M-commerce shifts online retail dynamic

Edward Clarke, managing director hub operations for FedEx Express in the UK says: “People are walking around with an office in their pocket. 

The round table included influential British business leaders such as British Chambers of Commerce, British American Business, Start-Up Britain and Enterprise Ireland.

Social media platforms also allow businesses to target particular countries and demographics with the click of a button.

Technology plays an even larger role when considering Generation Z. Currently in their teens, this generation will be many SMEs’ customers in the very near future. 

Clarke acknowledged that 11-to-15-year-olds are looking at new marketing types, particularly digital, and have an expectation for online shopping to be a fun as well as an enjoyable experience. As a result, SMEs need to harness the technology available now to ensure they appeal to this customer base in the future – putting on the pressure to stay ahead and remain competitive.

The round table felt that government advice and online support only goes so far to help these businesses export, and SMEs should be able to turn to corporations to develop fresh opportunities.

Key insights from the FedEx SME Export Report Roundtable include:

• Brand Britain continues to exert a powerful influence globally.  SMEs should utilise British values when exporting—being polite can go a long way.
• Business sustainability practices are becoming an expectation for many consumers. However, SMEs should be mindful about passing the additional cost on to their customers.
• SMEs should not starve their UK consumer base when exporting.  There are always highs and lows when going global, but having a local base can mitigate some of the risk.
• SMEs should continue exporting, despite the vote to leave the European Union.  In fact, it places more importance on SMEs focusing on their long-term strategy, not just on the short-term.
• Trade discussions and exporting should be more joined up.  SMEs should not wait until trade deals have been implemented before exporting, but seek out opportunities 
• SMEs should pursue markets or “soft spots”, which could provide them with fruitful opportunities.  For businesses at the start of their exporting journey they should start looking for a way in and develop trade partnerships.

FedEx SME Export Report Roundtable Panel

• Ed Clarke – Managing Director, UK, Ground Operations, FedEx Express, the world’s largest express transportation company 
• Rebecca Burn-Callander (Roundtable Chair) – Freelance Journalist and former Enterprise Editor and Business Club Editor for The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph
• Aaron Newland – Director, Brontie & Co, an artisan chocolate maker, producing high quality, raw, vegan chocolate
• Oli Barratt MBE – Co-Founder of Start-Up Britain, a national campaign helping people to start a business, Tenner, the UK’s largest enterprise competition, run by Young Enterprise, and Cospa, creates and grows “social action projects” 
• Anastassia Beliakova – Head of Trade Policy, British Chambers of Commerce, a network of 75,000 businesses of all sectors and sizes, collectively employing 5 million people
• Nicola Swift – Managing Director, We Only Want Nice Things, a food consultancy business working with producers, retailers, restaurants and food brands 
• Paul Jobin – Founder, Snugs, unrivalled quality custom moulded earphones and earplugs
• Jeffries Briginshaw – CEO of British American Business, an exclusive transatlantic business networking, communications and advocacy group for c-suite executives and SMEs in the UK and USA 
• Lee Langford – Research Director, Harris Interactive, a full-service, digital custom market research agency
• Maeve O’Neill – Trade Development Executive, Enterprise Ireland, a Government organisation responsible for the development and growth of Irish enterprises in world markets