TCP Identifies Three Blind Spots Threatening Thai SME Growth

While rising costs, weak purchasing power, and intense competition across online and offline channels squeeze Thai businesses, some SMEs report growing sales and steady orders. Yet their owners work harder, teams can't act independently, and cash flow lags behind revenue—a sign of illusory survival. TCP's business group chief, Saravut Yuwittaya, identifies three overlooked vulnerabilities: decision-making based on feeling rather than data, teams that execute but cannot replace the owner, and sales growth that doesn't match cash flow.

One common illusion is mistaking large purchase orders for booming sales. Some inventory may still sit on shelves or lie unsold in distributor stock. The difference between sell-in (goods shipped to retailers) and sell-out (goods actually bought by consumers) reveals true business health better than warehouse shipments alone. Products filling shelves may simply mean cash drowning on display racks, invisible to the eye.

"Not every business needs complex systems," Yuwittaya said. "What matters is knowing which data matters for decisions. Businesses that survive don't wait for data—they use it to decide faster and more accurately."

This principle is especially vital when selling across multiple channels at once. For online ventures, site visits, clicks, or social media buzz don't automatically translate to sales or profit. TCP tested this approach with Bestural, a collagen gummy product developed with Japan's DHC and sold mainly online, analyzing everything from visitor numbers and purchase behavior to product-level profitability. This separates activities that merely attract interest from those that drive real results.

Data does more than solve daily problems—it reveals new opportunities. For example, analyzing consumer data for a beverage brand in China revealed growing demand for ready-to-drink products in portable, resealable packaging. This insight led to Red Bull's first PET bottle launch in that market, a historic first for the brand.

The real lesson isn't just "get data." It's that entrepreneurs must know what questions to ask of the data they have.