Retail News CRM

Tag: asia

  • What research says about Indonesian mother’s buying behaviour?

    What research says about Indonesian mother’s buying behaviour?

    As Southeast Asia’s largest nation continues to grow in numbers with 2.44 births on average per female, both Indonesian-bred and global retail companies are allocating massive budgets to target the next generation of shoppers by understanding the mothers and soon to be mothers of today.

    ecommerceIQ, the leading market research firm dedicated to ecommerce insights and data in Southeast Asia, shares findings from its report: “Digital Mom and Baby Shopper Profile in Indonesia” with a select group of brands on the preferences, household income, age, average basket size, etc. of its female shoppers across the archipelago.

    The conference was held on October 11th, 2018 in Jakarta and welcomed guest speaker,  Wenny Damayanti,  Head of Marketing Baby Care PT Softex Indonesia, and Agni Pratistha, Indonesian actress, former Miss Indonesia, and a mom of two.

    The Top Online Destination preferred by Indonesian Women

    The research reveals 66% of Indonesian shoppers have purchased from the Mom & Baby category online due to the practicality of ecommerce such as convenience and variety of brands. Lesser time consumption and convenience have been cited by the respondents as key drivers.

    45% of Indonesian females chose Shopee Indonesia as the top online destination for ecommerce purchases due to a wide product selection. Lazada comes in second (34%) and Tokopedia and social media trail behind at 7% and 5%, respectively.

    Originated as a Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) ecommerce platform, Shopee has the advantage of a wide product selection. The Mom & Baby category is also Shopee’s most popular category in Indonesia as reflected through its recent campaign known as the Mom & Baby Super Deal campaign that was organized as a form of Shopee’s gratitude for the trust given by mothers in Indonesia.

    “Indonesia is filled with more than 260 million people and has the fourth highest birth rate among all Southeast Asian nations.” commented Sheji Ho, aCommerce Group Chief Marketing Officer.

    “There is a massive opportunity for brands to deliver a satisfying and more importantly, trustworthy digital experience. Shoppers today have more access to information online to help them make informed purchasing decisions, it’s not enough to have a picture of your diapers – What are others saying about your product? Which influencer is backing your product? This all matters.”

    “Because more women are joining the workforce while also being full-time mothers, the demographic highly values convenience. Ecommerce players just need to deliver it to them.”

    Other key takeaways from the survey:

    • 64% of new mothers are shopping online;
    • 57% of women are buying goods from the Mom & Baby category once a month, spending less than 500,000 IDR (USD 33.50) per purchase online;
    • The largest spending from females online? is allocated to Baby Clothing (51%) and Baby Gear (25.5%)
    • A wide variety of products (34.4%) is crucial to attracting more shoppers as they
      likely have not formed a strong affinity for a brand yet and open to testing products;
    • 64% of Indonesian mothers start their online shopping journey by going directly to e-marketplaces, but Google and Facebook / Instagram remain powerful tools for product discovery.

    Download the full report here.

    The Digital Mom and Baby Shopper Profile in Indonesia was a survey conducted by ecommerceIQ in February 2018 and collected a total of 1,144 responses from females in Indonesia.

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  • UNIQLO and Alexander Wang Collection Launched

    UNIQLO and Alexander Wang Collection Launched

    UNIQLO announced a new collaboration with top New York fashion designer Alexander Wang. The line brings Alexander Wang’s signature design and styling to UNIQLO’s HEATTECH functional apparel – LifeWear that has kept people warm and comfortable in winter since its debut in 2003.

    About the new collection, Alexander Wang said, “When I look into expanding into additional categories, I seek out partners that really can innovate the product we make and how our fans can access it. UNIQLO are the ideal partners for this collection of innerwear because we share an appreciation of functionality and utilitarianism, and I am thrilled our collaboration has resulted in developing a new HEATTECH line; the perfect place to pick up from where we left off ten years ago.”

    Yuki Katsuta, Group Senior Vice President of Fast Retailing and Head of UNIQLO R&D, commented, “Alexander first collaborated with UNIQLO ten years ago on the UNIQLO Designers Invitation Project. At the time he greatly impressed me with his ability to identify trends. I hope that consumers can enjoy this new dimension in HEATTECH, which takes our long-selling line beyond its innerwear origins by augmenting its functionality with Alexander’s inspiring design.”

