By Virginia Njovo
Masvingo-based Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have called on the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) to intensify its outreach and share more information on the standardization process, citing a widespread lack of awareness among entrepreneurs.
The appeal was made during a recent training session hosted in Masvingo by Building Bridges for Global Markets. The event brought together entrepreneurs, stakeholders, and representatives from various organizations focused on promoting collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and empowering SMEs for global competitiveness. Participants discussed market challenges and explored opportunities for growth.
Stakeholders expressed concern over SMEs’ lack of necessary knowledge to engage in the process. A Sales Advisor at Masvingo Nyaradzo Life Assurance, Descent Moyo urged SAZ to take its message beyond urban centers.
“Every entrepreneur here wants their products to have a SAZ stamp, but they don’t have knowledge on how to navigate the process, even if they have the potential to compete in global markets. It is critical that SAZ comes out of its comfort zone and reaches the countryside where real entrepreneurs are based,” said Moyo.
Lloyd Kaserera of Miracle Training College Vocational in Buhera echoed these sentiments, highlighting some of the obstacles SMEs face in adopting standards.
“Resource constraints can hinder the development and implementation of standards. Resistance to change, where people may resist new processes fearing increased workload, and a lack of awareness among some SMEs regarding the benefits of standardization or how to implement it effectively, are also significant obstacles,” said Kaserera.
SAZ Marketing and Business Development Representative Thubelihle Nyoni, explained that standardization was a structured process designed to ensure quality and consistency.
“Standardization refers to the process of establishing and applying rules and guidelines to ensure consistency and quality across products, services, and processes,” said Nyoni.
She underscored the benefits of standardization for SMEs and addressed common misconceptions, including the belief that standardization is only applicable to large corporations and that it hinders creativity.
“Standardization ensures reliability and quality, builds customer trust and loyalty, facilitates market access and competitiveness, enhances innovation, and improves risk management. It also improves efficiency, regulatory compliance, enhances quality, and reduces costs. It is not mandatory for every product to undergo standardization, but the process is open to all, including small businesses. There are no limitations,” she said.
Participants also got training on digital marketing, with a focus on how to leverage online platforms to promote their products effectively.
