POS database to benefit Lake Zone entrepreneurs

 Small and Medium enterprise Competitiveness Facility (SCF) Project Director, Casmir Makoye, (right) explains an issue to a section of entrepreneurs from Lake zone, who attended a Point of Sale (POS) Database launch in Mwanza. Picture by correspondent.

Small and Medium enterprise Competitiveness Facility (SCF) Business Manager –Lake Zone, Djaluo Franco, shows to a section of Lake Zone entrepreneurs the best way to brand their product to attract more buyers, shortly after launching the Point of Sale (POS) database which is packed with a well-researched market information. Photo by correspondent.

By our correspondent, Mwanza

Entrepreneurs who processed foods and non-alcoholic beverages at the Lake Zone, are expected to benefit more by increasing their sales after Small and Medium enterprise Competitiveness Facility (SCF), launched a Point of Sales database in Mwanza yesterday.

Speaking during the launch here, SCF Project Director, Casmir Makoye, said his organization decided to take the service down to entrepreneurs at the regions where food items come from before they are taken to large markets in the country and even in the neighbouring countries.

He said database would help Lake Zone entrepreneurs to reach larger markets with both local and international standards and understanding better market demands for Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar markets.

Mr. Makoye said POS will go a long way in boosting sales on products sold by SMEs, both in domestic and international markets as well as solving the problem of using middlemen who at times gives wrong market information.

Equipped with important and well researched market information for Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar markets Mr. Makoye said POS will help entrepreneurs to increase their sales through identification of appropriate distribution channels based on market segments.

He said the product is well designed to meet the needs of targeted small and medium entrepreneurs who process and sell food products.

According to Mr. Makoye POS database is a system that has taken all necessary food products outlets in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar.

He said in coming up with the POS database, SCF managed to survey 14,904 market outlets in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, touching on 19 major food categories.

Explaining on how the database will be of great help to entrepreneurs, SCF Business Manager –Lake Zone, Djaluo Franco, said, “Using POS database, a food processor will be able to decide on the market he/she wants to take his/her product depending on the level of his/her production.

“The database will show a producer where there are few distributors of a similar product but the market demand for his/her product is high.

“POS will help a processor to design his distribution channels. This means that he will be able to decide which market to take his products.

“Using the results of this POS database will help the processor or distributor to know what kind of food products not in the market but have higher demand. This can even allow a processor to do product deviation after seeing an opportunity.

“This database has contact details of the distributors, the name of the agents and variety of products he/she sells and even the size of his shop (floor steps) of which will help the producer or the processors to know the sales capacity of the said agent or distributor”.

During the launch, the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA) and Global Standard One (GSI) Tanzania, had an opportunity to educate representatives of food processing companies on how they can improve quality of their products in order to get better results.

Food processors who attended the launch in Mwanza were happy with the introduction of the database, saying that it will help them to save both time and money spent in carrying out market research.

The Project Director called upon SMEs to embrace POS database, in order to increase their sales and intern increase their profit, thereby contributing to the national economic growth.

source www.fullshangweblog.com