E-commerce development: A tree should not be immature ...

When discussing the promotion of e-commerce (e-commerce), people often mention the legal framework, technical, and transmission capacity. But that's only the necessary condition. According to Dr. Le Dang Doanh, senior economic expert of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, if the enterprise (DN) does not renew thinking, action cannot use e-commerce.

At the e-commerce seminar - VEBIZ 07, Mr. Le Dang Doanh commented that 'There is hardly any opportunity to talk about e-commerce as appropriate as this time'. Vietnam (VN) has just become the 150th member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Vietnamese enterprises (about 250,000) will have the opportunity to access to the world market as well as witness the rapid change of the domestic business environment. The Government of Vietnam (CP) has committed to the WTO on improving the business environment, reducing taxes and giving up protection; make regulations on publicity and transparency; dispute settlement under WTO rules. Enterprises that are not dynamic, or long-standing 'living on' the State's protection and preferences will hardly compete with the multinational companies and large corporations around the world. Competition not only takes place in the world market but also in the 'home' (once a 'safe' place due to protectionist policy).

In that situation, e-commerce and e-government (e-Government) become urgent requirements for businesses to reduce costs, save time, increase business efficiency and competitiveness. However, e-commerce is not only related to technical issues. According to Dr. Doanh, the following factors should be noted:

Can not be 'a market alone'

E-commerce in Vietnam is currently at a primitive level, mainly introducing businesses, sending and receiving information, and the important stage is that online payment is not yet popular. There are a number of other services provided via the Internet, such as tailoring, jeans according to guest measurements, but only few businesses can do it. In general, the success of an e-commerce of an enterprise depends heavily on the efforts of the enterprise itself.

However, single attempts often do not bring much effect. In fact, domestic enterprises rely heavily on suppliers (which are mainly small-scale production establishments, even small-scale households). For example, a restaurant in Hanoi must order food from households. The restaurant may have a website, capable of electronic transactions, but households can only make phone calls and direct transactions only. Therefore, in order to have good relations in e-commerce, there is a need for efforts from many sides. Enterprises need to encourage and motivate enterprises to provide input, support service providers (materials, transport .) to apply e-commerce.

Currently, the number of websites that allow online ordering and payment only accounts for 3.2%. That means many businesses are ready to do e-commerce, but the relationship with customers, especially with banks, has not been properly handled. In order to develop e-commerce while lacking favorable foundation conditions, Vietnamese enterprises need to work in a systematic way to create an organic and mutually beneficial relationship among e-commerce participants.

Reform in state agencies

CP Vietnam pledged to develop e-commerce, but how successful this is depends on the process of building e-government, the ability of CP's organizations to meet the transparency requirements of businesses. According to Dr. Doanh, the new year has come, but many state agencies' websites still have Tet greetings from the previous year. If agencies related to businesses such as cadastral, licensing, customs and customs are not subject to administrative reforms, do not attach importance to online transactions but still require enterprises to meet directly, e-commerce cannot develop. . E-Government must promote publicity, transparency, direct transaction reduction, avoid harassment . to promote e-commerce development.

Computerization of business processes

For businesses, it is very important to respond to e-mail in an important way, in which time factors need to be paid attention. Replying within 24 hours is a very normal requirement in electronic transactions. In addition, enterprises need to improve the record keeping, documents, public transparency when answering customers' questions with information and documents on goods quality and quarantine information. . In order to do so, all processes must be computerized to be available immediately upon request from the partner. If enterprises use electronic transactions, but the whole organization still trades on paper, it will take a long time to transfer information to electronic data.

In addition, in order to apply e-commerce, businesses not only innovate their thinking but also change the management in a modern way. If the information flow in the enterprise depends on too many clues, it is difficult for employers to make quick decisions.

In order to develop e-commerce while lacking favorable foundation conditions, Vietnamese enterprises need to work in a systematic way to create an organic and mutually beneficial relationship among e-commerce participants.

Bang Linh