Vodafone Business, the technology partner for enterprises, and TÜRKONFED, Türkiye’s largest independent business organization, came together with companies in Anatolia to support the digital transformation of SMEs. At the “Empowered SMEs with Technology” event, SMEs in Adana experienced different aspects of digital transformation and were inspired by successful transformation stories from other companies. With strong participation from SMEs, businesses had the chance to discover solutions that will prepare them for the future and seize opportunities to enhance their competitiveness.
Vodafone Business and TÜRKONFED Continue to Digitize SMEs in Anatolia
February 28, 2025 – Organized by Vodafone Business, which operates with the vision of leading the digitalization of businesses, and TÜRKONFED (Turkish Business Confederation), one of the umbrella organizations of the business world at the regional and sectoral levels, the “Empowered SMEs with Technology” event took place in Adana. Attended by Adana Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Zeydan Karalar and Adana Chamber of Commerce President Yücel Bayram, the event aimed to support SMEs in their digital transformation journeys and prepare them for the future. SMEs had the opportunity to enhance their digital skills by directly experiencing comprehensive training sessions, seminars, and consultancy services. The programs enabled networking opportunities among businesses while allowing participants to hear successful digital transformation case studies firsthand.
With Vodafone’s extensive communication network and TÜRKONFED’s strong ties across industrial zones, the event provided SMEs with easier access to the knowledge and resources they need for their digital transformation journeys. Through Empowered SMEs with Technology, tailored solutions were offered to SMEs in sectors and regions facing greater challenges in digitalization, contributing significantly to Türkiye’s sustainable economic growth and boosting its global competitiveness.
“We will continue contributing to the digital transformation of businesses of all scales in Anatolia”
Özlem Kestioğlu, Deputy CEO of Vodafone Türkiye, underlined their focus on investing in communication infrastructure and local technology consultancy teams across Anatolia’s industrial hubs, the driving force of Türkiye’s industry. She said: “Beyond our major cities, we attach great importance to ensuring that businesses in Anatolia achieve their digital transformation quickly. In this context, through the Empowered SMEs with Technology event organized in cooperation with TÜRKONFED, we came together with businesses and SMEs in Adana. At this event, SMEs seeking support in their digital transformation processes and aiming to enhance their technological competencies engaged with sector leaders and digital transformation experts, who delivered inspiring talks on the importance of digital transformation and practical implementation strategies. In coaching sessions, businesses also received one-on-one consultancy from Vodafone Business experts and had the chance to interact with other companies. As Vodafone Business, we will continue supporting businesses of all scales in Anatolia in their swift transition into this new era of digitalization, helping them become smarter, faster, and more agile.”
Süleyman Sönmez: “We must transform SMEs to lead in the digital economy”
Highlighting that digitalization has become a decisive factor in global competition, TÜRKONFED President Süleyman Sönmez said: “Türkiye has strong potential to seize the opportunities of the digital economy, thanks to its young and tech-savvy population, dynamic entrepreneurship ecosystem, and production capacity. However, to realize this potential, we must accelerate digitalization, encourage technology investments, and support innovation. To increase our current 1% share of the global economy and to raise our high-tech exports above 3%, our greatest leverage lies in digital transformation and innovation-driven production. This requires the use of advanced technology, high value-added production, and branded exports.”
Emphasizing the role of SMEs in this transformation, Sönmez added: “If we want to be among the leaders of the digital economy, we must strengthen the digital competencies of our businesses and direct investments toward technology. This transformation cannot be limited to large companies alone; it must inclusively encompass SMEs as well. The knowledge and support we provide through this project will accelerate the digitalization journey of SMEs.”
Berman Mantı: “Digitalization is the key to overcoming competitive challenges”
Berman Mantı, President of ÇUKUROVASİFED, underlined the difficulty of competing with developed countries using traditional methods in today’s evolving global order, saying: “One of the key ways to overcome this challenge is digitalization. Digital marketing has become an essential tool for SMEs to gain a competitive edge in today’s business world. Unlike traditional marketing, digital marketing leverages the internet and digital technologies to reach potential customers, increase brand awareness, and boost sales.”
Vodafone Business Expands Digital Competency Analysis
Last year, Vodafone Business introduced the Digital Competency Analysis, a scientific tool that allows industrial companies to measure their own level of digital maturity. Today, it has reached 455 companies. Özlem Kestioğlu stated that they have so far measured the digitalization levels of 16 provinces in Türkiye and can now conduct sector-specific analyses in 11 different industries. “Our analyses are constantly evolving. Today, we can conduct Digital Competency Analyses in education, healthcare, retail, IT, construction, logistics, agriculture, restaurants & cafés, tourism, and finance sectors. Reviewing the results and recommendation reports, we see that the priority areas for improvement are infrastructure, cybersecurity, and data management,” Kestioğlu explained. She added that with the solutions offered especially in these three areas where SMEs and companies scored below average, Vodafone Business helps businesses avoid falling behind in today’s competitive era.