| ICT enabled Home-workers to connect to distant markets |
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| Monday, 18 January 2010 09:33 | |
 I visited the house two home-workers in Patumrat district, of Roi Et Province, while they were busy preparing and packaging their product. I asked, if I could interview them so that I know more about how they operate, the business they do and how ICT contributed to their business. Questions: Could you please tell me your names?
Answer: I am Mr. Pitsanunat Kamutsong. My name is Mrs Wilaiwan Kamutsong.
Questions: What is products do you deal with?
Answer: As you can see, we produce knitting dolls, knitting hair rubber, knitting key holders, knitting hair pins, knitting key covers, etc. Those are our products.
    Questions: When did you start your business of making knitting products? Answer: We started 5 years ago, in our home.
Questions: Who are your customers?
Answer: Initially we had only one customer; a shop in Bangkok that we used to supply our products to. But, at a later date, we established an overseas link with Japan, with a Japanese dealers that we met at the Bangkok shop where were used to supply our knitting products, fortnightly. Then, after we gave, the first shipment, It development into a good business, presently we supply our dealer in Japan, 5,000 knitting items twice a month.
With the fund we have received, we kick started our own business, and have opened our own shop at Chatuchak week-end market, and we operate during the week-ends only. And also supply our first customer, the shop in Bangkok.
Questions: Did you succeed to connect with other markets than Japan?
Answer: Yes, we established link with dealers in USA, Germany, and Singapore though not on the scale we supply Japan. They visit our Chatuchak shop and place their orders, but, we do not send any shipment to them, our deal is based on a free on board (FOB) price.
Questions: How do you manage the financial matters with the dealers?
Answer: Whenever, the Japanese dealer wants to our supply shipped to him, he will transfers through Western Union a deposit of at least 30% before we delivered our commodities. When the shipment is delivered and received in Japan, he transfers the remaining balance to us through the same channel. Likewise the other dealers, if they place an order they pay about 30% in advance.
Question: Have you ever published or promoted your knitting products online?
Answer: We use Hi5 to promote our products, not on a real website.
Question: Do you have access to internet?
Answer: Yes, Wat Pothikaram Telcenter is our main provider with free internet service. Though at present, we got our own internet connection at home and can access internet, anytime.
Question:Did you try to transfer your knowledge of knitting product to other people?
Answer: To be honest with you, we tried to train some people, but, we fail to transferring knowledge; because this trade requires patience and time in order to master and be efficient. However, people are not always patient, and they like to learn fast and earn cash within a short period of time, that’s why we did not succeed to transfer our knowledge to other people, because the people we used to train drop out.
Question: How did you learn the knitting knowledge and skills?
Answer: It is a long story... my mother-in-law got the information on product knitting classes from TV, she then enrolled into the training and learned how to make different kind of knitting product. To learn each pattern of knitting she paid 1,000 Baht. When she graduated from the course, she started her own business though not as successful as we are today, but, she managed to sell her products, and raised and educated her son, my husband. Finally, she transferred her product knitting knowledge to her son, whom when he married me taught me how to do the knitting business, and we started activities from our own home until we achieve an overseas business link.
Question: Considering the global economic situation how do you see the future of your business?
Answer: We believe it’s OK, we are still managing to sell and we believe our business will continue to be as good as it is now for even after five years from now. In Japan our products are rare and needed commodities, so that demand will only increase. However, our main challenge is to keep it more attractive, by modifying and making it more appealing so that we earn more markets, more customers and more income.
Question: How often do you use the internet?
Answer: We use regularly to search for new style of knitting products and to contact to our customers. But other than that we have no time to spend on internet, because knitting the products and meeting the target dates for delivery is our main focus and keeps us busy.
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| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 19 January 2010 10:03 ) |