It was not long ago when the exporters of sports goods in Sialkot discovered a magic tool to expand their businesses. With the help of this tool they could reach new clientele all over the world and that also within minutes. That magic tool was the Internet which had reached Pakistan in the mid 1990s.
In fact, sports goods dealers were the first to use the Internet and email messaging. The traders were the most enterprising; they registered their companies, got colourful catalogues of products printed, and started emailing them to potential buyers in Europe, the US, and other countries.
Soon these traders had orders in hand and manufacturers were after them to get contracts and share proceeds with them. They did not have any manufacturing concerns, neither had they investments with them. It was mere efficient use of technology that had helped them make their earnings.
“There was a mad rush and people were willing to pay Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 to babus (copywriters) to make their hotmail accounts,” says Muhammad Arif Bhatti who used to go to Sialkot for business purposes at that time. These dial-up Internet connections were slow and dependent on PTCL landlines.
Today, the situation is different and people are connected all the time. They are hooked to the Internet through multiple sources and working from wherever they are, regardless of time.
Access to the Internet has reformed business models and made them efficient all over the world. Though spread of technology has been a bit slow in Pakistan, businesses have made use of it to a great extent. The Internet has helped traditional businesses develop as it has encouraged growth of businesses dependent mainly on the Internet. For example, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), website developers, Web Hosting Service Providers, call centers, etc., are flourishing.
“In Pakistan, it was a students-led revolution. Students of the University of Engineering and technology (UET), Lahore and Comsats set up ISPs, such as Brain.net and Comsats,” says Fouad Bajwa, an Internet Researcher, based in Lahore. “The Lahore Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) was next to set up an ISP and link its members to the world. The initial use was targeting business partners through email messaging and the concept of design or development of online content was totally missing,” he adds. He recalls that at that time the Internet speed was slow and that it would take a long time to attach simple documents or pictures.
Today, having a dynamic website adds value to a company’s profile and its credibility. Online presence is like being at the service of consumers 24/7. Besides, it increases the reach of the company to millions of potential customers who can access its website from all over the world. Finding buyers and sellers through search engines is an unmatchable feature of the Internet that businesses benefit from today.
Naveed Siraj, Country Manager, Intel Pakistan, says businesses are efficient today due to the Internet. It is very easy for head offices to stay in touch with all its branches in the country or abroad, staff, customers, etc., and evaluate performances without delay. Live video and Skype conferences are possible due to this technology which cut costs as well as make communication highly effective.
Naveed refers to a World Bank study which finds a direct link between economic growth of a country and broadband Internet penetration rate in that country.
Muhammad Arif Bhatti says it is very easy now to send scanned images of goods to potential buyers along with rates and get orders. Besides, he says, it is now also possible to get competitive rates through prudent Internet-based research and develop bargaining skills. This is in contrast to the practice when they had to send faxes abroad at exorbitant costs or documents via postal services, which would take days to reach their destination.
Fouad believes a lot of potential exists but many traditional businesses have not opted to go online. So, he says, only the business dealing in imports and exports bother to go online while others say they are already unable to fulfill the demand of their existing offline customers.
He mentions some websites, such as sofizar, rozee.pk, shophive, lamudi.pk, etc., which he says are inventions of young and energetic minds and doing good business. He says the government must adopt new technology and go for e-governance to develop a culture where everybody can get connected to the Internet. “You see Indian tv channels and find that every other advertisement is about a business website.”
Mubashar Bashir Mirza, Senior Vice President Muslim Commercial Bank (MCB), says mobile and internet-based banking has given a boost to businesses as well as brought a large number of people to the pool of those having access to banking products. Today, every other person who has mobile or Internet can withdraw or transfer money through banking channels.
He says, “branchless banking saves banks a lot of money spent on maintenance of branches, payments of salaries, and other expenses, such as those sent on stationery, etc. Today an account holder can get his cheque encashed from any branch and withdraw cash from Auto Teller Machines (ATMs). This was not possible in the past where they had to travel distances to reach the branches where they had their accounts and go through cumbersome manual procedures to get their amounts cleared.”
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Shahzada Irfan Ahmed
Quelle/Source: The News on Sunday, 16.03.2014
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