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  • Vietjet Inks Financing Agreements for Fleet Expansion Worth US$1.2billion

    Vietjet Inks Financing Agreements for Fleet Expansion Worth US$1.2billion

    Vietjet signed and exchanged an aircraft financing agreement with Mitsubishi UFJ Lease & Finance Company Limited (MUL) – a member of Japan’s leading finance group Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), and France-based banking group BNP Paribas. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and several high-ranking Japanese and Vietnamese dignitaries. The agreement paves the way for MUL and BNP Paribas to finance Vietjet’s acquisition of up to five brand new aircraft, worth US$614 million, according to the manufacturer’s listed price.

    Additionally, Vietjet also signed a Memorandum of Understanding valued at US$625 million according to the manufacturer’s listed price with France-based banking group Natixis and some Japanese equity underwriters to facilitate the financing for five additional aircraft.

    These deals were made under a financing plan for Vietjet’s future ownership of the aircraft.

    The acquisition of these aircraft is part of a new-and-modern aircraft contract signed earlier between Vietjet and Airbus, including A321neo aircraft, which incorporates the latest in engine design, advanced aerodynamics and cabin innovations. According to the aircraft manufacturer, A321neo engines offer a significant reduction in fuel consumption — at least 16 percent from day one and 20 percent by 2020 — as well 75% reduction in noise and 50% in emissions.

    All aircraft financed will be delivered to Vietjet in the last quarter of 2018 or early 2019.

    Speaking at the signing ceremony, Vietjet’s Vice President Dinh Viet Phuong said, “The critical financing agreements signed once again confirms the confidence of leading Japanese financiers in Vietjet as the airline prepares to launch new routes to Japan soon. Also, these deals will greatly contribute to Vietjet’s plan for fleet expansion and network growth in the coming time, thus helping to better connect Japan and Vietnam. We are proud to have leading and renowned financing partners accompany us on the airline’s growth path. Together we are all fully committed to bring greater added values to the community.”

    Under the terms of the agreement, Vietjet and all financing partners will also work together to share best practices for the operation and management of the airline, boosting effectiveness and encouraging sustainable growth.

    Vietjet currently operates the latest generation narrow body aircraft fleet, which has helped the airline achieve an impressive operation performance rating of 99.66% for technical reliability.

    The airline’s flight safety performance and ground operation indicators are also amongst the top in the region while operating costs are among the lowest in the world.

    Vietjet was recently listed by Airfinance Journal as one of the world’s 50 best airlines for healthy financing and operations, achieving a better ranking than many of the world’s most prestigious airlines.

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  • The theme for Uniqlo’s UTGP 2019 T-shirt design contest is… Pokemon!

    The theme for Uniqlo’s UTGP 2019 T-shirt design contest is… Pokemon!

    Now on its 13th year, UTGP 2019 will accept entries via smartphones and tablets to enable as many as possible to take part. The competition’s Grand Prize winner will receive USD $10,000; other winners will also receive cash prizes. All winning designs of the contest will be featured in Uniqlo Spring/Summer 2019 collection, with t-shirts being avialable for men, women, and kids.

    The competition will be judged by the following:

    • Tsunekazu Ishihara, President of The Pokémon Company
    • Ken Sugimori, Managing Director of Game Freak Inc.
    • NIGO® （UT Creative Director）

    The top three winners will be awarded in a ceremony in Tokyo, and they’ll be able to watch the 2019 Pokémon World Championships in Washington, DC. Entries can be submitted on October 23 until December 2, 2018 (10:59 PHT) at the official UTGP 2019 website.

  • Deliveroo for Business Celebrates 2nd Birthday in Hong Kong with Revamped Services

    Deliveroo for Business Celebrates 2nd Birthday in Hong Kong with Revamped Services

    Winning over hungry office workers to achieve a sensational 75% year-on-year growth in Hong Kong, Deliveroo for Business is now being revamped to give business customers even more delectable benefits. Companies that sign up for an account with Deliveroo for Business between today and December 31, 2018, will get a special ‘new joiners treat’ to celebrate.

    Deliveroo for Business provides bespoke food delivery services to over 7,000 corporate customers around the world, with office orders arriving for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in as little as 15 minutes. Erasing the time and hassle of traditional workplace meal expensing, Deliveroo for Business lets workers make one-click meal payments using their set budget allowance, instead of saving and submitting a stack of receipts at the end of the month. Finance teams can view the office’s monthly mealtime spending in one single spreadsheet, rather than sorting through hundreds of expense forms.

