The Tribune

Once upon a time, dealing with technology was something a business owner delegated to the IT (information technology) department or the nephew who was good with computers. Those days are over. Digital literacy has become as fundamental to business as reading a balance sheet or managing a payroll. Bahamian enterprises that treat it as an optional skill are operating at a serious disadvantage.

Digital literacy does not mean knowing how to code or build websites. It means understanding how technology shapes your business and being able to make informed decisions about it. Can you read a Google Analytics report well enough to understand which marketing channels work? Do you know what a ‘CRM’ does and whether your business needs one? Can you assess whether a software vendor is offering genuine value or selling features you will never use? These are the new fundamentals.

The reason this matters has nothing to do with technology enthusiasm and everything to do with competitive reality. Every industry has been reshaped by digital tools, and the businesses leading those industries are run by owners who understand the tools well enough to deploy them strategically. A hotel manager who understands online travel agency dynamics negotiates better terms. A retailer who understands inventory software identifies waste invisible to competitors. An accountant who understands cloud platforms serves more clients with less staff.

The Bahamian context adds urgency. Our small population means our businesses must compete with international operators who have much larger talent pools and technology budgets. Our geography means digital tools often substitute for physical infrastructure that would otherwise be prohibitive. Our economic dependence on tourism means we must communicate effectively with visitors who arrive expecting digital experiences they receive everywhere else in the world.

Yet, across many local industries, digital literacy lags. Owners still print spreadsheets and hand them to bookkeepers for manual retyping. Restaurants still take reservations in paper books. Retailers still maintain inventory through guess work. Each of these gaps represents not just lost efficiency but lost competitive ground against operators who have moved on.

The encouraging news is that closing these gaps does not require a degree in computer science. It requires curiosity, patience and a willingness to invest a few hours each week in learning. Free resources abound. You Tube tutorials cover virtually every business software platform. LinkedIn Learning offers structured courses on specific tools. Local industry associations increasingly host workshops on digital adoption. The barriers are not knowledge availability. They are the cultural belief that this work belongs to someone else.

For owners building digital literacy in their companies, a few habits help. Set aside one hour weekly to learn one new tool or feature. Subscribe to a newsletter focused on your industry's technology trends. Encourage staff to suggest software improvements and act on the suggestions. Stop saying you are not a technology person. The phrase guarantees you will not become one.

The economic stakes of widespread digital literacy in The Bahamas are substantial. A workforce comfortable with technology attracts foreign investment, supports remote work opportunities and keeps our enterprises competitive against regional rivals. Government efforts to digitise services are only as effective as the citizens prepared to use them. Banks rolling out new platforms only succeed when customers can navigate them.

Digital literacy is not optional, and it is not a technology department problem. It is a leadership responsibility, a competitive necessity and, increasingly, the price of staying in business at all. The Bahamian owners who accept this reality and act on it will define the next decade of our economy. Those who do not will be left to wonder why their competitors keep pulling ahead.

• NB: About Keith

Keith Roye II is a highly analytic and solutions-driven professional with extensive experience in software development. He holds a BSc in computer science and his career includes leading and delivering global software projects in various industries in The Bahamas and the US.