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  • Retail businesses ‘count success’ accurately with Cashmaster One

    Retail businesses ‘count success’ accurately with Cashmaster One

    Cashmaster, one of the leading companies in the global cash-management sector, is demonstrating the transformational cost and time savings that retailers can enjoy when using its latest range of cash-counting scales, Cashmaster One, at Retail Asia Expo (RAE). It is also unveiling Cashmaster Connect, its new cash management application which gives retailers greater ‘real time’ visibility of their cash.The UK-based company is exhibiting for the first time at this year’s RAE which is being held on 13-15 June 2017 in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Booth L12).

    Gordon McKie, CEO at Cashmaster, commented. “In the last year, we established our Asia Sales and Support headquarters in Hong Kong so it’s the perfect time for us to be participating in such a key exhibition.”

    “All our devices are designed and manufactured in Scotland but we work with businesses world wide, most recently with large retailers in Asia. We understand the highly competitive nature of the markets where our customers operate, which drives them to seek efficiency and process improvements across their organisations. This is where count-by-weight products can help make a tangible and significant difference – driving accuracy and efficiency in cash-management processes and ultimately making a positive impact on their bottom line.”

    Mr McKie pointed out that retailers counting their tills using a Cashmaster count-by-weight device can transform how they manage their day-to-day cash counts and cash-management processes. Manual counting is still commonplace in many retail outlets and it can take up to 10 minutes to perform a single count. Using a count-by-weight device allows organisations to count their tills in less than a minute, helping to drive efficiency improvements that deliver cost savings, reduce cash shrinkage and provide much tighter control and visibility of their cash.

    “Count-by-weight technology delivers measurable cost and staff time savings almost immediately and our customers typically see a return on their investment in 8-12 weeks,” he concluded.

    UK design and manufacture Cashmaster has over 30-years’ experience in the cash-management sector, designing and manufacturing all its products in the UK. Its latest range of devices, Cashmaster One, incorporates a smart-phone style touch-screen and a highly intuitive icon-driven user interface, making it the easiest to use cash counter on the market. With its optional integral printer, Cashmaster One is the smallest footprint device the company has ever made, ideal for retail environments where space is at a premium.

    New Cashmaster Connect The availability of pertinent, ‘real-time’ management information (MI) is fast becoming a key prerequisite of the physical cash-management sector. The growth in software platforms is a clear indicator that good MI and greater cash visibility is becoming more important to all businesses whether large or small.

    The new application, which allows users to connect their Cashmaster cash counter to their Windows PC, laptop or tablet, gives retailers a simple way to record cash-count data from tills accurately and efficiently in a matter of seconds. Cashmaster Connect allows users in busy retail environments to automatically output till counts in Excel format. This means retailers can capture important cash data, making financial reporting easier and more accurate than ever.

    Working in partnership

    As part of the company’s wider strategy for providing a complete cash-management solution for its customers in small and large enterprise organisations, 2017 will see Cashmaster working in close partnership with key providers of both software and hardware product solutions that target retail and other sectors.

    Amanda Treend, Group Product and Marketing Director at Cashmaster, commented “We receive daily feedback from our customers on how our Cashmaster count-by-weight devices have an immediate impact on their cash management with real improvements in efficiency, accuracy and cost savings. Managing your cash successfully tends not to be a single product fix. Cashmaster technology is designed to integrate seamlessly with a variety of cash-management hardware.

    “We’re delighted that our Cashmaster Connect application and the strategic partnerships we are developing will significantly expand our cash-management solutions offer to retailers of all sizes around the globe, whether they are sole traders or large enterprises.”

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  • H&M announces location of first store in Vietnam

    H&M announces location of first store in Vietnam

    The world-renowned brand is following in the footsteps of Zara and Topshop. Swedish fashion giant Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) has announced plans to open its first store in Vietnam at the Vincom Dong Khoi commercial complex in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1.

    The store, which will cover 2,200 square meters across two floors, will open with the launch of the brand’s Fall-Winter 2017 Collection this autumn.