    Special catering orders are a cinch with Deliveroo for Business. A dedicated team is ready to assist with all kinds of events; from a simple internal lunch for 40 colleagues to a three-day convention with hundreds of guests. Either way, everyone will leave with a full and happy stomach.

    Deliveroo for Business is now being extended in Hong Kong to add a host of new features and services, offering even more chances for people to eat amazing food not just in their homes.  Deliveroo seeks to be the definitive food company, offering people food whenever and wherever they want it, and this is a vital part of the company achieving that vision.

    New services which will be available for businesses in Hong Kong to take advantage of include:

    • Hotels: Deliveroo for Business offers a hotel room service so that hungry travelers can select whatever dishes take their fancy and place the order via the hotel, with food arriving in under 30 minutes. This is a fantastic opportunity for visitors to explore Hong Kong’s local culinary scene from the comfort of their hotel and gives business travelers another delicious option when they don’t have the time to run out and grab a bite to eat. Madera Groupin Hong Kong is already using the service, with a second-edition menu coming soon, and Deliveroo expects more hotels to come on board soon.
    • Events: Deliveroo for Business now offers catering services for large-scale events. In Hong Kong, the team has catered for 300-person breakfast conferences and most recently the ICON APAC Annual Conference at the Hyatt. Around the world, the team catered the largest drone racing championship in the world last August and will be catering their first wedding this December in London. Deliveroo for Business in Hong Kong is now taking bookings for catering Christmas parties.
    • Fruit Baskets & Snacks: Businesses will be able to use Deliveroo to arrange for regular deliveries of fruit and snacks to their offices, fueling workers with healthy foods.

    Brian Lo, General Manager of Deliveroo Hong Kong, said, “Deliveroo for Business is reinventing the way people interact with food at work, as more and more companies pinpoint food as a key retention tool in an increasingly competitive employment market. We’re delighted to bring even more great food to busy workers in Hong Kong, who are famous for eating lunch ‘al desko’. Our new range of services for hotels, events and more expands Deliveroo for Business even further to fuel more opportunities for businesses to give their best to employees, guests, and customers.”

    Mr. Lucas Lai, Head of Madera Hospitality Management of Madera Group said, “As a hotel group with a reputation for offering guests a warm and caring stay, we understand the need to anticipate their desires and provide the utmost levels of comfort and convenience. Working with Deliveroo is a fantastic way to offer even more dining options to our guests, putting a world of yummy cuisine at their fingertips and providing an even better experience every time they stay with Madera.”

    In Hong Kong, lunchtime orders are by far the most popular amongst business customers (70%), who order for team meals, lunchtime learning sessions, internal training and client meetings. Asset management companies, financial service firms, and international law firms account for the majority of business users. Business customers love to order from Chinese and Cantonese restaurants the most, with sushi, Vietnamese and healthy salads rounding out the top 10 cuisine preferences by spending. The legal profession eats the most healthily, with their top two most-ordered restaurant types being salad and vegetarian.

    Deliveroo for Business launched in September 2016 following a huge trend of office workers ordering Deliveroo to their desks, tired by the same lackluster choices on offer for lunch. The launch also helped businesses who are looking for new ways to retain talent. Currently, the service is being used by 7,000 companies in 12 markets, including Hong Kong.

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  • Major trade mark victory for Alfred Dunhill in China

    Major trade mark victory for Alfred Dunhill in China

    Alfred Dunhill has announced it has won a major victory in a long-running trademark battle in China. In a ground-breaking decision, the luxury brand has been awarded RMB 10 million (USD 1.47 million) after the Foshan Intermediate People’s Court, Guangdong Province, ruled that rival menswear brand Danhuoli was guilty of both trademark infringement and unfair competition practice.

    In a rare move for Chinese courts, the judge also deemed that the individual responsible for the company was personally liable for the infringement, giving extra teeth to the court’s decision and strengthening China’s growing reputation for intellectual property protection.

    The trademark infringement centred around Danhuoli’s illegal imitation of the ‘long tail mark’ of Alfred Dunhill’s globally recognised logo.

    Danhuoli had originally registered the ‘Danhuoli’ trade mark in plain font, but had for several years used the mark in a manner bearing striking similarities to Alfred Dunhill’s signature elongated lettering and black and white colour palette.

