Safaricom’s Ready Business platform to help SMEs improve productivity with ICT solutions

Ready Business Index was launched two weeks ago and according to a survey by Safaricom Business on 181, 000 businesses spread across 21 counties, lack of capital, cash flow management and inability to market products and services are some of key challenges facing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Kenya.

Ready Business Index is a test designed to help businesses understand whether they are fully taking advantage of technology in their business processes and supplementing the survey the test was taken by 1, 200 SMEs and places the level of ICT adoption by businesses in the country at a score of 54 out of 100.

“Kenya’s economy data shows SMEs make up 99% of businesses in Kenya, employing 75% of the total labour force, yet contribute only 18% to our Gross Domestic Product. Safaricom Business has therefore developed the Ready Business platform to help improve the productivity of these firms by enabling staff work more efficiently and the business meet their unique customer needs,” said Rita Okuthe, Director, Safaricom Business.

Through the platform, SMEs can gauge their business stability based on up to 18 parameters. This will range from items such as nature of their business, locations it operates from and the expenditure on it. It will also seek how firms recruit and keep clients as well as whether or not they are able to track what their employees are doing at any given time.