paper-based food safety training manuals for its staff training. After implementing a software program online, Torio’s employees could access the training materials with their smartphones wherever they were. In addition, the company could easily track the training and staff competence levels status through in-app analytics.

TACs Leading Digital Transformation by Example

5. SGTech is leading and advocating digital transformation for Singapore enterprises by strengthening the capabilities of Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) in this area. SGTech has partnered with the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and Enterprise Singapore to launch Digi-TAC, an initiative encouraging TACs to adopt digital solutions to serve their members better. With first-hand digital transformation experience, our TACs will be well-placed to advocate for their members to digital too.

6. The Singapore Medical Association (SMA) is an example of a TAC that has embarked on the digitalisation journey. With help from Digi-TAC, SMA is digitalising its courses and automating its submission of training documents to the Singapore Medical Council. This is expected to save SMA members up to 30% in productivity and time.

How TACs Can Support Businesses Through DT-SME

7. I am greatly heartened by SG Tech’s introduction of the new Digital Transformation programme for SMEs (DT-SME). This programme strengthens the TACs’ support network for SMEs by plugging the enterprises into SGTech’s ecosystem of digital solution providers, consultants, mentors and industry peers. Through structured training sessions, SMEs develop a customised business transformation strategy. They subsequently implement their digitalization plan with the support of solution providers that are best matched to their business needs. To ensure whole-of-company adoption of the digital solution, the extended TAC network offers SMEs support in identifying training gaps and levelling up staff competencies.

8. Today, SGTech is launching the DT-SME programme, starting with these four sectors: Manufacturing, Logistics, F&B and Retail. These industries are where interest and demand for digital transformation are high. For example, the Singapore Fashion Council (SFC) has tapped into the Digi-TAC fund to automate its membership application process and provide members with a better onboarding experience. It has also worked closely with SG Tech to shape the customised DT-SME programme for Retail SMEs.

9. The DT-SME programme complements and boosts the range of government initiatives and schemes that promote digitalisation like SMEs Go Digital and CTO-as-a-Service (CTOaaS). It will offer businesses more customised options based on their digitalisation needs and stages, on top of the ecosystem of community support. I encourage TACs and SMEs to use this opportunity to advance their digitalisation journey. 

Conclusion

10. The Government is committed to supporting our TACs in driving industry transformation through digitalisation. As our SMEs embrace and implement digital strategies, we will continue to enable these enterprises to stay competitive in the global value chain.

11. Congratulations, SGTech, on the launch of DT-SME. We look forward to our SMEs achieving greater potential through digitalisation and capturing new growth.

12. Thank you.