During one of her visits to the Philippines, tech executive Cheryl Ng decided to try Filipino cuisine around her hotel in the Makati central business district.
The avid traveler approached the concierge and was recommended to explore the nearby cluster of malls, only to find out that most restaurants in the area were big, global brands. Ng wanted something more local, something more authentic.
She then headed out to Poblacion, where she was welcomed by the area’s colorful food scene, with unique stalls and quirky restaurants left and right. But aside from getting a better taste of Pinoy food, Ng noticed that the small food establishments remained just that. Despite having outstanding offerings, these micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) lacked exposure to bigger markets.
It’s the problem that Ng precisely hoped to address when she put up Lemi in 2016. The Hong Kong-based tech company builds a digital ecosystem to help small local businesses get more attention and generate more business by “raising their platforms,” especially during this time of a pandemic.
“Supporting small businesses and authentic experiences is the heart of Lemi and is the reason why we exist—even more so now with Covid-19 taking the greatest toll on them,” Ng told Y2Z in a phone interview. “We realized that accelerating their digitalization would be the first step to helping them survive, and so we developed a suite of digital solutions specifically to help them generate more revenue and connect with their customers during this critical period.”
The centerpiece of Lemi’s solutions is a unique gamified loyalty program with tailorable, automated rewards, designed to help businesses improve customer engagement and retention. Lemi also offers free access to an advanced customer relationship management (CRM) system, a custom microsite optimized for search engines (SEO) and cross-platform use, as well as a digitized coupon creation, selling and tracking system complete with customer success analytics and integrated secure payment systems.
Ng said that Lemi’s opportunity to help consumers and MSMEs serves as her biggest motivator, along with her team of young people from Generations Y and Z. “They inspire me,” she said. “They want to contribute to something relevant.”
Ng believes the Philippines is still an underserved market as a lot of MSMEs have yet to embrace digital technology. She said a significant localization drive is the key to gain a stronger foothold in the local market.
In November last year, Lemi was launched in the country and managed to sign up 100 companies on the first day. After five days, the number ballooned to 500. The following month, their growth rate was at 120 percent.
To date, Lemi users have recommended over 3,000 businesses in the Philippines. The company aims to formally onboard 1,000 partner MSMEs and expects mid-double-digit month-on-month growth in the Philippines by mid-2021. Lemi also hopes to expand its network regionally and bring its digital offerings to MSMEs across Southeast Asia in the future.
To help reduce the burden of cost, Ng said Lemi does not charge for setup. Lemi earns revenue on a commission model based on economies of scale, meaning it only becomes profitable with mass adoption. Additionally, all profits earned by Lemi will be reinvested into further supporting local businesses in the Philippines.
“Personally, I want to prove that we can drive and help businesses,” Ng said. “I want to look back in my life and know that I have contributed to something good.”