Vol 8 No 4 2020
MRCA Women’s Division Hosts Inaugural CEO Sharing Session
A Passion For Home Fragrance
Striking a Balance in the Midst of COVID-19
WM RM9 / EM RM11
Dato’ Julie CC Lim Sole Director Jubilant Prestige Sdn Bhd Country Sole Distributor Maison Berger Paris
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A-5-2, 3, 3A, Level 5, Block A, Sky Park One City, Jalan USJ25/1, 47650 Subang Jaya, Selangor. Tel: 603-5882 4333 Fax: 1 700 810 950 Website: www.mrca.org.my PRESIDENT Shirley Tay Bee Koo SUNRIDER INTERNATIONAL (M) SDN BHD IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Datuk Seri Garry Chua ROTOL FOOD-CHAIN (M) SDN BHD DEPUTY PRESIDENT Dato’ Liew Bin BRILLIANT MERCHANDISING SDN BHD VICE PRESIDENTS Datuk Seri Dr. Chai Kee Kan KK SUPERMART & SUPERSTORE SDN BHD Valerie Choo Yoke Shiem SIMPLY AWESOME SDN BHD Ken Phua Cheng Chuen BENTLEY MUSIC SDN BHD Sharan Jethanand Valiram VALIRAM HOLDINGS SDN BHD SECRETARY GENERAL Jit Singh A/L Santok Singh Ironhorse Asia Sdn Bhd DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL Raymond Woo Hai Shiang Vendpays Sdn Bhd TREASURER GENERAL Dato’ Winnie Lim Yoke Chin SOLUTION RISK CONSULTANTS SDN BHD DEPUTY TREASURER GENERAL Dato’ Alex Wong Che Sing HAP SENG STAR SDN BHD COUNCIL MEMBERS Dr. Affendi Dahlan DR GROUP HOLDINGS SDN BHD Alex Chong Weng Wah SAKURA KRISTAL SDN BHD Brian Tham Jee Ping WATATIME (M) SDN BHD Christine Tan Gaik Lin CT F&B HOLDINGS SDN BHD Kevin Lee Guan Keong MAXIS BERHAD Liang Foo Kuan BIG ONION FOOD CATERER SDN BHD Michael Liew Fong Tzer MARRYBROWN SDN BHD Seak Thean Pow BAGUS CURTAIN SDN BHD William Tang Chee Weng THE STORE CORPORATION BERHAD Jordan Ng Kim Leong BANNERKING SDN BHD Datuk Henry Yip Choong Hung DRAGON-I RESTAURANT SDN BHD Aiveen Wong Choy Ching CHIN SWEE FOOD SDN BHD
TRUSTEES OF MRCA FOUNDATION Dato’ Tay Sim Kim Foundation Founder Chairman Datuk Lee Hwa Cheng Foundation Chairman 2020-2022 Dato’ Eddie Choon Trustee Datuk Albert Chiang Trustee Datuk Seri Nelson Kwok T. T., JP Trustee Dato’ Liaw Choon Liang, JP Trustee Datuk Seri Garry Chua Trustee BOARD OF ADVISORS Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Leong Hoy Kum GROUP MD, MAH SING GROUP BHD Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Barry Goh Ming Choon CHAIRMAN OF MCT BHD Tan Sri Dr Lim Wee Chai CHAIRMAN, TOP GLOVE CORPORATION BHD Tan Sri Datuk Ter Leong Yap EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN SUNSURIA BHD Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Tang Yeam Soon MANAGING DIRECTOR, THE STORE CORPORATION BHD Dato’ Dr. Jennifer Low, JP GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR, QUILL GROUP OF COMPANIES PRESIDENT’S ADVISORS Dato’ Sri Dr. How Kok Choong VETTONS SDN BHD Dato’ Vincent Choo Kok Leong URBAN IDEA SDN BHD LEGAL ADVISORS Dato’ Dr Manjit Singh MANJIT SINGH SACHDEV, MOHAMMAD RADZI & PARTNERS Datuk Ringo Low RINGO LOW & ASSOCIATES HONORARY AUDITORS Dato’ Sri Raymond Liew Lee Leong MCMILLAN WOODS Datin Yap Shin Siang YYC GST CONSULTANTS SDN BHD
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Publisher/CEO V.S. Ganesan Senior Editor Vimala Seneviratne Editor Rachael Philip Contributing Editor Khaw Chia Hui Creative Designer Goh Wei Lee Advertising Consultant Faridah Ismail Marketing Manager Karthik Ganesan Operations Manager G. Revathi PRINTER PERCETAKAN LAGENDA SDN BHD (406003-A) No. 2, Jalan Gangsa SD5/3E, Sri Damansara Industrial Park, 52200 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 603-6273 6599 Fax: 603-6273 6606 All articles featured in Malaysia Retailer magazine represent the personal views of contributors and are not necessarily those of MRCA & Harini Management Services Sdn Bhd. All writers automatically agree to indemnify MRCA and Harini Management Services Sdn Bhd against any loss, costs, expenses (including legal fees), damages and liabilities that might arise from their own incapacity, negligence, breach of contract or other civil misdeeds. We reserve the right to edit all articles. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2021 by MRCA and Harini Management Services Sdn Bhd. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the publisher. MRCA and Harini Management Services Sdn Bhd accept no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photography, illustration and other editorial materials.
