SIRCLO’s e-commerce solutions highlight three client stories, sharing key tips for online businesses on navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 outbreak.
JAKARTA, 29 April 2020 – The continued spread of COVID-19 and government calls to reduce activities in public spaces had a significant impact on businesses. Many sectors that had traditionally relied on offline transactions, including retail stores and cafés, needed to adapt and shift their approach to capture more online sales. According to a First Insight study in the United States, since the COVID-19 outbreak, 39% of millennial respondents said they were shopping less frequently in physical stores, while 30% were shopping more often through online platforms.
This is where e-commerce solutions became increasingly important. Companies such as SIRCLO help businesses establish an online presence and sell digitally, whether through their own websites or across marketplace platforms. Beyond digital infrastructure, SIRCLO’s services also cover order processing, packing, delivery, customer service, inventory management, and warehousing.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has been an extremely challenging period for most businesses. By sharing practical solutions through real case studies, we hope to provide useful insights that other online SMEs in Indonesia can apply,” said Brian Marshal, CEO and Founder of SIRCLO. “As an e-commerce enabler, SIRCLO continues to encourage collaboration and stronger integration between offline and online channels to help businesses achieve more sustainable success.”
Recognising the direct impact of COVID-19 across different areas of business, SIRCLO highlighted three client case studies: Ainayya, Nature's Market, and This is April. Through these examples, SIRCLO shared several practical tips to help online SMEs in Indonesia respond to the pandemic more effectively.
Protecting Employee Health and Workplace Safety
With Work from Home (WFH) arrangements and Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) in place, businesses also needed to play an active role in protecting employee health and maintaining a safe working environment. Ainayya, a local fashion brand, prioritised health and hygiene across its operations by providing facilities at its production site, nutritious meals for employees, as well as hand sanitiser and regularly sterilised cloth masks. Meanwhile, Nature’s Market installed temporary handwashing facilities for delivery drivers collecting and dropping off goods, introduced mandatory handwashing routines, and required employees using public transport to bring a change of clothes.
Replenishing stock gradually
During the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for essential food products and household goods increased significantly. According to SIRCLO data, online purchases of food and beverage (F&B) products rose by 143% from February to March 2020, with growth projected to reach 261% by April 2020.
As a provider of organic F&B products and household essentials, Nature’s Market sought to maintain a better customer experience by discouraging panic buying and releasing stock gradually. This approach helped ensure that more customers could access the products they needed while reducing the risk of shortages.
Strengthening coordination and trust among employees
One of the challenges faced by online SMEs during Work from Home (WFH) arrangements was maintaining effective communication across teams. Working remotely could increase the risk of misunderstandings, as coordination was often less direct than when employees worked together in the office. To address this, Ainayya emphasised the importance of maintaining team solidarity, communicating actively during working hours, and facing challenges together. Above all, building mutual trust among employees was seen as the key to keeping collaboration effective.
Maintaining open communication with customers
The COVID-19 outbreak created a high level of uncertainty. For online SMEs, it therefore became essential to communicate openly and clearly with customers so they could understand changes such as delivery schedules, operating hours, stock availability, and other updates. Maintaining clear communication channels was important for sustaining customer loyalty and helping consumers make more informed purchasing decisions. This was one of the key principles adopted by Nature’s Market to minimise misunderstandings with customers.
Maintaining a positive mindset
The COVID-19 outbreak had a significant impact across almost every business sector. At the time, there was still no certainty around when the pandemic would end or when business activities could return to normal. This Is April, which had suspended its offline sales since early April 2020, shifted its promotional strategy entirely to online platforms. The brand also added several digital distribution channels to make it easier for customers to purchase its products.
“In an uncertain situation like this, one of the biggest challenges is maintaining the right mindset. For business owners who have been affected, it is important to stay clear-headed and calm so we can make the best possible decisions for everyone involved, even when those decisions may not always be ideal,” said Maria Anggraini, Founder and CEO of This Is April. “Difficult periods can also create new opportunities if we are able to look at them from a different perspective. That is why it is important to remain positive and creative in everything we do.”
The Importance of Communication and Mindset
Building on the tips above, Brian emphasised the importance of strong communication and the right mindset in responding to the COVID-19 outbreak. This applies not only to customers and consumers, but also to internal teams and employees. Businesses need to communicate honestly and transparently so that everyone involved has access to complete and accurate information, without important details being withheld.
“There are several simple ways to apply good communication practices, such as preparing standard response templates for customer service or adding a more personal touch when sharing certain messages with customers. With so many changes taking place during the pandemic, customers may have questions about purchasing procedures, product availability, or operating hours,” Brian said. “To address these questions, businesses should not hesitate to create informative videos or social media posts so customers can continue to receive the latest updates.”
“Never feel that you are facing this alone. Every business is dealing with its own challenges during the pandemic. But if we can continue to work hard, work smart, and support one another, we can adapt and find the right solutions,” he concluded.
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About SIRCLO
Founded in 2013, SIRCLO is a technology company that provides solutions to help businesses sell online. SIRCLO offers two products: SIRCLO Store and SIRCLO Commerce. SIRCLO Store is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform that enables small and medium-sized local businesses to build their own online stores. At the time, SIRCLO Store had supported nearly 1,000 active paying users in building their brands and growing their businesses online, including ATS The Label, Benscrub, Evete Naturals, Namaste Organic, This Is April, and Heytimmy Kidswear.
SIRCLO Commerce is a channel management solution designed to support enterprise brands entering online distribution channels. Powered by technology that synchronises sales across multiple marketplaces, SIRCLO Commerce was trusted by leading brands including Reckitt Benckiser, Unilever, KAO, Arnott’s, L’Oréal, Eiger, and Levi’s. For more information about SIRCLO, visit www.sirclo.com.