    The budget clothes company had also established a shadow company named ‘Dunhill Group’ in Hong Kong, to manage corporate business activities for the brand. Alfred Dunhill had previously been successful in shutting down the shadow company in Hong Kong; however, it had continued to trade across the Chinese mainland.

    Danhuoli operates more than 200 franchisee stores across 61 cities in China, claiming to generate annual turnover of RMB 100m (USD 14.7m).

    The case represents a landmark trade mark victory in China for any global brand, given the scale of the damages awarded. The RMB 10 million awarded is significantly larger than the average ruling in trade mark infringement cases in China.

    The ruling is another key milestone in China’s continued crackdown on IP infringement. Over the past decade China has made significant strides in developing and enforcing a robust IP rights regime, bringing the Chinese IP landscape in line with other developed systems in the US and Europe.

    Alfred Dunhill were supported by international IP consultancy Rouse and its Chinese law firm partner, Lusheng Law Firm.

    Commenting on the ruling, Andrew Maag, CEO at Alfred Dunhill said:

    “Today’s ruling demonstrates Alfred Dunhill Ltd.’s unequivocal resolve in tackling infringement of our IP rights in China and globally. Our system of IP management and enforcement is second to none. With the support of Rouse and Lusheng Law Firm, we’ve secured a fair and proportionate ruling.”

    Luke Minford, Global CEO of Rouse, said:

    “This win for Alfred Dunhill is just reward for all their hard work protecting their brand in China. The decision should reinforce to other brand owners that China is finally getting serious about protecting foreign brands.”

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  • Visa and Fitbit launch Fitbit Pay in Thailand

    Visa and Fitbit launch Fitbit Pay in Thailand

    Visa, the world’s leader in digital payments and Fitbit, the leading global wearables brand, today announced that Fitbit Pay™ will be available to its customers in Thailand on Fitbit Ionic or Fitbit Versa and starting November 2018, on  its newest tracker, Fitbit Charge 3. Customers of Kasikornbank, KTC and Siam Commercial Bank can add their Visa credit or debit card to their device, enabling them to make payments on the go directly from their wrist.

    The continuous rise in mobile connectivity has led to the proliferation of digital payments, with Visa helping to offer more ways to pay through devices such as phones, watches and now fitness trackers. According to Visa’s Consumer Payment Attitudes Study, seven in ten Thais (67%) said they preferred using electronic payments, including cards, mobile devices and wearables, more often than cash, deliberately moving away from notes and coins.

    Suripong Tantiyanon, Country Manager, Visa Thailand said: “At Visa, we continue to provide payment experiences across a wide range of form factors and are pleased to partner with Fitbit as well as our financial partners.  There is much potential and opportunity for such wearables to create convenient and relevant payment experiences that truly change the way people make their day-to-day payments, particularly at places that are traditionally heavy on cash.  This is another step forward in the growth of Internet of Things and shows how Visa is enabling companies across the technology industry to help us all move towards a cashless future.”

    Fitbit Pay can be easily set-up on Fitbit Ionic or Fitbit Versa by following simple steps in the Fitbit mobile app on Android or iOS devices to add a credit or debit card to the Fitbit Wallet. Fitbit Pay brings convenience and freedom to users to leave their smartphone and wallet at home, and easily make purchases at thousands of stores where contactless payments are already accepted.

    Fitbit Pay provides secure payments through the Visa Token Service. Tokenization is a payment security technology that replaces card account information, such as account numbers and expiration dates, with a unique digital identifier (“token”) that is used for payment without exposing a cardholder’s more sensitive account information.  A user’s card information is never revealed or shared with merchants. Plus, a protected PIN is chosen by the user during device set-up for an added layer of protection.  Users can leave their wallet at home and pay with a touch of their wrist.

  • Zong 4G partners with Instagram

    Zong 4G partners with Instagram

    Pakistan’s No. 1 Data Network Zong 4G and the World’s Leading Photo Sharing Network Instagram, announced the availability of an integration between the two digital service providers. Zong 4G’s prepaid subscribers who sign up on Instagram for the first time will be able to enjoy picture viewing for free in the first 3 days. Followed by WhatsApp, IMO, and free Facebook service, Zong 4G once again has risen up as the first telecom operator partnering with another social media giant, Instagram. The one of kind and exclusive offer by Pakistan’s fastest 4G network, Zong 4G for its customers is unmatched offer, which no other telecom service provider in Pakistan is offering.