    Fredrik Famm, H&M Country Manager for Southeast Asia, said the opening of the HCMC store will offer a new shopping experience for local customers, providing more options for fashion lovers to create their own styles and personalities.

    In mid-February this year, H&M also started recruiting staff for a store it plans to open in Hanoi.

    H&M was founded in Sweden in 1947 and is listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm. H&M Group has more than 4,300 stores in 66 markets, including franchise markets.

    Other famous fashion brands like Zara and Topshop have also recently made their debuts in Vietnam.

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  • Steve Madden Asia eyes 150 China stores with new JV

    Steve Madden Asia eyes 150 China stores with new JV

    Madden Asia has entered into a joint venture with C.banner International Holdings Limited, as the distributor of Steve Madden shoes looks to roll out more than 100 new stores in China.

    The joint venture group, named SM (Jiangsu), is co-owned 50% by Xuzhou C.banner and 50% by Madden Asia. SM (Jiangsu) will oversee the promotion, marketing, and sales and distribution of Steve Madden products in China “through integration of both online and offline channels,” said C.banner, in a press release.

    In addition, the new group will open around 150 Steve Madden retail outlets in China by the end of 2020.

    The JV’s distribution rights cover brand names Madden and Steve Madden, along with variations including Madden Girl and Steven By Steve Madden.

    “We believe the brand value of Madden and Steve Madden not only offer a valuable opportunity for C.banner to further enhance its brand image, but also enable the group to further expand its business in the mid-to-high end footwear market of China,” said Hen Yixi, chairman of C.banner International Holdings Limited, in statement.

    “In addition, the company considers this will add synergy to the group’s diversified brand portfolio and overall business, as well as assist the group to enhance its market share and influence in the industry, which will further consolidate the group’s status as an international integrated retailer.”

    Footwear designer Steve Madden founded his namesake shoe brand in 1990. The Long Island, New York-headquartered company recorded revenue of $1.4 billion in 2015.

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  • Lidl launches Chinese web shop

    Lidl launches Chinese web shop

    German supermarket chain lidl launched its own web shop in China on Alibaba’s online platform, Tmall Global, similar to what many other Western companies have done.

    The web shop, launched this week, will offer several of Lidl’s private labels. European products have been very popular in China and Lidl therefore wants to introduce its Combino, Bellarom and Sondey brands to the nation. For the time being, it will focus on cereal and dry food brands, but the company will most likely expand its product range if the web shop is deemed a success.

    Lidl will ship the products straight from Germany, imported through a subsidiary in Hong Kong. It is a different approach to competitor Aldi, which also has a shop on Tmall Global, but imports its products from Australia.

    This is yet another Western company that will try to please the Chinese consumer through Tmall, thanks to Alibaba’s attempts to entice Western companies to use its platform. Chinese consumers have little faith in their own local products and are yearning for alternatives, which they now find on Tmall Global.

  • Malaysia’s AirAsia again tries to take off in Vietnam

    Malaysia’s AirAsia again tries to take off in Vietnam

    After failing three times, Malaysian discount air carrier AirAsia is once again trying to crack the growing, but well-protected, Vietnamese airline market

    Vietnam closely guards its airline market, dominated by state-run Vietnam Airlines and local discount carrier Vietjet Air, but growth potential is such that it is attracting yet another bid by AirAsia, its fourth since 2005.

    AirAsia’s latest strategy is to team with Thien Minh Group, a pioneering local travel agency founded in 1994 by Tran Trong Kien, the current chief executive officer. TMG, whose Buffalo Tours is one of the best known travel brands in the country, also operates hotels and a travel booking website. The company also began offering seaplane flights four years ago.

    AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes is said to have first met TMG’s Kien in late 2015. The two have since explored ways to collaborate in Vietnam. Determined not to repeat AirAsia’s previous failed attempts, the two companies carefully studied strategic options as well as how to integrate the companies’ different corporate cultures, Kien said.

    The companies plan to jointly set up a low-cost carrier in Vietnam, with the first flight planned for spring 2018. Deploying medium-range passenger aircraft, such as the Airbus A320 and A321, the venture will target domestic and international routes not served by Vietnam Airlines or Vietjet Air.

