IN a bid to increase better products and faster service delivery to customers, eThekwini Municipality is embarking on empowerment workshops to educate small businesses on how to access the benefits of bulk buying using technology.
The City has introduced an application called Spazapp, which has been hailed as a money saver by local business owners.
Spazapp is a free Android app that gives traders the ability to order directly from big brands and suppliers. This faster model of technology is a convenient and efficient way of performing business transactions.
The workshops, which started this week, seek to empower local business owners, spaza shop owners, traders and other role players in the informal economy with innovative ways of doing business using Spazapp.
Senior Manager for Informal Trade, Michael Hlangu, said introducing technology such as Spazapp to local traders will help create a connected trading community that can save money, increase their profits, and trade more effectively by using smart, direct-buying channels.
“The workshops also provide local business owners with training, business coaching, introduction of a revolving funding facility model and bulk buying concept to grow their businesses,” said Hlangu.
Ordering directly from big brands and suppliers has a host of benefits, said Byron Verreyne, Spazapp chief technology officer.
“You get better prices, free delivery, and access to promotions that often bypass those trading in the last-mile,” he said.
The app also allows for the selling of airtime and data, eliminating the expense of hired equipment to print vouchers.
“Our users tell us that the free delivery alone saves them between R200 and R800 a month, which could be used for school fees,” added Verreyne.
Participants have shown excitement about this safer “cashless” approach to buying stock. By registering on the app with their cellphones, users need only make an ATM deposit or EFT transfer into their automatically created e-wallet to buy and receive goods, reducing the risk for both owners and delivery units.
Hlangu added that the municipality encourages bulk buying, especially for local businesses, as buying in bulks provides business owners with an opportunity to have a better mark-up when selling the product than your competition.
Workshops started this week and are still underway. The municipality is inviting interested local businesses to participate in a workshops on 27 February
at Wiggins Community Hall from 9am to 3pm.
Contact Nomonde Mlolongo on 031 311 6287 or email: nomonde.mlolongo@durban.gov.za.
