Sabi, a financing aggregator, links Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) with ecosystem builders and financing institutions.
Sabi have engaged with 25 users from various ecosystems and revealed that MSEs, despite being economic pillars, struggle with adopting digital tools.
These interviews aimed to identify their needs while categorizing them by their Tech Adoption Level (TAL) and business size.
Sabi’s hypothesis is that demand for business solutions aligns with their digital awareness and operational complexity.
This mapping aimed to tackle the challenge:
How might we better understand the needs of each MSEs segments so we can create tailored and targeted solutions while prioritize resources (time and budget) effectively?
Needs for business solutions mapping.
Company
Sabi
Duration
1 month (2023)
My Role
Researcher
Responsibilities
Research Plan, Document Analysis, Interview, Visual Mapping
Impact
The insights gathered from this research led to actionable conclusions:
Financing is Key for Micro Businesses: Micro enterprises prioritize financing over operational solutions, as they often struggle with cash flow and access to credit.
Tech Awareness Accelerates Adoption: Businesses with higher TAL are more likely to explore digital solutions regardless of their size.
Solution Relevance by Size and TAL:
POS systems and cloud accounting are relevant across all TALs for micro enterprises.
Inventory management tools and e-invoicing gain relevance for higher TALs and larger businesses.
Service-based micro businesses with frequent invoice transactions adopt e-invoicing earlier.
Approach
We built a mapping method that considered both business size and Tech Adoption Level. We interviewed stakeholders to understand operations, current tools, and pain points.
By analyzing these findings, we expected distinct patterns based on TAL levels and business sizes.
Interview with one of micro business owner.
The mapping framework categorized businesses into TAL levels, ranging from minimal exposure to proactive adoption, and visualized how needs shift as size and TAL change.
This classification clarified the varying needs across micro, small, and medium enterprises.
By creating detailed visualizations of how TAL intersects with business size, the team revealed gaps and opportunities, ensuring solutions were both relevant and effective.
Journey/ Process
The journey began with engaging 25 participants from diverse ecosystems, spanning trade, services, and retail sectors.
Interviews explored their operational challenges and exposure to digital tools.
These conversations revealed varying levels of tech adoption:
TAL 0: Businesses primarily relied on manual processes with limited awareness of digital solutions.
TAL 1: Participants displayed basic familiarity with tools like POS systems but lacked integration into daily operations.
TAL 2: Proactively sought cloud solutions like accounting and e-invoicing to streamline operations.
When we mapped TAL against business size, patterns became clear. Financing was a universal priority for micro enterprises because cash flow stability came first.
As TAL and size increased, owners shifted focus toward tools that cut administrative load, such as inventory control, workflow optimization, and invoicing. Service-based micro businesses that issued frequent invoices adopted e-invoicing earlier than others.
Business solution tools mapping against TAL and business size.
To synthesize the findings, I developed detailed maps illustrating the interplay between TAL, business size, and specific needs.
These visualizations were instrumental in aligning digital solutions with the practical realities of MSE operations, creating a roadmap for tailored interventions.
Result
This mapping initiative not only identified the core needs of MSEs but also established a clear framework for designing solutions that resonate with their operational realities.
By combining practical insights with targeted strategies, the project laid the groundwork for fostering digital adoption and building stronger partnerships within the MSE ecosystem.