    Kien said there are still niche routes where they see strong demand, such as direct flights between Tokyo and Nha Trang.

    Failed attempts

    AirAsia first attempted to enter the Vietnamese market in 2005 through a proposal to support Vietnam’s Pacific Airlines, predecessor to Jetstar Pacific Airlines, but lost to rival Qantas Airways. The next bid, in 2007, was a proposed joint venture with a state-owned shipbuilder that was rejected by the government. Its most recent deal, this time to acquire 30% of Vietjet Air in 2010, was signed by the two companies but again grounded by the government.

    Vietnam’s heavily protected airline market has so far resisted outside penetration by foreign newcomers.

    However, it still remains attractive to AirAisa, which is determined to grab a piece of the market owing to the large growth potential compared to other Southeast Asian countries, according to an executive at a Japanese airline company.

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  • Only 57% of consumers feel rewarded with their loyalty programmes

    Only 57% of consumers feel rewarded with their loyalty programmes

    And here are three ways on how financial firms can improve their loyalty services. A research from Collinson Group research revealed three things ways on how financial services loyalty programmes could be improved.

    Three in five, or 60% of respondents in Singapore said they want a simpler user experience, whilst 52% noted that they would want the ability to combine points with cash. Forty-nine percent indicated that they want a larger selection of rewards.

    “This indicates that usability and accessibility of rewards are top of mind for financial services loyalty programme members,” Collinson Group said.

    The study said the two of the strongest categories of reward that are most popular with global financial services customers are travel and leisure.

    It added, “In Singapore, customers consistently place a high value on benefits such as airport lounge access, concierge services and unique social and cultural leisure experiences. Collinson Group research reinforces that customers value products and experiences offered outside of company core inventory as part of a financial services loyalty programme.

    Meanwhile, the research also revealed that only 57% of bank and financial service loyalty programme members in Singapore feel rewarded for their custom. Customers are looking for more opportunities to earn loyalty currency and more choice when redeeming their points.

    Here’s more from Collinson Group:

    Reward and recognition are becoming increasingly important for customer retention and revenue growth. As regulators encourage greater competition in the financial services market, new competitors emerge and consumers are given more opportunities to compare and switch services. Brands must consider how best to remain attractive to this sophisticated set of consumers who have a greater access to information and are always after the best value for money.

    The Collinson Group research with 2,250 consumers across the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore and the UAE revealed that more than three quarters of respondents (77 percent) look for loyalty programmes with a greater choice of rewards. Furthermore, four in five respondents (82 percent), said that the value of a programme decreases when there is only a limited range of rewards available.

    An enhanced redemption experience is delivered through a programme that offers the customer the ability to redeem in retail outlets and leisure stores, as well as an e-commerce platform. Survey respondents were clear that the value of a loyalty programme decreases if points cannot be redeemed in physical retail outlets, with 49 percent in Singapore agreeing.

    Chris Rogers, Director at Collinson Group said: “Traditional financial services models continue to evolve, with a focus on improved digital services and experiences, but a key area brands need to consider is how they recognise and reward existing customers. Other sectors such as travel and retail are demonstrating new ways of offering more personalised, timely and relevant rewards.

    “A key element in enabling this is providing customers with more ways to earn and redeem loyalty currency. Offering the opportunity to ‘spend’ points against non-financial products such as travel, leisure or more altruistic rewards is increasingly attractive to programme members. The chance to redeem points in physical stores such as retailers and to part-pay with loyalty points and cash all make programmes more relevant and therefore more valuable to consumers.”

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  • Zalora Vietnam becomes Robins after merger

    Zalora Vietnam becomes Robins after merger

    Online fashion platform Zalora Vietnam has officially merged with Robins, becoming one online platform, following the pair’s merger 12 months ago.

    As of May 12, Central Group-owned fashion retailer Robins and e-commerce giant Zalora Vietnam will be shopped at Robins.vn only, not on individual websites. The merger is believed to make the new platform the largest fashion e-commerce site for Vietnam.

