[WATCH] New scheme to help reticent businesses establish online presence

New scheme to help reticent businesses establish online presence

The digital world is very dynamic and needs constant and frequent tweaking to ensure all income avenues are exploited to their full potential, parliamentary secretary tor digital services Silvio Schembri said today. 

A new scheme launched today aims to help small businesses make full use of social media in their operations.

Schembri said that it was imperative that any online presence be professional and leave an optimal first impression. 

The scheme - FastTrak - was introduced by the Malta Communication Authority (MCA) in collaboration with the GRTU and the Malta Employers Association. 

The MCA had launched a national e-commerce strategy to promote the use of the internet for commercial purposes and to help local businesses take their services online. 

Schembri said that such an investment would ultimately lead to a better online experience for the end user – the customer. 

MCA chairman Dr Edward Woods said that the FastTrak initiative is intended to help small businesses that have so far refused or found it difficult to establish an online presence. 

It is part of a mid-term strategy review report drawn up by the MCA for piblic consultation and which includes 13 proposals aimed at fine-tuning the strategy and introducing updated programmes and processes to make access to e-commerce even easier for local businesses. 

FastTrak takes into consideration new trends in marketing and changing consumer behaviour, as more businesses use social media to promote and complement their brick and mortar operation. 

Training will be provided for small businesses to make them aware of the advantages of social media and assisting them in improving core services like customer care. 

All training and services will be provided free of charge. 

Interested business can apply online at mca.org.mt.  

Marcel Mizzi, for the GRTU, said many small business still were not aware of the advantages of harnessing the internet and online tools like social media.