IMDA’s CTO-as-a-Service helps F&B SMEs to go digital with ease

Singapore is a thriving hub for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially in the food and beverage (F&B) industry. In this fast-paced landscape, many SMEs must balance growth, efficiency, and innovation to stay afloat. Yet, businesses like Wanpo Tea Shop are proving that success is not only achievable but scalable, thanks to IMDA’s Chief Technology Officer-as-a-Service (CTO-as-a-Service).

Since 2021, Wanpo Tea Shop has more than doubled its outlets from three to seven; an impressive feat made possible through digital transformation. Specifically, IMDA’s CTO-as-a-Service and solutions such as Connected Business Suite have helped F&B businesses like Wanpo unlock growth and streamline operations in the digital economy. Reflecting on his decision, Wanpo’s founder Ryan Koh said, “I will be recommending Connected Business Suite to other newcomers in the F&B space”.

Wanpo’s journey highlights the importance of digital adoption for SMEs. According to the Singapore Digital Economy (SGDE) Report, SMEs are the backbone of the digital economy, making up 99% of businesses and employing 71% of the workforce¹. The F&B sector, in particular, faces a number of unique challenges in balancing front-of-house operations, back-of-house processes, manpower management, and payments. For SMEs like Wanpo, digital solutions have been key to overcoming these hurdles and unlocking sustainable growth. In fact, almost 95% of SMEs have adopted digital technologies in at least one of the six key areas, including cybersecurity, cloud, e-payments, e-commerce, data analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI). What’s even more inspiring is that SMEs are not just adopting these digital tools but are also increasingly integrating them into their essential business functions. For example, 82% of SMEs use at least one digital solution to enhance general business functions like accounting and marketing, up from 69% in 2021².

IMDA’s CTO-as-a-Service, a one-stop digital self-help platform, allows SMEs to assess their digital readiness through Digital Health Check and access tailored and market-proven digital solutions to guide them through every stage of the process. Using IMDA’s CTO-as-a-Service and Connected Business Suite solution – which integrates solutions and connects with other entities across value chains – Wanpo not only transformed its operations but set a standard for F&B SMEs looking to thrive in Singapore’s evolving digital landscape and future.

CTO-as-a-Service: Turning business challenges into opportunities

Businesses need to turn to newer, more innovative digital solutions to stay competitive, especially in the F&B industry. Many SMEs have realised this, with nine out of ten SMEs adopting at least one digital technology in 2023, compared to seven out of ten in 2018. Furthermore, SMEs that did adopt digital solutions under the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG), declared cost savings of around 50% on average during 2018 to 2023.

IMDA’s CTO-as-a-Service is a holistic solution designed to help SMEs navigate their digital transformation journey with ease. Wanpo Tea Shop is a prime example of how CTO-as-a-Service can help SMEs tackle operational challenges but also unlock new growth potential. This can be achieved through:

1. Digital Health Checks – Businesses can take a Digital Health Check from anywhere, at any time. This quick, convenient tool allows companies to assess how digitally ready they are, providing valuable insights that help them take the next step towards their digital future
2. Access to market-proven digital solutions – Through CTO-as-a-Service, SMEs can explore cost-effective, market-proven digital solutions, many of which comes with grant support, ensuring they choose ‘right-fit’ technologies to overcome operational challenges.
3. Learn from experience - Access to other successful SME case studies provide further support by demonstrating the tangible benefits of digital adoption.

One of the digital solutions pre-approved on CTO-as-a-Service is Connected Business Suite, specifically designed for F&B businesses. Traditional standalone systems often lead to inefficiencies, such as manual data entry, communication gaps, and time-consuming reconciliation between orders and payments. These inefficiencies not only create bottlenecks in daily operations, but they also increase wait times and disrupt workflows.

The Connected Business Suite integrates various aspects of F&B operations, including order management and payment processing to customer service and supplier communication. By seamlessly linking different aspects of the business, this solution helps companies run smoother, more efficient operations, and ultimately, scale faster.

For Wanpo, Singapore’s popular Taiwanese bubble tea brand, implementing the Connected Business Suite was a game changer. Before, managing orders and payments was labour-intensive and prone to delays. After integrating its systems, payment QR codes clear automatically, order details flow seamlessly, and Wanpo even offers remote pickup options to manage high demand efficiently. According to Ryan, “It’s amazing how an integrated solution can make operations so much more seamless”.

Customer and staff satisfaction levels have increased as well. Employees can focus on customer service rather than administrative tasks, especially in handling long queues and high traffic during peak periods far more efficiently than before. A Wanpo employee shared, “These tech upgrades incorporating digital payments have made a huge difference for us in-store… now I can focus on what I’m good at and leave more of the admin details like payment to automation.”

For customers, reduced wait times and multiple payment modes are a plus, and the newly implemented membership system is a hit. These improvements have given Wanpo a competitive edge in Singapore’s dynamic F&B scene, enhancing customer loyalty and satisfaction.

Helping F&B SMEs thrive in the digital economy

SMEs are the engine of Singapore’s economy, driving innovation and job creation, while contributing significantly to the nation’s GDP. IMDA’s CTO-as-a-Service was designed to support these vital entities, by enabling them to embark on their digital transformation journey.

Since its introduction in 2021, more than 145,000 users have accessed digital resources through the CTO-as-a-Service platform. The growing momentum shows that more and more businesses are turning to technology to thrive in an increasingly digital future.

RedDot Brewhouse, is another F&B SME that has successfully used Connected Business Suite solution to finetune their services. A popular name in Singapore’s F&B industry, RedDot Brewhouse spent 15 years searching for ways to improve its efficiency; it even trialled autonomous drone waiters. However, it wasn’t until the business installed a new integrated system – Connected Business Suite – and tapped on a grant, that it was able to streamline front- and back-end processes, introduce QR code ordering, forecast food orders, and update menu items faster. A RedDot Brewhouse representative reiterated, “As SMEs, we definitely need to digitalise. Many are reluctant to fork out the expense, but the benefits far exceed the cost as it improves the way we do things. We foresee that digital adoption and the Connected Business Suite are going to be the trend”.

For local F&B SMEs, digital solutions have a lasting and significant impact. These tools not only drive growth and efficiency but also set businesses up for long-term success in a rapidly evolving marketplace.

Invest in the future of your business

With the success of their digital transformation journey, Wanpo is now looking to the future with confidence. Thanks to the Connected Business Suite, its founders are eager to continue expanding their footprint in Singapore and beyond. The scalability of the solution ensures that F&B SMEs like Wanpo have the right tools to handle growth, whether it’s in-store or through online channels.

If you would like to embrace digital innovation to futureproof your business and flourish in the F&B industry, then leveraging pre-approved digital solutions under CTO-as-a-Service such as Connected Business Suite is the way forward. With over 400 digital solutions for SMEs – many of which come with up to 50% Productivity Solutions Grant support – signing up for the Connected Business Suite has become more accessible and affordable. Tackle your business challenges and unveil business opportunities through CTO-as-a-Service today.