    Zalora was the largest online fashion shopping website in Vietnam, specialising in fashion, where it stocks fashion and accessories collections from more than 700 brands.

    In April 2016, Zalora Vietnam was sold by Rocket Internet and bought by Thailand’s Central Group, who acquired both Zalora Vietnam and Thailand subsidiaries. At the time of the transaction, Zalora CEO Michelle Ferrario, said the move would allow Zalora to capture opportunities and strengthen its position in our markets, as we gear towards accelerating our growth.

    “We are happy to have contributed to the vibrancy of Thailand and Vietnam’s e-commerce scene, and we trust that the future owners will continue to build on what we started. We remain committed to providing consumers in the region the best online and mobile shopping experience possible,” said Ferrario, early last year.

    A Zalora representative told ICT News this week that with Zalora and Robins both being owned by Central Group, the group “decided to merge the two brands with the desire to bring the best shopping experience to customers.”The Zalora spokesperson said that all shopping activities at www.robins.vn would be maintained normally.

    Robins arrived in Vietnam in 2014 and has two department stores – in Crescent Mall, Ho Chi Minh City, and Royal City, Hanoi.

    Central Group is one of the Southeast Asia’s largest retail players with a huge footprint in Thailand and forays into Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia. The group’s assets, which include multiple shopping malls and national department store chains, are worth close to $10 billion and it employs some 70,000 people across its operations.

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  • Lacoste unveils expanded retail space at Don Mueang International Airport

    Lacoste unveils expanded retail space at Don Mueang International Airport

    Lacoste has opened its revamped Sport corner at Don Mueang International Airport Terminal 1.

    Lacoste kicks off its new Sport concept at Don Mueang Airport.

    The space has been enlarged and upgraded to feature Lacoste’s new Sport concept. It now offers additional options for customers alongside the brand’s signature polo shirts and leathergoods ranges.

    Don Mueang International Airport, Asia’s oldest international airport, recorded 35 million passengers in 2016.

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  • Oracle, Fujitsu launch public cloud services in Japan

    Oracle, Fujitsu launch public cloud services in Japan

    Fujitsu and Oracle Japan have launched Oracle Cloud Platform services, including Oracle Database Cloud Service, via a Fujitsu data center, a first for Japan.

    Oracle and Fujitsu have a long history of collaboration when it comes to processors, servers, and software. This synergy now extends to the data center, where Oracle’s cloud services will be available locally to Japanese customers backed by Fujitsu.

    Fujitsu has the largest number of Oracle-certified Oracle Cloud engineers in Japan, and offers a coordinated portfolio of services to assist in the deployment and operations of Oracle Public Cloud, to help organizations build new modern cloud-based solutions and transition their enterprise systems, including mission-critical operations, to the cloud.

    Fujitsu and Oracle formed a strategic alliance in July last year, based on a strategic collaboration to deliver enterprise-grade, world-class cloud services to customers in Japan and their subsidiaries around the world.

    Together with making Oracle Public Cloud services available from Fujitsu’s robust and reliable data center in Japan, can now be used as part of Fujitsu Cloud Service K5, Fujitsu’s public cloud service.

    “The Oracle Cloud Platform running in Fujitsu’s Japan datacenter alongside Fujitsu Cloud Service K5 DB powered by Oracle Cloud is a natural continuation of the three decade history Oracle and Fujitsu have working together to help customers achieve competitive advantage,” said Edward Screven, Chief Corporate Architect, Oracle.

    “By combining Fujitsu’s system integration expertise with Oracle’s cloud services, Fujitsu and Oracle will accelerate the transition of our joint customers’ enterprise systems to cloud.”

    Oracle Cloud offers a complete range of public cloud services across SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS. Oracle Cloud Platform, which includes Oracle’s analytics, application development, data management, and integration services, has experienced steady growth, adding thousands of customers in fiscal 2017.

