Ubufasha Cogebanque iha ibigo (SMEs) bikorana na yo muri ibi bihe by’Icyorezo
Ihuriro rishinzwe kwiga uburyo ibigo bito n’ibiciriritse (SME) bihangana n’ingorane byatewe n’icyorezo cya COVID-19 ryaganiriye na Joel Kayonga, Umuyobozi ushinzwe Ubucuruzi muri Cogebanque ku byerekeye ingaruka zihariye zibangamiye ibyo bigo n’ingamba iyi banki irimo gufata kugira ngo ibufashe muri iki gihe bikomeje guhangana n’ingaruka byatewe n’iki cyorezo.
Nubwo ingamba zafashwe mu rwego rwo kwirinda icyorezo zigenda zoroshywa, haracyari kare kugira ngo abakiriya bagire ibyemezo bikomeye bafata byerekeye ibikorwa by’ubucuruzi bakora. Ba nyiri ibigo by’ubucuruzi ubu bahisemo kuba bategereje ngo barebe ko hari impinduka zigaragara ziba. Kubera umwuka uteye utyo, SMEs zikeneye kubona amakuru ku gihe yerekeye uburyo ibintu birimo kugenda bihinduka.
Ni izihe ngorane zikomeye zibangamiye SMEs muri iki gihe?
Ingorane ya mbere ni ukuzahara kw’ibikorwa by’ubucuruzi. Gahunda yo gufunga bimwe mu bikorwa bitari iby’ingenzi yatumye ibikorwa by’ubucuruzi bihagarara. Ingorane zihari ni izifitanye isano no kubona igishoro cyo gukoresha mu kwishyura imishahara y’abakozi no kwegeranya amikoro mu rwego rwo kwitegura gusubukura ibikorwa by’ubucuruzi. Inzego z’imirimo zitagizweho ingaruka cyane ni ubuhinzi bugamije ubucuruzi n’ubw’ibihingwa ngengabukungu byoherezwa mu mahanga. Urwogo rw’amahoteri n’amacumbi ni rwo rwagizweho ingaruka cyane kubera ingamba zo kugabanya urujya n’uruza rw’abantu.
Mu gihe ingamba zo kwirinda icyorezo zirimo koroshywa, haracyari imbogamizi kuko imipaka yakomeje gufungwa. U Rwanda rutumiza mu mahanga ibyinshi mu bicuruzwa ku masoko yarwo kandi ba rwiyemezamirimo bakenera gukora ingendo kugira ngo babashe gushora amafaranga bahaha ibicuruzwa. Abakiriya ntibazabasha kubona ibicuruzwa bakeneye imipaka itarafungurwa, ni yo mpamvu, ”bahisemo kuba bategereje kugira ngo ibintu bisubire mu buryo.”
Watubwira ubufasha banki igenera ibigo bito n’ibiciriritse (SME) bikorana na yo?
Ibyinshi mu bigo bito n’ibiciriritse (SME) bikorana na banki yacu byatugaragarije ko bikeneye ko inguzanyo zabyo zivugururwa, ni yo mpamvu turimo gukora ibishoboka ngo dufashe ibyo bigo tubyorohereza kwishyura inguzanyo kandi tubyongerera igihe cyo kwishyura izo nguzanyo. Nka banki, Cogebanque yibanda ku nzego z’imirimo zazahajwe cyane n’ibi bihe turimo by’icyorezo ifasha bimwe mu bigo bikorana na yo kuzahura ubucuruzi byabyo. Iyo ikigo cyishyuraga neza kandi ingorane gihura na zo zikaba zifitanye isano n’Icyorezo cya COVID-19, icyo gihe banki yahitaga igisonera kwishyura inguzanyo mu gihe cy’amezi atatu (3). Ariko ku bigo byo mu nzego zimwe na zimwe by’umwihariko amahoteri n’urwego rw’ubukerarugendo, byasubikiwe kwishyura mu gihe cy’amezi atandatu (6). Banki kandi irifuza kongera igihe iyi gahunda izamara bitewe n’uko ibintu bizaba byifashe, kubera ko bizatwara igihe kirekire kugira ngo ibi bigo bisubukure neza ibikorwa byabyo. Cogebanque kandi yahaye inguzanyo zihuse abakorera umushahara cyangwa ibindi bigo byari bikeneye kongera igishoro.
Ni gute banki yabashije gukomeza serivisi iha Ibigo bito n‘ibiciriritse (SMEs) bikorana na yo?
