In a bid to enhance the productivity and international competitiveness of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) recently launched the Client Services Programme (CSP).

According to the BSJ, the programme forms part of its mandate to facilitate business development and trade. As such the public body will provide guidance to increase their capacity to produce consistent high-quality products and services; therefore, allowing them access to markets and deepen their reach in old markets.

“The Client Services Programme seeks to hand-hold and guide our MSMEs to understand, interpret and implement standards to grow their businesses. In alignment with our mission to support MSMEs, this guidance is free to all MSMEs,” the public body outlined further.

During the launch of the CSP, Executive Director Dr Velton Gooden underscored that the programme allows the BSJ to refocus on its commitment to “satisfying our customers and other stakeholders by ensuring that our services are value-added and are easily accessed by those who need them”. He added that the CS will be integral to send the message to MSMEs that standards are critical to their business operations, bottom line, commercial and brand success.

“Our commitment to customer satisfaction is demonstrated each time we help a client who manages a cottage industry operation navigate the often intimidating verbiage of the standards and every time that we come to a recognition of the importance of testing the production, ensuring that their equipment is properly calibrated or works painstakingly to perfect a label prior to submission,” Dr Gooden stated.

Already, over 70 entrepreneurs and businesses have benefited from the Client Services Programme since the BSJ began operationalising it.

One such firm is Isabella Family Farm, whose compliance manager, Mario Kepple, gave a testimonial during the virtual launch on Thursday. The company manufactures value-added products including breadfruit slices, sweet plantains, tostones, dasheen and yams and exports to the USA, UK and Canada.

“So our managing director, Mr Andre Gordon, decided to pivot from fresh produce to these finished goods and, in the process of standardising our process, we thought we’d give it a try in terms of writing the standards on our own. Little did we know that it needed a lot more than we thought,” he related.

“It was under the Client Services Programme… that we were guided into the proper development of these very standards. Not only that, but we were assisted day-in, day-out; week-in, week-out; calling, visiting to ensure that we had written and were living up to and implementing these standards and ensuring that our facility was up to date…” Kepple stated.

The compliance manager also noted that the assistance from the CSP faciltated Isabella Family Farm in improving its operational efficiency and received certification.

In appealing to other MSMEs, Kepple said they should consider the programme because of “the resources that are available, the knowledge that is present, and the overall commitment and care that is displayed by the representatives of the Bureau of Standards Jamaica in helping businesses to be successful”.

Like Kepple, Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Audley Shaw invited MSMEs to take advantage of the programme, emphasing that it will help them formalise their businesses.

“Formalising your business through certification will significantly improve the outlook for the MSME sector, a sector which has the potential to be a main driver of economic growth. Formalising your business through certification will lead to increased competitiveness and opportunities for entry into new and global markets. Formalising your business through certification boosts your potential for increased profit and the potential for economic growth within the MSME sector. So I implore you to take advantage of the CSP programme and its targeted services,” he stated.

The minister noted, too, that since the economic recovery of Jamaica is linked to the growth of MSMEs, he had charged State agencies to redouble their efforts to strengthen the sector. However, Shaw pointed out that based on information from MSME Entrepreneurship Policy, “a relatively low level of awareness of the importance of standards has adversely affected the ability of MSMEs to meet the requirements of export markets and the demand for certification services by the manufacturing and services sector. As such business owners have experienced decreased efficiency, productivity and profit.”

In addition, research also showed that international buyers prefer working with manufacturers who produce goods and services based on clearly defined quality and safety guidelines or standards, and who demonstrate compliance with such standards. For this reason, he said, certification plays an important role.