    This is a new highpoint for the Pakistani customers. Their connected journeys across both the digital service providers allows for a superior experience that is unmatched in the telecom sphere. Subscribers can get to experience the fastest 4G service, wherever and whenever over free picture viewing. To add to their convenience, Zong 4G has ensured that subscribers get a seamless 4G experience as they do not need to activate the offer via a code. All they have to do is sign up on Instagram and enjoy this offer.

    The strategic partnership is a natural one, given the existing partnership between Zong 4G and Facebook. Facebook is a social networking service that also owns Instagram and WhatsApp. Apart from this, Zong 4G has created ripples across Pakistan’s telecom spectrum in recent months with its technological supremacy by launching state of the art e-commerce applications. Since inception, Zong’s three E-commerce channels: E-Care, Online Recharge and Online Shop have hit the telecom world with a bang – to facilitate its subscribers that have exceed the massive 8 million mark in the shortest possible time.

    With diverse lifestyle choices of its customers, Zong, Pakistan’s largest 4G service provider, promises to continue to play a significant and impactful role towards faster, smarter and better services towards user data experience in its own aspiring style.

  • KBank to launch USD100-million sustainability bonds to finance green and social projects

    KBank to launch USD100-million sustainability bonds to finance green and social projects

    KASIKORNBANK (KBank) is the first Thai and ASEAN bank to issue sustainability bonds totaling USD100 million, where the proceeds will be used to finance green and social projects. Such bond issuance is aimed at supporting the development of Thai and regional capital markets and promoting investments that generate returns in parallel with driving sustainable growth of Thailand and global communities.

    Mr. Banthoon Lamsam, Chairman of the Board of KBank, said KBank has adhered to the Sustainable Development concept in relation to the economic, social and environmental aspects as a foundation of its operations, to create maximum benefits for all stakeholders. Recently, KBank issued sustainability bonds totaling USD100 million for foreign investors, which has made KBank the first bank in Thailand and Southeast Asia to offer such bonds. The proceeds of bond issuance will be used to finance projects that will bring about environmental and social benefits in accordance with international standards set up by the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) and the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum (ACMF).

    Sustainability bonds of KBank are senior, unsecured bonds, with floating interest rate based on LIBOR plus 0.95 percent. Under a five-year term, the maturity will be in 2023. The entire amount was offered to foreign institutional investors via KBank’s Hong Kong Branch. Related parties include BNP Paribas that acts as the Sustainability Bond Framework Structuring Advisor and Sole Lead Manager, and Sustianalytics – an independent global provider of ESG and corporate governance research – that has provided a second party opinion on the sustainability bond framework.

    Mr. Banthoon added that the success in the sustainability bond sale reinforces KBank’s core concept of sustainable development. The fact that the bonds were fully subscribed within only one day reflects KBank’s ability to create a balance between the return and the policy of the bond which is up to international standards, thus being widely accepted by institutional investors who have placed their trust in KBank. KBank is strongly confident that the issuance of the sustainability bonds – the first time in Thailand and in ASEAN – will set a new benchmark for domestic and regional capital markets. The initiative will be a prelude for the launch of capital products offering attractive returns to investors while also driving sustainable growth for the nation and the world.

    KBank’s business operations are based on being a bank of sustainability under appropriate risk management, good governance and balance in economic, social and environmental dimensions. Given the adherence to the Sustainable Development concept, KBank is the first bank in Thailand and ASEAN that has been granted membership of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) in both their DJSI World Index and DJSI Emerging Markets 2018 for the third consecutive year. In addition, KBank has been selected as a member of the FTSE4Good Emerging Index for three straight years.

    At the national level, the Stock Exchange of Thailand has included KBank in the Thailand Sustainability Investment List 2018 (THSI List) and the SET THSI Index, the first-of-its-kind index in Thailand, among other 45 companies. In addition, KBank is the first and only commercial bank in the country that has been granted the Carbon Neutral Certification by Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (Public Organization).

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  • Korea’s Skinfood getting close to bankruptcy

    Korea’s Skinfood getting close to bankruptcy

    South Korean cosmetics firm Skinfood has filed for court receivership after increasing financial losses.

    The company’s former popularity of a decade ago was hit by the 2015 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak and diplomatic disputes between Seoul and Beijing, both events affecting the brand’s core overseas markets.

