The APP Politeknik Jakarta and the Parahyangan University (Unpar) have continued the implementation of the ILO’s Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises (SCORE) programme after the programme’s handing over last December. These universities have adapted and modified the SCORE Training programme to continue helping micro, small and medium enterprises surviving the COVID-19 pandemic.

The APP Poliktenik Jakarta has created an iCare programme, an adaption programme combining three SCORE Training programmes as reference modules: SCORE Plus, SCORE Business Continuity Programme (BCP) and SCORE Hospitality Coaching (HoCo). To expand its services, the iCare programme has included different training areas on hospitality and retail businesses, improving their customer services.

“The adapted iCare programme is implemented within 4-6 months, starting with socialization programmes for SMEs recommended to us by the city office of trade, industry, cooperative and SMEs of South Jakarta,” explained Fajria Fatmasari, Head of the APP Politeknik Jakarta Business Incubator.

After the baseline assessment about companies’ current condition, the participating SMEs participated in a series of training and business consultation programmes that focus on improving the marketing strategy and customer services. The assessment found that the main business challenges faced include stagnant sales records and decreased revenues.

To date, the iCare programme has reached to 20 SMEs that 50 percent of them have experienced increases of revenue and 30 percent time saving results through better layout management and the application of 5S module.

“After changing their sales strategy and opting to open up sales via resellers, some companies have witnessed an increase of 300 percent increase in revenue. One company is even able to cost-saving up to 100 million rupiah per year based on an initiative raised by the company’s production staff,” added Fajria.

As a university under the Ministry of Industry, the APP Politeknik Jakarta has also adapted their modules in 2020 to be part of the campus’ community service programme and to be integrated within the curriculum. “We have implemented SCORE Plus since 2019 and we aspire to engage our students in this programme,” concluded Fajria.

Meanwhile, the Parahyangan University (Unpar) in Bandung, West Java, has adapted the SCORE Training module into its own SCORE UNPAR training module and programme. The adaption module focuses on micro enterprises.

“We adjust the materials but at its core, the modules still reflect the SCORE Training programme. We make the modules simpler and add materials that cater to their needs,” said Head of the Management Graduate Study Programme in Unpar’s Faculty of Economics, Triyana Iskandarsyah.

To date, the programme has trained and coached around 40 manufacture and services enterprises. In addition to workplace cooperation, sustainable materials and workplace improvements, the programme also provides sessions on how to maximize the use of social media and online platforms to boost their businesses.

The programme has helped SMEs experiencing sales declination due to the impact of the pandemic. The participating SMEs are capable of expanding their businesses by marketing their products online and creating attractive online displays from photography and copywriting to the use of relevant online links and social media accounts.

“We have also offered this training programme online so that more micro and small enterprises can now access and benefit from the programme,” Triyana, adding that around 20 lecturers have actively been involved in this programme.

The programme is also integrated as a complementary to the management study field. “The programme sheds the light on procedures to boost productivity as well as product quality and production efficiency without a large amount of cost. This is important values that should be part of our study programme,” Triyana concluded.