President’s Message Dear members,
Shirley Tay President, 2020-2022 Malaysia Retail Chain Association
It is with pleasure that I welcome you to a fresh start, and to our latest issue of Malaysia Retailer Vol 8 No. 4. 2020 has been a historic litmus test for all our members, the Association, and the global economic and financial system. The ongoing pandemic has completely upended the business community, separated hardworking people from their jobs, and pushed the boundaries of our survival instincts. With the months-long struggle to stay afloat came also motivation for retailers and entrepreneurs to embrace new ways of doing business in a dynamic, digital future, and during these uncertain times, MRCA appreciates the opportunities to speak on behalf of not just the retailers, franchisors, and brands, but the SME community in Malaysia – the true engines of the economy. I salute my fellow Council members as well as all committee members of the various portfolios that we had set up, for they, while physically distanced, were exceptionally forthcoming with their contributions. Powered by You, the Association managed to complete many charitable campaigns and assistance initiatives such as the ‘Love Touches Lives’ charity project, where we raised RM100,000 to help 165 single mothers affected by the pandemic. MRCA organised its first CEO Get-together hosted by Fusionex where its Founder and Group CEO Dato’ Seri Ivan Teh, shared his thoughts on how businesses can cope and survive with the rapidly expanding digital economic frontier. We had many online talks, meetings and conferences via Google and Zoom, on forward-looking topics such as the inaugural CEO sharing session on Remaining Resilient during a Pandemic, organised by the MRCA Women Division; Budget 2021 Dialogue; COVID-19 Act: Sword or Shield for Retailers; and Striking a Balance in the midst of COVID-19 where five MRCA’s Past Presidents shared their views on the threats and opportunities brought on by the pandemic; and Looking Ahead: Digitalize to Thrive in Retail; among others. Even our November members’ meeting was held via Zoom for the first time. Furthermore, we also had several meetings with the Economic Planning Unit, a division under the Economic Action Council, to give our input regarding our retail members’ concerns. We also participated in a discussion between Bank Negara Malaysia and Associations; had a meeting with KPDNHEP officials regarding music rights; took part in Sin Chew Biz Excellence Award 2020 Judging Ceremony; attended Aladdin Group media launch and held a MoU signing ceremony with Busan Economic Planning Agency, among others. MRCA, together with SME Association of Malaysia, Bumiputra Retailers Organization and Malaysia Shopping Malls Association, also jointly submitted a memorandum to the Government to see more aid in Budget 2021 for its members. We have also recently formed a strategic partnership with Vettons to provide an opportunity for our members to promote their businesses on Vettons’s online shopping platform. Finally, while our New Year celebrations might not have topped the previous one in fireworks and flair, Malaysians responded with philanthropy and a return to supporting local. Buoyed by a positive rebound in festive consumer activity, vaccine rollouts, and a favourable forecast by the World Bank, the reopening of the Malaysian economy is finally upon us, and I congratulate everyone in MRCA for having crossed the peaks in the last 12 months! We look forward to a more prosperous 2021 and I wish everyone a Happy New Year! Stay Safe!
CONTENTS / VOL. 8 NO. 4
18
Monthly Meeting
COVER STORY
25 MRCA in the Media
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A Passion for Home Fragrance
26 redONE Banks on the Retail
A connoisseur of style and finesse, Dato’ CC Julie Lim, owner of Jubilant Prestige Sdn Bhd, the sole distributor of Maison Berger Paris in Malaysia, has an exceptional story of sweet scents.
