Digital Transformation For SMBs Made Possible With HP Technology

Small businesses embrace digital technology to streamline business processes to access and meet the demands of a wider range of customers, take result-driven marketing initiatives, strengthen their business strategy, and earn more revenue. It has been seen that small business which leverage innovative technology and digitalisation grow faster, improve their business operations and reach new heights of success — increased productivity and efficiencies are then the pay-offs.

While established corporations and companies have already deployed digital transformation strategies over the last few years to provide more value to their customers, there is a gap when it comes to Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (SMBs).

HP Technology As An Enabler For SMB Digital Transformation

HP Malaysia Managing Director Alex Tan spent some time with BusinessToday to discuss this gap in Malaysia and how the technology giant developed many initiatives to help SMBs scale up during one of the most trying periods in history; the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond.

The pandemic made clear the need for a more adaptable and scalable digital environment. It accelerated the concept of hybrid work – a flexible working model allowing employees to work from various locations due to the restricted mobility. However, Malaysian SMBs were still underinvesting in digital technology, causing them to miss out on opportunities and growth in various business operations. As their businesses were threatened, SMBs realised they must shift from outdated technology to cutting-edge digital solutions that would prepare their organisations for the future, Alex said.

In developing HP Malaysia’s way forward, Alex explained that in Malaysia, HP has been a critical player towards enhancing scalable digital transformation solutions to assist large corporations and SMBs through specially crafted programmes and plans. This has been done in line with the government’s call for SMBs to adapt to Digital Transformation along with expectations from the private sector. The move towards Digital Transformation had set in Malaysia for nearly five years, with the advent of The Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0). Still, this transition was significantly accelerated once the Covid-19 pandemic became serious and the series of national quarantine came about.

“HP is definitely at the forefront – leading a range of solutions focussed for the SMBs in adhering to the governments’ initiatives as well as meeting their immediate demands locally. The situation during the pandemic saw many SMBs being caught unprepared to serve their customers. We saw many customers and partners coming to us seeking assistance as to how HP can help them transform their businesses. We fine-tuned our solutions and technology across the board to address key issues like security and cost as it’s difficult for companies, especially the SMBs, to cough out large amounts of funds to upgrade or purchase IT equipment needed at one go.”

Alex said the key challenges faced by the SMBs centred on how to effectively shift from an office environment to a hybrid context. Up-to-date, secure equipment is an essential component to work efficiently. For this, we offer the HP Pro G9 series, the latest line-up of commercial-grade PCs and laptops catered towards the demands of today’s growing business needs, such as the HP ProBook 440 G9 and HP Pro Mini 400 G9 desktop. HP also takes security seriously, providing preconfigured enterprise-level PC protection for small and medium-sized business with the HP Wolf Security for Business.

If you’re working in a public space, HP Sure View protects sensitive information visible on your computer screen by making it difficult for onlookers to view from the sides protecting sensitive information on your computer screen. The HP Sure Click and Sure Sense helps strengthen security at a computer’s most vulnerable entry points using deep learning IA to isolate malware.

Beyond Just A Tech-Provider

Recognising the need for entrepreneurs and employees who need to constantly upskill, HP introduced HP Life, a free skills-training programme for entrepreneurs, business owners, and lifelong learners all over the world. “This programme is accessible to all, as we want to give people the opportunity to build skills for the future. The courses range from basics of finance to effective presentation communication. There’s a plethora of information made available to not only plan and grow your business but to upskill yourself.”

Also, we understand that for SMBs, it’s not always possible to have in-house technicians and dedicated IT teams. To address this, we deployed greater resources into our HP Active Care program to provide live agents for these SMBs, to which they can either call in or request onsite support.

Besides support, cost payouts for digitalising a business can be rather pricey for SMBs. To allow these businesses access new technology, HP has a working plan known as the HP Usage Subscription Plan. SMBs can now obtain technology devices with HP’s robust, durable and secure technology via a 36-month Usage Subscription Plan starting from as low as RM95 per month paired with PWP promotion (purchase with purchase) of RM169 for a 3-year onsite warranty, protecting your tech and ensuring business productivity. For more details, visit https://www.hpe.com/my/en/services/finance-it-technology.html

In an extended effort to help SMBs realise a hybrid work environment, HP acquired Poly, a leading global provider of workplace collaboration solutions. Poly brings incredibly strong talent, differentiated technology, and a complementary go-to-market system that will further strengthen their position in large and growing markets. End-users will be equipped with the essential hardware, software, and services required to navigate hybrid work experiences now and into the future successfully.

Creating & Maintaining A Great Place to Work

HP has achieved specific milestones in terms of establishing a hybrid work culture. The company’s robust suite of business solutions aims to enhance productivity for SMBs specifically as it was found in many cases that the absence of physical presence among the workforce was now diluted. To bridge this gap, HP made some changes to their corporate culture to support their employees’ wellbeing. In fact, the tech company received the “Great Place to Work” Certification for 2021/22.

A few of the efforts taken by HP include bi-monthly ‘coffee talks’, where employees are able to have casual bonding sessions with one another as well as mental wellness support, to ensure that employees feel their needs are well cared for. When the office reopened, HP chose to move away from the standard cubicle concept and introduced the Hot Desk-Hybrid Work concept for employees who choose to come in. This change is to encourage more collaboration between teams, as it allows a layout specifically designed for discussions.

In ensuring that hybrid work attains positive results and from the experience HP went through in facing the pandemic, HP’s workforce is now able to discuss and share how potential challenges can be reduced and how HP’s solutions can help customers build a viable remote work environment.

Alex said, “In HP, we believe that we are only as good as what our team members are; our people are the main focus under the overall objective of being an industry market leader.”

In the effort to promote diversity, inclusivity, and exclusion (DEI), Alex said HP’s has set a goal to reach 50/50 gender equality in HP workforce leadership, and 30% of women in technical and engineering roles, by 2030.

As for initiatives to realise this, HP has hosted Leadership Cafes, where our employees can learn from women leaders, gaining insights from their career journeys and experiences.

Aside from this, HP has embarked on the Women in Leadership Lab (WILL) initiative which is a 7-month long leadership programme. The participants are exposed to an open platform, designed to encourage them to step outside their comfort zone and build their leadership brand.

In Malaysia, over 40% of HP’s workforce now consists of female employees. Notably, HP Malaysia’s Director of the Sales Channel, Mee Mee Hong won the Shining Star (Malaysia) category at the Channel Asia Women in ICT Awards 2022. Alex adds “I am proud to see our employees’ exemplary leadership and contributions being recognised.”

Alex, on his journey in HP, said: “I have been with HP for close to a decade and had performed a few roles, among them being in sales, enterprise and now as the lead for Malaysia. I have learnt and appreciate the culture of openness and being respectful and how to collaborate with various groups. Transparency within the company from the lead to the ground is crucial, and we place our customers first, resulting in the high customer confidence shown to HP.

Hybrid workforce is here to stay in the foreseeable future – the question then lies with ways to implement an effective and productive hybrid workforce and the ability of Malaysians to adapt to this. In its vast experience, HP has all facets of solutions to face challenges posed by digital transformation driven by our medium-term motto to be ‘future ready’, which means being able to adapt well to trends and challenges heading our way.

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