Ubwo hatangizwaga ingamba zo guhagarika ingendo n’ibikorwa by’ubucuruzi bitari iby’ingenzi, twasanze ari ngombwa gufunga amwe mu mashami kubera igabanuka ry’urujya n’uruza rw’abantu n’ibintu. Muri Kigali, amashami atatu (3) ni yo yakomeje gufungura ariko twanagabanyije amasaha y’akazi. Mu by’ukuri nta kirogoya yabaye muri serivisi dutanga kuko banki yari yashyizeho ubundi buryo bwo guha serivisi abayigana. Twasanze abantu benshi baritabiriye gukoresha uburyo bw’ikoranabuhanga, kubona serivisi za banki ukoresheje terefoni ngendanwa, gahunda ya Mobile Wallet (Gahunda y’ikofi) na USSD.
Ibigo (SMEs) bike cyane ni byo byari bitariyandikisha gukorana na banki hifashishijwe murandasi no kugezwaho serivisi za banki hifashishijwe terefoni ngendanwa kubera ko ibyinshi (SMEs) bikunda guhererekanya amafaranga mu buryo bwa cash. Ikintu twiboneye ni uko umubare w’abakiriya bitabiriye gukoresha uburyo bw’ikoranabuhanga banki yacu yabashyiriyeho wazamutse cyane kubera ko guhererekanya amafaranga mu ntoki (cash) gusa bitashobokaga, cyane cyane kubera ko nta wari wemerewe gukora ingendo.
Mu rwego rwo korohereza abakiriya ba banki kubona serivisi batavuye aho bari, Cogebanque yabafashije gukoresha umuyoboro wa WhatsApp n’izindi mbuga nkoranyambaga mu kuzuza imyirondoro no kuyohereza, bityo bibarinda gukora ingendo bajya aho banki ikorera. Twagejeje ku bakiriya amafishi basabiraho amakarita ya banki (yo kwishyura no kubikuza) hifashishijwe ikoranabuhanga maze tuyaboherereza dukoresheje email. Twoherereje abakiriya amwe mu makuru abagenewe ibindi bisobanuro tubishyira ku rubuga rwacu aho bashobora kubisanga.
Cogebanque provides support to SME customers through the pandemic
The SME Response Clinic spoke with Joel Kayonga, Commercial Director at Cogebanque about specific challenges for SMEs and the actions that the bank is taking to support them during this ongoing pandemic.
Even if the lockdown has been eased, it is a bit early for clients to make big decisions related to their businesses. Business owners are taking an approach of “let’s wait and see.” Given this, SMEs need timely information about how the situation is evolving.
What are the biggest challenges SMEs are facing right now?
First, a slowdown in business. The lockdown brought business to a standstill. Challenges are related mainly to working capital to be used to pay salaries and stock up in preparation for business picking up again. The only sectors that have not been truly affected are agribusiness and commodities. The hospitality sector has been the hardest hit because of restrictions on movement.
While the lockdown has been eased, there are still challenges because borders remain closed. Rwanda is a net importer, and Cogebanque’s clients need to travel to be able to deploy funds and stock up on goods. Until the borders are open, clients will be unable to do this, so they have the approach of “let’s wait and see.”
Can you tell us about the support the bank is providing to SME customers?
Most of our SME customers have expressed the need to have their facilities refinanced, so we are working to help them smooth their loan repayments and have given them deferments. As a bank, Cogebanque is focusing relief on specific sectors that have been hit hardest. If the client was up to date with payments and if the challenges they are facing are clearly COVID-related, the bank automatically gives them a deferment of 3 months. But for some sectors, specifically hotels and others in the tourism sector, deferments are for 6 months. The bank is also willing to extend these as the situation evolves, because it will take longer for them to see business really pick up again. Cogebanque has also provided small overdrafts for salaries or other urgent capital needs that businesses have.
How has the bank ensured continuity of service to SMEs?
At the beginning of the lockdown, we saw the need to close some branches given reduced traffic. In Kigali, we kept 3 branches open and reduced opening hours, but there were really no disruptions in service given that the bank has alternative channels in place. We saw a huge jump in terms of traffic on digital platforms, mobile banking, the mobile wallet and USSD.
Quite a few SMEs were not yet registered to our internet banking and mobile banking offerings since most SMEs tend to transact in cash. What we have seen is a growing appetite for clients to use our digital platforms given that doing only cash transactions is not feasible, especially if you can’t move around.
To facilitate onboarding, Cogebanque has had clients use channels like WhatsApp and other platforms to fill out and send documentation, eliminating the need for them to come to an office. We also availed the forms for application for debit cards and credit cards online and sent them to clients via email. We have also sent out and posted useful tutorials for our clients.