FEATURES
Business
28 Top Trends for Frontline Worker Productivity
31 Taiwan – Based FunNow Acquires Malaysia startup, TABLEAPP
32 ‘Looking Past The Discount’: Can This Peak Shopping Season Be The Start of The Retail Resurgence?
11 MRCA Donates RM100,000 to 170 Single Mothers in Malaysia
12 MRCA Women‘s Division Hosts
34 Toppen Shopping Centre Unveils
Inaugural CEO Sharing Session on Remaining Resilient during a Pandemic
35 MR D.I.Y Profit Soars Following
Plans for Pedestrian Bridge and Welcomes New Offerings Listings
14 Striking a Balance in the Midst ON THE COVER
of COVID-19
36 UNIQLO Malaysia Launched New Store Concept
17 MRCA Partners With Vettons to Bring Their Business Online
37 Technology – the Value Proposition
18 Monthly Meeting 20 MRCA Christmas Charity Donation 2020
21 Southern Chapter 22 New Members Dato’ Julie CC Lim Sole Director Jubilant Prestige Sdn Bhd Country Sole Distributor Maison Berger Paris
24 48 Students Receive a Total of RM20,400 from MRCA Encouragement Fund
DEPARTMENTS 1
Glory Page
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President’s Note
design
Muse Collection :
Original porcelain creations, inspired by the famous designer’s iconic pieces.
Cover Story
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A Passion For Home Fragrance A connoisseur of style and finesse, Dato’ CC Julie Lim, owner of Jubilant Prestige Sdn Bhd, the sole distributor of Maison Berger Paris in Malaysia, has an exceptional story of sweet scents.
reaching about exquisite French scents under the banner of Maison Berger Paris, Dato’ Julie Lim has taken a quantum leap in advocating a total air purifying and fragrancing solution that is safe and healthy for Malaysians. Having been in the fashion industry for 25 years with her own boutique House of Tatiana, Dato’ Julie caught a whiff of the scent of opportunity when she discovered Maison Berger Paris (formerly known as Lampe Berger) through a multi-level marketing (MLM) scheme. As the MLM contract ended in 2012, Dato’ Julie decided to embark on the distributorship of the brand 8 years ago. Today, her company Jubilant Prestige Sdn Bhd is the sole distributor of the brand in Malaysia. Talking about her early years, Dato’ Julie explains, “I had to start work at a young age and was in the property business, selling property
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in United States and investing in property in Malaysia. I then ventured into the fashion business, and ran my boutique, I went from having a 1,200 sq. ft. outlet in Mid Valley, Megamall to my own 3-storey building in Bangsar,” she beams. She adds that her moment of truth in embarking into the fragrance business started with her recognition of the then Lampe Berger as a fantastic brand with amazing products. Today, she is an advocate and ambassador of the brand with a strong passion for unrivalled purifying and fragrancing power.
MAISON BERGER – 122 YEARS OF HISTORY Designed in 1898 by pharmacy dispenser Maurice Berger, to purify the air in hospitals, Lampe Berger’s signature catalytic lamp rapidly gained popularity among the public. Lampe Berger has stood the
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8 Cover Story
reflection of art and fragrances. Today, Maison Berger Paris, headquartered in Normandy, France, has made a distinct global footprint with a network of over 7,000 outlets in 70 countries across the world. With an annual turnover of about Euro 100 million, Maison Berger Paris sells over 800,000 lamps and over 5 million litres of fragrances worldwide each year. The company has a technical centre in Limoges, France, which conducts research and development activities and files numerous patents. Two years ago, to celebrate Maison Berger Paris’s 120th anniversary on the theme of Parisian Elegance, the company collaborated with the renowned French perfume designer Lolita Lempicka, to offer a range of exciting fragrances and catalytic lamps.
