The digital economy isn’t a separate sector. It’s a new way of running every sector.
What does the digital economy mean for Syrian businesses?
The term digital economy is used a lot without explanation. Here we explain what it means in a business owner’s language, and what changes for a Syrian company that buys, sells, hires and deals with customers at home and abroad.
Digital payments and economy 6 min read
By Nour Aldein Tleti. Updated .
What does the digital economy mean for Syrian businesses?
The digital economy is economic activity that relies on the internet, data and digital systems to buy, sell, pay, communicate and work. For a Syrian business it means a growing share of customers search, compare and order by phone, and competition is no longer confined to the neighbourhood or the city. It also means organised data has become one of the company’s assets.
The parts of the digital economy, simply put
- Digital sales and marketing
- Customers discover products on maps, social media and search engines before they reach the shop or call.
- Payment and collection
- Digital payment channels reduce reliance on cash and leave a record of every transaction.
- Remote work and services
- Employees and freelancers serve clients in other cities or countries.
- Data
- Sales, customer and stock information that leads to better decisions when it is organised.
- Infrastructure
- Connectivity, power, devices and the cloud, which in Syria are a constraint on what can be done and how.
What changes in your business?
- Your competitor may be in another city
- A store in another governorate delivers to your customer, so being nearby is no longer enough of an advantage.
- Customers expect a quick reply
- Someone who messages you on WhatsApp expects an answer within a short time, or they move on to someone else.
- Reputation is written and public
- Ratings and comments stay visible to every new customer and influence their decision before they call.
- Decisions need numbers
- With volatile prices and currency, decisions based on gut feeling alone become riskier.
- Customers ask about new ways to pay
- Some customers ask about mobile payments or transfers, and a business without a clear option may lose the order.
Opportunities the digital economy opens in Syria
- Selling beyond your city
- An online store or a WhatsApp catalogue brings your product to customers in other governorates.
- Serving expatriates
- Orders paid for by relatives abroad for their families, provided the service is clear and the payment is legal.
- Services delivered remotely
- Design, programming, marketing and accounting provided by Syrian individuals and companies to clients at home and abroad.
- More efficiency with the same team
- Automating repetitive tasks frees staff time for work that needs expertise and contact with customers.
A simple plan for the first three months
- 01
Month one: organise your data
Record sales and customers in one system, and correct your business details on maps.
- 02
Month two: organise order channels
Bring order intake together through WhatsApp or an order page, and decide who replies and when.
- 03
Month three: try digital payments
Add a licensed payment channel for customers who ask for it, and track collection every week.
- 04
After that: measure and decide
Review what changed in sales, staff time and customer satisfaction, then choose the next step.
Traditional business and digital business
| Aspect | Traditional way | Digital way |
|---|---|---|
| Reaching customers | The shop, the sign and personal contacts | Maps, search, WhatsApp and social media |
| Tracking orders | A notebook and staff memory | A system that records each order’s status |
| Collection | Mostly cash | Cash, transfers and digital payments in one record |
| Decisions | Experience and instinct | Experience backed by regular reports |
Read also
Digital payments and economy
Frequently asked questions
Is the digital economy only for large companies?
No. A small shop that takes orders on WhatsApp and records them regularly is part of it. Size determines how deep the tools go, not the principle.
Does the digital economy mean giving up the shop?
No. Most businesses combine the shop with digital channels: customers discover online and buy in store, or the other way round.
How does weak internet affect this?
It means choosing light tools that work on a phone and tolerate outages, and it makes backups a necessity rather than a luxury.
How do expatriates fit into Syria’s digital economy?
Many of them order and pay for their families remotely, which opens a market for anyone offering a clear, reliable service online.
Where do I start if my business is still on paper?
Start by recording sales and customers digitally in a simple system, then add your online presence and order channels. ONE DIGITAL’s branch in Hama can help you arrange these steps according to your priorities.
Keep exploring
- Digital payments and the digital economy in SyriaCash still rules, but the way customers pay is already changing.
- What digital transformation means for companies and institutions in SyriaDigital transformation is a change in how you work, not a new program on the office computer.
- Digital transformation for small and medium businesses in SyriaSmall businesses don’t need enterprise software. They need the next right step.
- What is digital transformation, and how should a Syrian company start?Digital transformation is not buying software. It is changing how the company works, with software as the tool.
Need help with your organisation’s digital transformation?
Message ONE DIGITAL’s Syria branch on WhatsApp +963 936 503 899 or visit us in Hama. We’ll review your situation and suggest a practical first step.
WhatsApp Nour Aldein TletiCall +971 58 996 9118WhatsApp Syria branch +963 936 503 899
Discuss your project with ONE DIGITAL
