Standard Bank banks on SMEs for the future

As society navigates the pandemic, entrepreneurship continues to be a beacon of hope for recovery of the economy and a significant contributor towards employment in the country.

Through initiatives such as the Covid-19 Term Loan Scheme, which was done in partnership with the SA government to facilitate funding to businesses, Standard Bank wants to inspire businesses to explore their potential as the driving force of the SA economy, while fostering connections and increasing collaborations within their ecosystems.

“We want to drive tangible efforts towards achieving real transformation and the inclusion of SMMEs within the economy while traversing the business landscape. We want to be the partner that businesses can trust and bank on to support them,” says Jenine Zachar, head of enterprise & direct banking propositions at Standard Bank.

The spirit of Standard Bank’s new business proposition titled, “Africa banks on business. Business banks on us”, is a reimagined approach towards business banking. It sees Standard Bank partnering with influential entrepreneurs and thought leaders, and have them share their stories about how they kept their businesses sustainable or how they took them to the next level. 

Here are some of the products geared towards helping businesses — from starting up to managing and growing:

SimplyBlu

Having a digital presence has become an effective way for businesses to continue operations and reach a new audience. A digital presence includes having a domain registered; finding ways to market your business digitally, for instance via social media; and having an e-commerce or website presence to display and sell goods and services online. 

Standard Bank is making it easier for business owners to take their products and services online with SimplyBlu, which enables a business to create a customisable e-commerce website with point-of-sale features, including collaboration with Mastercard and Google to give customers more visibility with free Google Ads. 

MyMoBiz 

“MyMoBiz focuses on simple affordable pay-as-you-transact banking for small businesses from R5 a month,” says Zachar. “It meets the needs of small businesses to receive payments from their customers, pay their suppliers and staff, and keep track of their business finances in a simple and affordable way.”

The offering includes an optional PocketBiz point-of-sale device at a reduced fee for MyMoBiz customers.

Small businesses need to have a business account as this inevitably aligns with running the business operations and could assist you in your journey of making business transactions to build a business profile.

Salary Payments 

Through Standard Bank Salary Payments, available on internet banking, customers get to experience a seamless process when paying their employees’ salaries. 

BizConnect

A new-and-improved BizConnect site provides the insights and information needed for every stage of your business’s development. It offers a wide range of guides, templates and information to equip and empower your business success.

“We recognise that being a business owner can be a lonely journey, and that owners often wear numerous hats throughout a day. BizConnect aims to be a source of information every step of the way in your journey,” says Zachar.

“We hope that through the products Standard Bank offers, we can lift the limitations that can sometimes hamper business owners on their journey, as we bank on SA’s enterprises for continued growth, success and hope.”

For more information, visit www.standardbank.co.za.

This article was paid for by Standard Bank.