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  • Honda to invest $124 mn to advance vehicle innovation

    Honda to invest $124 mn to advance vehicle innovation

    Japanese automobile manufacturer Honda is going to invest $124 million (approx Rs 802 crore) to establish a multifunctional aeroacoustic wind tunnel facility to advance vehicle innovation and enhance the world-class testing facilities at the Transportation Research Center (TRC), in East Liberty, Ohio.

    The groundbreaking is slated for the late summer of 2017, informed the automaker in a statement.

    “This new facility will further enhance our ability to efficiently create products of the highest quality for our customers,” said Frank Paluch, president of Honda R&D Americas.

    “It will be integral to our aerodynamic and aeroacoustic R&D activity, which spans from advanced research and computer simulation, through scale-model and full vehicle development, to production vehicle performance assurance. And all of this is being done right here in the US.”

    “This innovative and industry leading asset provides us with another distinct reason for our customers to take advantage of the world-class testing facilities we have in Ohio at TRC,” said Mark-Tami Hotta, president and CEO of the Transportation Research Center.

    The aeroacoustic wind tunnel facility will have space for four secure and confidential customer bays, providing the opportunity for use by customers other than Honda.

    The advanced acoustic design will drive the next generation of wind noise reduction by utilising a strategic system of microphones and cameras set up to measure and identify potential noise issues on both the exterior and interior of a vehicle during the development stage, added the company.

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  • Nepal telcos told to adopt 10-second billing next week

    Nepal telcos told to adopt 10-second billing next week

    Nepal’s mobile operators will need to implement 10-second billing from next week and per-second billing from October under a new regulatory directive.

    The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has instructed operators to reduce billing durations for domestic calls from the current 20 seconds to 10 seconds from April 14.

    The reduction to per-second billing will subsequently need to be implemented from October 18 to coincide with the Nepali new year.

    The minimum billing unit for landline calls has meanwhile been fixed at 60 seconds. International calls will be reduced to 30 second billing from the April date and to 10 seconds from October.

    According to the report, the NTA implemented the reductions following consultations with the industry, but the regulator still plans to conduct checks to make sure the nation’s six operators follow the directive.

    The directive will need to be implemented by Nepal Telecom, Ncell, UTL, Smart Telecom, Nepal Satellite Telecom and STM Telecom.

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  • High potential for greenhouse grown melons in Asian retail

    High potential for greenhouse grown melons in Asian retail

    Strong local economic growth is fueling the activities of Rijk Zwaan in Southeast Asia. According to area manager, Ahmet Tunali, the growing rich middle class and their demand for premium products are opening the doors for complete chain management.

    “As a result of the increase in wealth, big retail chains are gaining a foothold and are looking for direct suppliers of high quality, special products”, said Ahmet Tunali, Area Manager at Rijk Zwaan. They are getting into direct trade relationships with produce companies, as well as new products and varieties.”

    The area manager said that, for these reasons, there is more demand for produce grown in a protected environment. “Greenhouses have become a standard to grow environmentally friendly produce, with less water and less chemicals. The products can be marketed at a premium since they are of a better and more consistent quality than produce from the open field. This creates new markets, such as the one for hydroponic lettuce. This is growing at a rapid pace, especially in Vietnam, where we have a obtained a large market share with our Salanova and other lettuce varieties.”

    Bell peppers are another important product category for Rijk Zwaan in Southeast Asia. “In the north of Thailand, in the regions of Chian Mai and Chiang Rai, a lot of green, red, yellow and sometimes orange peppers are grown in greenhouses at altitudes of 400 to 1100 meters. These growers sell directly to retail and skip the so called ‘wet market’ (the Asian wholesale market).”

    And then there are the greenhouse grown melons. They are a good example of the possibilities with fresh produce chain management in Asia.

    “We gained a lot of experience with the introduction of melons in South America, and since a few years we’ve been looking at what the odds are in Thailand. In close cooperation with both growers and retailers, we successfully introduced a new type of melon in this market, the Golden Emerald melon. This melon is marketed as a premium product by large retailers and is characterized by its extended shelf life, taste and uniform quality and firmness.”

    Tunali expects a lot more to come from the Southeast Asian market in the coming years. “It will become very important to select and introduce varieties and complete concepts according to the demand and possibilities within the local market. It is a very promising market with a lot of opportunities for the development of protected crops.”

