Globe eyes stronger growth to come from non-telco business

GLOBE Telecom, Inc. expects its non-core businesses to post stronger growth this year and contribute more to the listed telecommunications company.

“To capture the share of ICT (information and communication technology) solutions, in terms of growth, we are expecting more from non-core services moving forward. This is where we are putting our biggest bet,” said Globe Business Senior Director Anne A. David.

She made the statement on the sidelines of the launch of Globe Business Retail Revolution, which is the brand’s commitment to supporting small businesses in their digital shift.

In the first quarter, revenues from Globe’s non-telco segment rose to P1.4 billion, up by 80% from P791 million in the same period last year.

The segment recorded the biggest revenue growth within Globe during the first three months of the year.

From January to March, the company invested a total of P220.1 million in its non-telco business segment.

On Tuesday, the company launched new solutions aimed to support the journey of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises in adapting to the digital space.

These solutions are Prosperna, a do-it-yourself website creator, and an inventory management system.

“Even according to the Department of Trade and Industry, the last step for businesses is to have your own presence because it legitimizes your business,” said Ms. David.

“Of course, there are people who would choose going to marketplaces like Lazada and Shopee but there’s also an advantage of getting your own website because you don’t have to pay fees to the marketplaces,” she added.

The inventory management solution provides an end-to-end digitalization of supply chain operations from inventory, purchasing, accounting, order management, and sales account management to the delivery of products to customers.

According to Ms. David, Globe is looking to bring these retail-centered solutions to other parts of the country as its customer base has grown beyond the National Capital Region (NCR).

“It is surprising because we thought that NCR will be the one to boom in solutions but even in Metro Davao and Metro Cebu they are also starting to be receptive,” she said. — Justine Irish D. Tabile