The pandemic has affected everyone in different ways. While some have seamlessly transitioned to working from home, others have had to pivot their businesses rapidly to sell their products or services online.

However, that may be considered a luxury to some of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Malaysia. Not all of these merchants have the resources or capability to immediately digitalise their businesses.

The challenges can seem insurmountable, especially given the high commission rates charged by some food delivery platforms. In fact, food operators and retail association leaders have sought government intervention on this matter recently.

In the meantime, the MSMEs are suffering. An estimated 580,000 businesses or 49% of the MSME sector are at risk of failing by October, said the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives in July, should the lockdown continue. Because of this, over seven million Malaysians may lose their jobs. (Source)

Recognising the dire situation, Maybank took the initiative to assist MSMEs in April 2020 by developing Sama-Sama Lokal, a zero-commission platform. Merchants can use the platform to accept orders, view pending orders and access delivery rider updates, while benefitting from a convenient and secure bank-backed payment system. The platform will connect them with third-party delivery providers.

All this is done without any commission charges and registration, set-up or transaction fees, thus allowing the merchants to fully profit from their sales. Delivery charges at certain locations are also subsidised by Maybank.

The 0% commission charge sets Sama-Sama Lokal apart from other food delivery platforms in Malaysia. According to reports, some of the latter charge commission fees of up to 30%, which presents a challenge for small businesses when it comes to competitive pricing and margins.

Affordability is something that Maybank emphasises, since its main mission is to help local businesses stay afloat or grow their operations amidst tough times.

That is why most of the sellers on Sama-Sama Lokal are neighbourhood local merchants like the kedai runcit, hawker stalls and even home-based sellers, while the bigger platforms tend to host bigger merchants or franchises.

Sama-Sama Lokal also partners with different delivery partners so that it can cover more delivery areas and reach out to shops located farther away. 

To date, there are over 10,000 nationwide merchants on the platform. They include businesses in the food and beverage, groceries, sundry shops, pet services, health and beauty, fashion and automotive industries. The average monthly orders increased by 27% from 2020 to 2021.

Many of the merchants are thankful that Sama-Sama Lokal has allowed them to carry on with their business during these tough times. One of the merchants is Dino Lemang, who runs a roadside stall and family business in Alor Gajah, Melaka, that could not operate during the Movement Control Order due to the interstate travel ban.

Since the stall is located in a rural area, it was difficult for Dino to access delivery services. Things changed after the stall was listed on Sama-Sama Lokal.

"Ever since I was listed on Sama-Sama Lokal, I have been receiving orders every day, especially during the Ramadan period. This is truly encouraging because I could barely get any sales before," says Dino.

It has also increased the sales of businesses that saw lower footfall during the lockdown. One of the merchants who benefitted from this is UM Stores, the largest Indian supermarket in Brickfields.

"In the last three months, the pandemic caused our customer footfall to fall by 50%. Since UM Stores is one of Maybank's QRPay merchants, the bank suggested that we join Sama-Sama Lokal. Now, other than running our routine business, our delivery orders have increased by roughly 10%. Whenever there is a rebate offer or other promotions, our sales will increase," says owner Raj.

Sama-Sama Lokal also benefits customers, who can pay using the Maybank2u app and get live updates on their orders (for those in the Klang Valley). The absence of commission charges also translates into affordable prices.

"I have to thank Sama-Sama Lokal because they have 0% commission. The prices on the platform are the same as what we have in the restaurant, making it easier for the university students and other customers to order," says Janet of Rasai Machan, a university cafeteria that offers a combination of Sri Lankan and South Asian cuisines.

Maybank is committed to empowering these local MSMEs and helping them survive the pandemic. Given that MSMEs account for around 40% of Malaysia's gross domestic product, it is important to ensure the resilience of these businesses during the nationwide lockdown.

Moreover, giving these MSMEs access to digital payment tools and experience with e-commerce will help them scale their businesses even after the pandemic. After all, an online presence is considered essential to thrive in the digital economy.

A survey by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corp last year reveals that around 54% of SMEs embarked on the digitalisation journey amidst the pandemic. The pace of technology adoption has accelerated as businesses have realised that technology can help increase their sales.

In the spirit of Merdeka and Malaysia Day, Maybank is calling on all Malaysians to unite as one in supporting locals under the Sehati Selokal promotion. It is offering RM10 off orders and RM10 off delivery fees, with a minimum spend of RM30. This campaign runs until Sept 30, 2021.

Contemplating what to order next? Let's play a part in supporting local businesses. Order now from https://maybank.my/SELOKAL.

Or

To find out more about Maybank Sama-Sama Lokal, visit https://maybank.my/SehatiSelokal