test of time with its 122 years in the market. The first essence was without fragrance and was branded as a hygienic lamp for air purification and sanitisation. After being reshaped by famous designers and embraced by leading figures from the arts community such as Coco Chanel, Picasso, Colette and Jean Cocteau, the lamp was fitted with a perfuming function, thus becoming a style icon with sleek silhouettes and delicate fragrances. Colette, the famous French novelist is said to have had a Lampe Berger on her desk while Jean Cocteau, a writer, artist and filmmaker, used Lampe Berger fragrances to eliminate the odours of the opium he smoked, and according to Picasso, “Lampe Berger is the smartest aroma”. In the 1950s, the supremacy of ceramics saw beautiful and artistic Maison Berger Paris catalytic lamps take shape, giving it a subtle Malaysia Retailer Vol 8 No 4
personality for decoration. As time passed, the lamps took on more attractive shapes and sizes to add a touch of elegance to contemporary homes. In view of its popularity, Maurice Berger’s successors decided to continue to embellish indoor air and developed new rituals with candles, scented bouquets and many more exquisite products.
REBRANDING TO MAISON BERGER PARIS With the brand’s image and stature growing in distinction and variety, the name Lampe Berger was changed to reflect the diversity of the brand’s creations – rebranding it to Maison Berger Paris in honour of its unique, creative and inspirational
REFINEMENT AND CHARACTER Dato’ Julie shares that Maison Berger Paris today stands for je ne sais quoi, (French for “I don’t know what”, which is an expression of a quality that makes something attractive, distinctive, or special in some way, but is hard to put into words) describing the combination of refinement and character, prestige and modernity, making it a popular choice among celebrities. Promising exclusivity which was once embraced by Parisian high society, Dato’ Julie has put Maison Berger Paris products into Malaysian homes.
UNIQUE STATE-OF-THEART CATALYTIC LAMP Maison Berger Paris’s unique state-of-the-art catalytic lamps
9 operate with simultaneous dualaction features, destroying odours and diffusing fragrance within the home. The heat produced by the catalytic burner attracts and oxidizes bad-smelling molecules such as tobacco, cooking odours and pets, among others. The burner’s titanium catalyser prevents the recombination of these molecules, while the rim acts on the destruction of odours, and the centre diffuses the fragrance. As the air is purified, the fragrance remains in the atmosphere for hours, from just 20 minutes of the lamp’s operation. Dato’ Julie elaborates that the creation of lamps takes arduous work, requiring about 18 months to create a single lamp; while the birth of fragrances requires 9 months. Maison Berger Paris works with top French glassmakers such as Saint Gobain and Saverglass, among others, to guarantee the best quality of glass used in lamps. “Since the beginning, Lampe Berger has always worked with many designers, from different backgrounds, so as to continually renew the collection of lamps. We are the only brand offering a variety of ready-to-use fragrances with unique olfactory compositions, enhanced with the right dose of perfumes,” she adds. Expounding on the science behind the fragrances, Dato’ Julie
explains, “Cosmetic quality isopropyl alcohol, in compliance with European and American pharmacopoeias, is used in the creation of Maison Berger Paris fragrances, combined with reverse osmosis water and essential oils. This type of alcohol offers the best-performing Catalytic combustion and is frequently used as a pharmaceutical solvent, in body fragrance and cosmetics.”
SPREADING DISTINCT SCENTS IN MALAYSIA Dato’ Julie launched her first outlet in Malaysia in 2012 in the presence of Lampe Berger Paris’ then Chief Executive Officer, Richard Mamez and the then-Ambassador of France to Malaysia, Her Excellency Martine Dorance. In 2018, Dato’ Julie was given sole distributorship rights in Malaysia by Lampe Berger on account of her excellent business performance and contributions
to the growth of the brand in the country. Today, Dato’ Julie helms 18 flagship stores with a prominent presence in major retail malls across Malaysia.
