Ms Doris Chow

Director and Managing Consultant

(Extracted from SPRING Annual Report 2008)

A GLOWING REPORT CARD

THREE YEARS AFTER IT WAS SET UP TO ASSIST SMEs,

Enterprise Development Centre@SMa
(EDC@SMa) can look back with some satisfaction on what it has accomplished.

Among its achievements are:

• Reaching out to more than 5,000 SMEs locally
• Helping more than 400 SMEs to grow their business in diverse ways

EDC@SMa is one of five EDCs developed under a joint initiative between SPRING and major business chambers and industry associations. EDC@SMa is a strategic collaboration between SPRING and Singapore Manufacturers’ Federation (SMa).

EDCs assist Singapore enterprises to develop so that they can be successful enterprises, both domestically and internationally. Each EDC is a one-stop centre with a team of business consultants who can advise and provide legal, financial, management and business advisory services.

“The work we do is extremely exciting because we are able to help so many SMEs. We feel good because we make a difference to their business,” said Doris Chow, Director and Managing Consultant of the EDC@SMa.

Ms Chow heads a team of four consultants who have always been approachable since the inception of EDC@SMa. As a result, EDC@SMa has seen their clientele double over the past three years. The stream of referrals from happy clients appears set to continue.

It took a lot of hard work to get to this point. “There was a getting-to-know-you period before SMEs felt comfortable with us,” admitted Ms Chow. “A lot of SMEs need to be comfortable with you and trust you before they would discuss their sensitive business issues.”