    A company spokesperson said: “We are having temporary difficulty in securing liquidity due to excessive debt. We sought the court restructuring as we thought settling the debt and promptly normalising management will benefit everyone, including the creditors.”

    The company has plans to sell off some of its overseas business rights and expand its online channels to improve its standing.

    Skinfood’s sales reached KRW126.9 billion (US$111.96 million) last year, a drop of 25 per cent from the year previous, with an operating loss of KRW98 billion ($86.46 million).

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  • Singtel and Starhub to offer Google Pixel 3 in Singapore

    Singtel and Starhub to offer Google Pixel 3 in Singapore

    The local telcos will include Google merchandise as part of their promo. Both Singtel and Starhub will offer Google’s flagship phone Pixel 3 as it launches in Singapore. Google itself will sell the handset through its online store starting 1 November.

    With price ranging from $1,249 for its 5.5-inch model and $1,399 for the 6.3-inch XL model, Google’s flagship will be sold in three colours including Just Black, Clearly White, and new colour Not Pink which will be sold exclusively by Singtel.

    Those who will buy from Singtel will also get a free Google Pixel Stand worth $119 when they additionally purchase certain data subscriptions. Meanwhile, those who will buy from Starhub will get Google Assistant worth $189 as a freebie.

    “Pixel users can gain an edge while streaming high-definition videos and chatting with the Google Assistant,” Starhub vice president of segment and marketing Donovan Kik said.

    Singtel launched the phone for pre-orders on 10 October.

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  • Singtel, StarHub and M1 must keep innovating to stay in the game

    Singtel, StarHub and M1 must keep innovating to stay in the game

    Signs have not been good lately for Singtel, StarHub and M1, the country’s three large telecommunications companies. Technological innovations, as well as changes in regulations, have sent shock waves through the big three companies, and virtual mobile telcos such as MyRepublic, Zero1 and Circles.Life have also posed a threat to the larger players.

    But with new kid on the block, TPG Telcom, set to launch later this year, the question remains whether there is still a place for one more large telecommunications company in an already crowded market.

    The existing telcos say that since the country is small and has a mature mobile market with very high rates of penetration, perhaps three’s a company, but four would be a crowd.

    In other places such as Germany, Denmark and the UK there is consolidation of only three mobile network operator (MNO) providers. Indonesia, whose population of 250 million is huge, compared to Singapore’s 5 million, is also leaning toward consolidation.

    Three years ago, the  Info-communications Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) asked whether expanding mobile services in the country is a viable option. Today, opinions still are divided as to whether or not there is room in Singapore for a fourth telco.

    One concern is that tougher competition will lead to fewer revenues in the mobile sector, which would in turn discourage service innovation, and even investments as well.

    On the opposite side is the IDA, which has evolved into the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), says that there is space for telcos to innovate their services, as well as room for more competition in the market.

    When a new MNO enters the market, this may also spur existing ones to further invest in innovating their networks in order to stay competitive.

    TPG Telecom, which is based in Australia, is already making quite a splash in Singapore, with a special offer for seniors, an audience not often catered to by telcos. TPG is giving a fee mobile plan for people aged 65 and above, complete with a SIM card, 3GB of data and unlimited mobile calls.

    Other telcos are greeting TPG’s launch as a splash of cold water on their faces, to get them to innovate their strategies. The telco industry is marked by both competition and innovation, and companies have to work hard to keep up. Their strategies must remain both quick and agile to remain enticing to existing customers as they attract others.

    For example, telcos have been threatened by over the top (OTT) voice, text and messaging options that only require WiFi for consumers to make calls and send messages. This has meant that telcos can no longer rely on old revenue streams that depended on subscription plans, infrastructure and bandwidth, as consumers ceased to need them as much.

    Big players in the tech market such as Apple, Amazon and Google offer such OTT services merely using data connections, which removes the need for additional infrastructure.

    Industry experts predict that WhatsApp, Skype and different OTT applications will cause telcos the loss of around US$400 billion in revenue for this year alone.

    How then can telcos, which have invested millions on infrastructure, secure their future despite fewer returns on those investments, or else, face the possibility of growing redundant in the industry.

    Perhaps the bigger question here is not whether there is room in the country for yet another mobile telecommunications company, but to ask whether the existing companies are doing enough to innovate in order to maintain relevance in a quickly evolving industry.

