Entrepreneurs are thriving well in Cabanatuan City. Aside from its 40,000 tricycles, the “Tricycle Capital of the Philippines” is also the hub of commerce, industries and education in Nueva Ecija and in the Central Luzon Region, home to over half a hundred commercial banks, almost a hundred schools and various enterprises, from agri-business to tourism and retail.

For this reason, Globe Telecom, Inc., launched its first NEGOSTAR FAIR for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Cabanatuan this February 24. The one-day fair at Plaza Leticia last was meant to kick off a national series of several NEGOSTAR FAIRS per month to showcase products and services that can help SMEs become more efficient, productive and competitive, declared Manny Aligada, head of Globe Business Corporate SME.

Obviously, NEGOSTAR aims to make each businessman “the star” in his own turf. “No matter how small you are, you need to stand out,” he stressed. “In this time of cutthroat competition, you can’t take it easy and settle for just a so-so mediocre performance. You have to think big, be a star among your customers, employees and suppliers, a real Negostar.”

Several years back, Globe already thought of exhibiting communication tools that will give SMEs advantage in their business and put them in the right mindset to spot opportunities, he explained. But the set-up was more of one-on-one discussions with local businessmen rather than a full-blown caravan like Negostar.

“Now we have a lot of good products that gives value to SMEs. Aside from basic telecommunications voice and text, we have high technology services that allow store owners to inspect and monitor their branches from their cellular phones and offerings that enable logistics firms to track the whereabouts of their goods and workers and alert them to pilferages, activating alarms when cargo truck doors are open.”

The telco also came up with BizMax prepaid Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), the only SIM designed with specific tools and features for businessmen, fast connectivity from 384kbps to 3mbps, with an Internet and landline bundle called Globe Broadband Business Bundle.

Other products, such as Biz Online help businesses create their own website in 5 easy steps while Globe’s Business+, a mobile subscription with unlimited talk and texting features, can easily be customized to their needs. Globe inventory ordering System allows inventory management for franchise and multiple branch operations. Globe WebEye provides improved security for business operations with a live video monitoring system.

The Negostar caravan gives SMEs the opportunity to experience all these services in a way that is fun. “In Cabanatuan, we have the first of a series of one-day road shows that gathered SME business owners in a central location to get a feel of these services through demo booths that offer games and prizes. We also chose to set it up at a time when businessmen are not so busy, between 3 p.m.-8 p.m.,” Aligada went on.