HSBC’s virtual community is supporting Hong Kong SMEs, start-ups and budding entrepreneurs to bounce back from the pandemic.

Since COVID-19 hit in early 2020, small businesses have needed to adjust their operations to reach customers online, making going digital a necessity for many.

We’re constantly innovating to create better, simpler customer experiences, and using automation to make processes more efficient, and in March last year we launched VisionGo in Hong Kong.

It’s an online platform designed to support businesses wanting to expand their networks and discover new ways to grow – offering our customers a virtual place to showcase goods and services, exchange ideas and meet others via online activities.

And it didn’t take us long to attract 25,000 members.

Through the eyes of our customers

An active contributor to the VisionGo community is Stanley Lee, founder of Continental Global Service, an international e-commerce logistics business. It helps merchants in Hong Kong and mainland China to package, store and classify goods, and ship them overseas.

Through VisionGo, Continental Global Service hosts virtual events and posts industry insights about how they connect businesses to customers all over the world – helping other SMEs learn more about cross-border e-commerce and how it can connect them to untapped markets.

VisionGo uses machine learning and AI to ensure members receive a regular and personalised stream of relevant articles and networking opportunities.

Stanley sees the benefits, saying that the platform has made it easier to reach out to customers who are new to cross-border e-commerce and help them map out their logistics journey.

“They often find that some of our services can help them solve their e-commerce problems,” he says.

Sammy Tang, HSBC Relationship Manager for Continental Global Service, says VisionGo also helps him stay better connected with his customers as he can have regular conversations, learn about the challenges they face, and find ways to solve them together.

Focus on our strengths

We’re committed to helping businesses across industries develop new partnerships and expand into new markets – VisionGo helps make this a reality as it’s a resource hub and virtual meeting place where businesses can network and collaborate with others in their industry.

Stanley sees the long-term potential of this online business tool, which he believes is pivotal to Hong Kong’s future growth in e-commerce.

“We hope HSBC’s VisionGo platform will bring more industry stakeholders together to build a larger business ecosystem and enhance e-commerce development,” he said.