HNB and SLT-MOBITEL to enhance e-commerce capabilities for SMEs

Connecting local SMEs to new e-commerce markets and buyers, HNB PLC, partnered with SLT-MOBITEL to offer SMEs free access to the new online trading platform Cochchi.lk.

The partnership between the two parties will provide HNB SMEs additional benefits when onboarding to the new e-commerce platform. HNB Deputy general Manager- Retail & SME Banking, Sanjay Wijemanne, HNB Assistant General Manager- SME, Kailaivasan Indravasan, HNB Head of SME Products & Partnerships, Niluka Amarasinghe, and SLT Chief Information and Digital Officer, Tilak Gamlath, SLT General Manager- Digital Transformation Projects, Ishari Siriwardane, SLT Deputy General Manager Digital Projects, Dinesh Perera and SLT Senior Manager (Marketing)-SME Product Development, Lalwin De Zoysa were present at a special ceremony held to commemorate the partnership, according to a media release.

HNB Assistant General Manager- SME, Kailaivasan Indravasan said: “Given the current economic crisis, there is no doubt that we as Sri Lankans have to look at new avenues and opportunities to revive our economy. Our focus on improving our exports and identifying new markets for our SMEs, who have always been the backbone of our economy, will generate new sources of cash flow that we desperately need. As a bank that has always worked with SMEs, we believe that facilitating their transition online is essential. As such, we are delighted to partner with SLT-MOBITEL to provide our SME customers with this opportunity.”

The partnership will offer HNB customers various benefits such as free advertising space, exclusion from initiation and subscription fees, and the ability to purchase extra value-added services. Moreover, the platform will provide customers with a wide variety of products spanning over 500 categories, including a separate “Made in Sri Lanka” category for locally manufactured products.

The proposed E-commerce platform will be hosted in the Data Centre of SLT-MOBITEL in a cloud environment. Furthermore, the platform will enable SME and Enterprise customers to create their online stores and e-shops while offering the users (end customers and storeowners), a flexible, feature-rich e- commerce platform that addresses a wide range of e-business needs.

SLT Chief Information and Digital Officer, Tilak Gamlath said: “SMEs have always been the lifeblood of the Sri Lankan economy, and we are working towards enhancing their e-commerce capabilities to enter global markets.  We are honoured to partner with HNB who has a long history of working with and creating successful Sri Lankan SMEs.”