To begin with, it is very important to understand what your goals are. Even if one is unaware of the need for a good Point-Of-Sales (POS) or more sophisticated modules, at the least you must know what you want to achieve for your business.

With the business objectives clearly defined, the next step is to find out how infocomm can help SMEs achieve their goals. This is where they are facing challenges. Particularly, most are at a loss as to how infocomm can help them, and how to implement infocomm solutions. Moreover, a lot of SMEs cannot afford a dedicated IT staff to guide them. The result is often a painful process of trial and error.

One SME that managed to overcome this initial barrier is HMF Asia, a company providing hydrotherapy systems for home spas. Its Director, Mr Tay Geok Khoon, was registering his business at DP Bureau when he came know about the new one-stop SME Infocomm Package (SIP).

SIP allows SMEs to pick cost-effective packages from three consortia.

"I'm hoping to expand my business in the region, and I believe having a web presence can help to bring more visibility to my business. Through SIP, I was
able to receive sound expert advice and purchase the infocomm products and services that I need, all under one roof. The experience has saved me much time and effort in trying to source from among different providers" said Mr Tay.

Launched officially in June 08, SIP allows SMEs to pick from a range of infocomm packaged solutions offered by the three consortia that have been selected as part of this IDA led venture. The consortia are led by DP Bureau (www.dpbureau.sg), iCELL Network (www.icellwireless.net/sme) and SingTel (www.singtel.com/sme/idasip).

The packaged solutions are bundled with one-stop customer support
and depending on the needs of the SME, may comprise any combination of infocomm items such as hardware, software, connectivity, web content development, hosting and maintenance, as well as generic or
sector-specific applications.

As an extension of the SIP service, DP Bureau and iCELL Network also offer non-infocomm services such as BizFile-related processing; application of licences and trademarks; accounting services; auditing; tax compliance; corporate secretarial services; GST reporting; financial assessment and financing matching.

More advanced consultancy services are also available on a project basis where a customised system is required. The charges for these services
and solutions will depend on the size of the project and the scale of
the implementation.

Consultancy has become a very important aspect of IT implementation in businesses because it provides the added confidence that what you buy will actually meet your needs. This is relevant for SMEs as they need experts who can provide good advice and packaged solutions for them.

It is also ideal for SMEs to try out the solutions for themselves. To provide this hands-on experience, the three consortia have set up walk-in centres where solution demostrations allow SMEs to try out what they plan to buy.

For more details of the SIP and the SME subsidy, please visit: www.ida.gov.sg/sme.

Businesses in Singapore are learning to tap on infocomm to transform
their processes and gear themselves up to take advantage of new
market opportunities. An example is real estate company HSR, which
pioneered a new way for house hunters to find their dream home using a system called SMARTplus.

SMEs can learn to leverage on infocomm to expand their market reach.

A SMARTplus program called iMatch enables buyers to specify the criteria for the house they want. On finding a perfect match, the system will alert the potential buyer via SMS and send an email with more details about the property.
Buyers can also view the latest property listings online, with just a few clicks of
the mouse.

SMARTplus also comes as a boon for HSR's agents. They can now discuss issues, share their opinions and seek advice on the online forum, and update themselves on upcoming courses and events using the HSR eCalender. By allowing agents to work from anywhere that has Internet access, the system has also enabled them to cut down on travelling and make more productive use of their time. In fact, the system has been so popular that HSR increased its recruitment for agents by up to 20 per cent with its implementation.

Like HSR, used car exporter Sunauto has also been leveraging on infocomm to reach out to customers in new and innovative ways while enhancing the efficiency of its staff. Sunauto exports quality used cars to various parts of the world, and has also made inroads into the parallel import market. All these have been made possible through the development of an online presence, backed by a system that automates many of its processes.

Today, instead of paper-based orders, Sunauto's customers can purchase used cars online. Through the company's web site, they can access the latest information on the used car inventory, and view the photos and specifications of individual vehicles.

At the same time, manual tasks such as the storage and retrieval of car photographs and other data have been automated, reducing the manpower required and cutting down on errors due to inconsistent information or missing documents. These developments have helped to free Sunauto's manpower resources to focus on broadening its business lines and developing its
regional strategy.

Like HSR and Sunauto, SMEs in Singapore can leverage on infocomm to expand their market reach and tap on new business opportunities. A good starting point would be to tap on the Technology Innovation Programme (TIP), which is jointly administered by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and SPRING Singapore. TIP helps defray up to 50 per cent of the qualifying cost for the implementation of any infocomm-related plan or idea.

Calling on more SMEs to take advantage of the programme, Mr Lo Yoong Khong, Cluster Director, IDA, said, "If you have an innovative idea on how infocomm can better your business, make use of support from TIP to turn it into a reality."

According to IDA's Annual Survey of Infocomm Usage by Enterprises for 2007, SMEs are increasingly adopting infocomm technology for their business operations. For example, broadband usage among SMEs increased from 47 per cent in 2006 to 50 per cent in 2007, while web presence rose from 27 per cent in 2006 to 31 per cent in 2007.

"Through the adoption of infocomm, businesses can make a difference in the way they operate," said Mr Lo. "Infocomm can relieve them of the operational challenges they face daily, and allow them to focus on sourcing for new markets and business opportunities."

For more information on the Technology Innovation Programme, visit ida.gov.sg/sme or contact ida_sme@ida.gov.sg.