  • Singpost Links up With Axa Insurances

    Singpost Links up With Axa Insurances

    AXA Insurance and Singapore Post Limited (SingPost) have announced the launch of a pilot for AXA@POST Virtual Assist, a digital sales advisory service that virtually connects SingPost customers with AXA Financial Consultants who can provide high quality advice and services. This is the first advisory service in Singapore that provides financial advice to customers remotely, coupled with the ease and convenience of online application for insurance solutions for their car, home, family, travel, business, savings, health, and life protection and investment needs.

    With AXA@POST Virtual Assist, SingPost customers will receive end-to-end sales advisory services via a live, interactive video feed – from having their financial needs and goals ascertained, to receiving advice on insurance solutions based on suitability, and completing the entire insurance application online in one sitting. Onsite SingPost Financial Services Ambassadors (FSAs) will guide customers to the AXA@POST Virtual Assist booth, where they will begin their discussion with an AXA Financial Consultant via a video interface.

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  • AirAsia’s Spencer Lee takes CEO title at travel360.com

    AirAsia’s Spencer Lee takes CEO title at travel360.com

    AirAsia’s head of commercial, Spencer Lee, has been named CEO of travel360.com, the digital expansion of the airline’s inflight magazine travel360. The airline declined to comment on A+M‘s queries on whether he will be helming a dual role or who his replacement will be.

    According to his LinkedIn, Lee has been the head of commercial since 2015, overseeing all commercial functions covering Asia markets. Before that, he was the head of marketing for a year, during which he was responsible for all marketing activations including digital and social strategy and partnerships for all short-haul routes. Lee also helmed the role of regional head of marketing.

    Travel360.com recently partnered with non-profit grassroots community organisation Yellow House and the Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur to further beautify the city and empower its people. It hopes to provide an even more experiential travelling journey by integrating real communities and their stories.

    It also tied up with Malaysian film company We are KIX to launch a new travel series titled “VitaminSEA” that aims to inspire people to explore the lesser known islands and beaches around Southeast Asia. The series showcases six amazing yet relatively unknown beach destinations in Southeast Asia served by AirAsia.

    Meanwhile, the airline also recently appointed IPG Mediabrands’ BPN to manage media and communications planning, buying, and analytics on a global level for AirAsia and AirAsia X. This followed a pitch process that spanned 23 markets. The account will be managed via a dedicated team called Red Wings in Malaysia.

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  • Bus Boost For AirAsia X’s New Avalon Service

    Bus Boost For AirAsia X’s New Avalon Service

    A deal between AirAsia and Skybus will deliver about 4500 additional buses a year to Avalon Airport and almost double the number of services from the centre of Melbourne.

    Avalon, near the regional city of Geelong, is about 55kms south-west of the Melbourne CBD and will be home to AirAsia X flights to and from Kuala Lumpur from December 5.

    It is the airport’s first international service and comes after a concerted campaign to convince the long-haul, low-cost carrier to move its operations from Melbourne’s main airport at Tullamarine.

    Airport officials are hoping it will prove a catalyst for additional overseas operators to consider as an alternative to Melbourne airport.

    The Malaysian carrier will operate more than 500,000 seats on twice-daily flights to and from its Kuala Lumpur home base, connecting to more than 130 destinations served by the overall AirAsia Group.

    Avalon, which was leased by the Linfox Group in 1997, had been talking to AirAsia for a decade as part of attempts to attract international flights that had also included HNA Group and the Philippines government.

    The announcement of the 10-year agreement in February 2018 was attended by a slew of dignitaries and was described by AirAsia Group boss Tony Fernandes as an exciting milestone.

    The trip to Avalon takes about 45 minutes, depending on the traffic, compared to 25-30 minutes to Melbourne Tullamarine, depending on traffic.

    The new Skybus services will meet all AirAsia flights arriving and departing Avalon’s new international terminal and will offer discounted travel in the first two months of the airline’s move from Tullamarine. That will see one-way fares of $A19.50 and return fares of $37.

    The fares take passengers to Melbourne’s Southern Cross Station where they can also avail themselves of the free “Skybus Link” to 12 city stops servicing about 100 hotels.

    Passengers booked between December 5 and December 12 will also get complimentary SkyBus transfers between the two airports.

    “Customers who travel on the new Avalon services can take advantage of free Wi-Fi, luggage racks, reliable running times, as well as online, mobile and kiosk ticketing options,” SkyBus director Michael Sewards said.

    AirAsia is also offering conditional sale fares as low as $A199 one-way to promote its new service.

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