More than 3,000 firms seek support for digital transformation

A firm introduces digital transformation solutions on the sidelines of the conference. More than 3,000 enterprises have sought the Government’s support for digital transformation since early December. VNA/VNS Mỹ Phương

HCM CITY — More than 3,000 enterprises have sought the Government’s support for digital transformation since early December, showing the great demand from Vietnamese businesses to catch up with global trends.

This number was delivered at a seminar held in HCM City on Thursday to discuss opportunities and challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises in digital transformation.

The event, hosted by the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), was within the framework of a joint programme of the two sides to support firms in digital transformation for 2021-25.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Trần Duy Đông said digital transformation was a solution of vital importance for businesses worldwide, including those in Việt Nam.

Since the announcement of the programme on December 3, 2020, more than 3,000 enterprises had approached the programme for help, with some 500 micro, small and medium enterprises among them deemed to have a real demand for digital transformation.

The programme was assessing the enterprises’ readiness for digital transformation and would provide them in-depth consultation based on their specific needs, Đông said.

During the past more than one month, the programme drew some 60 technological companies and experts in digital transformation, many of them are developing ‘Make in Vietnam’ platforms.

USAID Vietnam Director of the Economic Growth and State Governance Office Gregory Leon said the MoPI had built online curricula to share digital transformation knowledge to enterprises, attracting thousands of visits.

The five-year programme aims to help all companies gain a better awareness of digital transformation. At least 100,000 will receive technical support in the field, and a network of at least 100 organisations and experts will be established to supply digital transformation solutions to firms.

Several experts proposed firms should improve customer experience, with a focus on distribution and marketing systems, and supply chain.

The rate of Vietnamese firms using digital payment services is on par with several regional nations while the rate of fixed and mobile broadband subscriptions is relatively high compared to Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. VNS