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  • Nokia announces major restructuring

    Nokia announces major restructuring

    Nokia has announced a restructuring of its mobile unit into two groups, focused on mobile networks and services respectively, in response to the planned departure of the company’s current mobile networks chief.

    The company said it will establish two units called Mobile Networks and Global Services respectively.

    The company’s current chief innovation and operating officer Mark Rouanne will lead up the mobile networks business group, which will be focused on areas including 4G, 5G, cloud core and small cells.

    The Global Services division will meanwhile be led by Igor Leprince, the current executive vice president of global services.

    These executives are taking over from current head of mobile networks Samih Elhage, who is leaving the company on April 1 but will stay on as an advisor until May 31. In a statement, Nokia CEO Rajeev Suri said Elhage has decided to leave now that the integration with Alcatel-Lucent is mostly complete.

    “From helping lead the transformation at Nokia Siemens Networks and creating a disciplined operating model that remains a competitive advantage, to being one of the driving forces behind the acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent and its fast and successful integration, Samih’s contributions to Nokia have been remarkable,” Suri said.

    “He has been a close friend and advisor through times both good and bad, and I fully support his desire for a change.”

    As part of the restructuring, the position of chief innovation and operating officer (CIOO) will be dissolved and the duties split. Responsibility for operations will be transferred to the newly-created position of group chief operating officer (COO), innovation will be taken over by Nokia’s chief technology officer (CTO) and incubation will be assumed by Nokia’s chief strategy officer.

    The group COO position is going to Monika Maurer, currently the company’s COO for fixed networks, while Marcus Weldon will retain the post of CTO and Kathrin Buvac will remain chief strategy officer.

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  • Swan Mobile picks Subex for fraud management

    Swan Mobile picks Subex for fraud management

    Swan Mobile, a Slovak telecommunications service provider, has selected Subex to provide its ROC Fraud Management Solution.

    As part of the implementation, Subex’s ROC Fraud Management will cover Voice, SMS and mobile data services for pre-paid and post-paid subscribers of Swan Mobile.

    “Being a progressive organization, we understand the significant impact fraud can have on telecom operators, from both a financial and operational perspective,” said Swan Mobile CTO Patrik Kollaroc.

    “This fact, coupled with the rapid growth we have been seeing, led to us to proactively look for an industry leading fraud management solution and we believe Subex’s Fraud Management solution will enable us to safeguard our business from the implications of fraud effectively,” said Kollaroc.

    Vinod Kumar, COO of Subex, said  the deployment of ROC Fraud Management will help Swan Mobile protect their business revenues and safeguard them against the threat of fraud.

    Subex’s ROC Fraud Management solution promises to ensure a rapid return on investment (ROI) by offering the strongest fraud management capabilities, increasing compliance, reducing risk, and providing economies of scope.

    Subex’s detailed business benefit modelling tools allow customers to determine ROI, build reliable business cases, and explicitly see the value that our solution can bring to their business.

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  • Maybank Indonesia sells stake in WOM Finance to Reliance Capital Management

    Maybank Indonesia sells stake in WOM Finance to Reliance Capital Management

    Private lender Maybank Indonesia has sold all stakes in motorcycle financing firm Wahana Ottomitra Multiartha (WOM Finance) to Indonesian financial services provider Reliance Capital Management in a deal worth Rp 673.8 billion (US$50.71 million).

    Maybank announced on Thursday that it had signed a conditional share purchase agreement with Reliance Capital Management on Jan. 11 to sell 2.39 billion shares—equal to 68.55 percent stake—in WOM Finance.

    “The transfer of shares is one of the company’s strategic initiatives to maximize the company’s capital allocation and to streamline customer segmentation, so they can contribute to the optimization of the company’s resources,” Maybank wrote in a statement submitted to the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX).

    The share transfer is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2017, after both companies fulfill all terms listed in the agreement.

    Data from Maybank said the automotive slowdown in the past few years had dragged down its own financial performance, as WOM posted poor results.

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