Enterprise development company, Sigma International, is helping to grow small and medium-sized tourism businesses by facilitating a global business coaching programme, PUM – sponsored by the People of the Netherlands.
“PUM has over 1 700 global business coaches who avail themselves, free of charge, to help an SME with a particular area of concern in their business,” explained Sigma International CEO, Akash Singh.
He told Tourism Update that Sigma had facilitated 650 PUM coaching programmes in South Africa over the past 16 years – 580 of these have been face-to-face coaching over a two-week visit. “However, with the advent of COVID-19, PUM has switched to remote coaching via online platforms such as MS teams, Skype or Zoom – broken up over six to eight weeks.”
Singh said PUM's experts were all volunteers who provided clients with practical advice and supported them in applying it. “Experts and clients work together for as long as it takes until the client has enough knowledge to continue on their own.”
He said the volunteers were all retired technical industry experts who provided virtual
business support that included (but was not limited to):
- Identifying current business gaps (and how to remedy it and strengthen the business). This includes identifying ways to make a business more resilient in difficult times;
- Brainstorming on ideas on how to diversify a business (new products and services) using what tools the business owner already has;
- Helping a business to strengthen its online presence via a social media presence, improving a website and even helping set up ecommerce facilities;
- Future proofing a business and getting ready for the post-COVID-19 economy.
One recent example of how a PUM coach assisted a business was helping to set up solar power and take the business largely off the power grid. “Another example could be an expansion on a lodge, taking it from a small eight-bed property to a 48-room enterprise reaching new markets,” explained Singh.
Any tourism business can apply, provided it has been operating for three years or more with a minimum staff complement of 12. The business must be South African owned and the annual turnover must be less than R160 million (€9.2m).
Singh said businesses could choose their own coach to work with and, should they not be satisfied with the coaching, request another coach or simply choose not to continue with the programme. “That rarely happens, though, as we strive to match the right coach with the right business,” he added.
Those interested in applying for the free global coaching programme can contact Merinda Pillay at Sigma International.
Click HERE to watch the short introductory video on remote coaching by PUM.
