Holiday surge drags reluctant SMEs toward automation

Peak-season pressure forced businesses to digitise order tracking.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore are increasingly adopting digital tools to manage daily operations as their businesses grow, according to insights from digital marketing agency Adverdize.

After interviewing SMEs across retail, services, and professional sectors, Adverdize said many businesses are moving away from manual and paper-based processes.

The shift is driven by the need to save time, improve oversight, and reduce operational strain, rather than marketing goals.

Business owners cited challenges in handling orders, documents, and deliveries during busy periods when using manual systems.

These problems become more severe during festive seasons, when transaction volumes rise.

Adverdize pointed to Joaquim Florist as one example. During Chinese New Year, the florist handles a high volume of time-sensitive deliveries for flowers and festive hampers.

According to the agency, manual processes are harder to manage at this scale, leading businesses to digitise parts of their workflows.

Instead of investing in large systems, most SMEs are making small changes such as digitising documents and tracking orders digitally, Adverdize said.

Industry observers said digital tools are now viewed as essential for daily operations, especially for businesses facing seasonal demand and tight delivery schedules.