Where and how can we send it to the world?
The next few years are a huge test for businesses across Europe. Not only for large corporations, but also for small and medium-sized enterprises. Some companies with between 5 and 100 employees have had to undergo extensive measures or temporarily cease operations. According to the Slovak Business Agency, their share of total employment in the Slovak Republic was 74.2 per cent in 2020. The survivors were mainly those who changed their strategy and looked for new ways to do business.
But how to attract new clients in difficult conditions? How to expand your space at home and outside Slovakia? Who will help small and medium-sized enterprises in this? We also talked about this with Kristián Alaks, CEO of GAMO a.s.
How does the state take care of a large employment segment in Slovakia? Who is most active in networking and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises? Who helps show them the way and the opportunities? Is a specialized form of assistance effective for this in our country?
Yes, it is. We at GAMO have proved it in recent years. Such entities are mainly SARIO, the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic, but also EXIM Bank and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, which holds export forums.
SARIO’s activities show that they want to help. I would never have thought that a state institution could realistically help entrepreneurs to such an extent to establish themselves on the foreign market.
How exactly does SARIO help?
SARIO supports small and medium-sized enterprises in presenting themselves abroad at various business missions, exhibitions and trade fairs. It creates space for communication with potential foreign partners, provides valuable contacts, and at the same time acts as a state guarantor of the credibility of our companies. It also provides linguistic support when needed.
A great benefit is networking during business missions, which naturally arises between Slovak companies. Synergistic effects from meeting entrepreneurs are often even greater than the expectations of winning foreign business. I would say that these companies are equally set up, they think big, they want to go abroad. We don’t treat each other as competitors, on the contrary, we also develop cooperation or at least pass on valuable advice to each other.
How can you apply to the calls of these institutions, to open your way from Slovakia to abroad?
For example, SARIO offers assistance in the form of the National Project, which is financed from European Union funds. It is intended for small and medium-sized enterprises based outside the Bratislava region. There is a simple registration form for each business mission and the form of assistance subsequently depends on the type of mission. Either entrepreneurs go together with SARIO to a conference, to a trade fair, as visitors, or they go as joint exhibitors of the Slovak stand in the Good Idea Slovakia visual.
In this case, selected companies have the opportunity to present their products and services at major international forums and almost free of charge.
Is it complicated to apply for these missions?
Each activity has its own registration form, in which the interested party fills in details about the company and what it would like to present. Whether it is a new service, a new product, etc. As the Nárdoný project is intended for small and medium-sized enterprises, you must, of course, qualify as a small and medium-sized enterprise. Feedback will then come back on whether you have been selected.
But when we talk to someone about these activities, they either don’t know or don’t trust them.
Why? Is it the weak awareness of SARIO as a brand? Or is it financially challenging?
On the contrary, the costs borne by the company are usually much lower than the costs borne by SARIO. The company pays for personal costs such as flights and subsistence, and for trade fairs this can include accommodation.
For example, during a trade fair, SARIO pays for the entire exhibition area, rental, design, craftsmanship for the construction of the entire stand, brand recognition, promotional materials, catering and other items.
Do you already have practical experience in the form of cooperation?
Yes, we do. As I mentioned, networking among Slovak entrepreneurs is also important. We have managed, in cooperation with other partners, to put together a joint product that is very timely for this time. A good opportunity, but also a good school of international business was right after the first business mission in Dubai. It was a new product under cyber security. Business opportunities from other missions are currently in the next phase of negotiations.
What is the biggest advantage of cooperation with SARIO?
Identify the opportunity to work with an agency in the territory to negotiate and arrange bespoke business meetings. This is an additional cost covered by SARIO. Prior to the business mission, online meetings will take place between us and the agency, where we will determine what we offer, what products and services, what we expect, whether we are looking for potential customers, business partners or are interested in representation in the territory. The agency will then present our offer to the other party.
I have to say that the meetings are very relevant, even meetings are often arranged with representatives of the government, large national and multinational companies.
Another advantage is the opportunity to meet and communicate directly with representatives of the embassies of the Slovak Republic, whether ambassadors or economic diplomats. Another advantage is the aforementioned cooperation on projects with other Slovak companies that we get to know at these international events.