A CRUCIAL ROLE AMIDST THE PANDEMIC As the COVID-19 pandemic rages across Malaysia and the rest of the world, Dato’ Julie shares that Maison Berger Paris’s catalytic lamps are ideal for sanitising and purifying the air of all types of allergens, germs and mould. “The lamps offer tremendous health benefits by keeping the air clean and hygienic while fighting allergens, viruses and mould. In fact, with lamps and fragrances constantly in the air in all my outlets, my staff rarely catch the common flu,” she notes. On her company’s performance during the pandemic, Dato’ Julie says that “30% of sales were online, although people mostly responded well to brick-and-mortar shops. Although sales at physical outlets declined during the pandemic, online sales have picked up. Post-MCO, sales has returned to normal with a slight 10% variance”. As more consumers recognise the benefits of Maison Berger Paris lamps, Dato’ Julie says the market in Malaysia has excellent prospects for further growth. She explains that considering the increase in demand for healthy and safe fragrances, she has made her products available on multiple e-commerce channels such as Shopee, Lazada and their own official website. Amidst her successes in the fragrances business, Dato’ Julie acknowledges that there are challenges in the industry. In view of Malaysia Retailer Vol 8 No 4
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Maison Berger Paris Stores in Malaysia Head Office Unit 3-1, Level 3, Oval Damansara, KL
• Lot P5-07, Level 5, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur
• Lot S036, Level 2, Mid Valley Megamall, KL
• Lot FK 102, Level 1, One Utama Shopping Centre, KL
• Lot 24G2, Level G2, Publika Shopping Gallery, KL
• Lot 1-12, Level 1, Sunway Velocity, Cheras, KL
• Lot LG-K7, Level LG, IOI Citymall, Putrajaya.
• Lot F116, Level 1, Bangsar Shopping Centre, KL
• Lot 1.23, Sunway Pyramid, Petaling Jaya.
• Lot F-K4, Level 1, Sunway that, Maison Berger Paris focuses on quality than quantity with engaging stories that connect customers with the company’s products. “With consumers’ rising interest in safety and transparency, Maison Berger Paris focuses on neuroscience and how fragrances connect with the senses. R&D is a priority, with 3% of the company’s turnover invested into R&D. Products are subjected to stringent quality checks and approvals, while ensuring compliance to rigorous merican and European Pharmacopoeias standards as well as the International Fragrance Association,” elaborates Dato’ Julie. Recognising that fragrances are an integral part of life, Maison Berger will continue to focus on health benefits and address the growing trends of pet care. The company is also creating anti-animal odour scents. On the latest developments in her outlets, Dato’ Julie beams, “Next year, every outlet will have a perfume bar for testing perfumes. There will be samples for customers to experience the fragrances. Customers will also be able to read Malaysia Retailer Vol 8 No 4
Carnival Mall, Pulau Pinang
about every ingredient used in our fragrances.”
• Lot 2F-132, Level 2, Queensbay
TURNKEY INNOVATION
• Lot G-K002, Level G, Vivacity
In addition to that, Maison Berger Paris will be introducing a new turnkey product in 2021 that is 100% biodegradable and environmentally friendly – the Night & Day Diffuser themed the “Sleep Partner”, which helps users to fall asleep within 5 minutes of its diffusion. What is even more amazing is that the “Day Diffuser” is able to wake up the user after just 5 minutes of diffusion – all set with a timer, just like an alarm clock except that this stimulates the neural activities of users with the right combination of fragrances. With 35% of French and American consumers experiencing sleep problems, this revolutionary Night & Day Diffuser is set to provide a natural and safe solution for a good night’s sleep. Committed to delivering only the best to consumers, Maison Berger Paris continues to fascinate consumers with its unique offerings – living up to its centennial track record of quality, distinction and safety.
Mall, Pulau Pinang
Megamall, Kuching, Sarawak
• Lot SPK-G08, Level G, Imago
KK Time Square, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah • Lot G-015, Level G, The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey, Johor Bahru. • Lot GF-57, Level G, East Coast Mall, Kuantan, Pahang • Unit 1, Level G, Weil Hotel, Ipoh, Perak • B2-1, Lot 114, Jalan PPM 13, Plaza Pandan Malim Business Park, Melaka • Unit 2.30, Level 2, The Mall, Gadong, BE3519, Brunei • Lot 3.30, Level 3, Pavilion Damansara Heights, KL (Opening 2022) B2B Partnerships
• Maju Home Concepts
- Setapak - Subang - CittaMall - Kota Kemuning • Cellini Design Center - Kayu Ara • Aman Suria Damansara Beauty Retreat, Tropicana
MRCA through its ‘Love Touches Lives’ charity project initiated by President, Shirley Tay, successfully raised RM100,000 to aid single mothers in Malaysia. he Association recently donated the funds to 170 single mothers from six charity organisations – Great Heart Charity Association, Kassim Chin Humanity Foundation, Love Eternal Charity Association Sel & KL, Association of Social Services and Community Development of Gombak District,Selangor (PSPK), Persatuan Wanita & Ibu Tunggal Nur Iman KL & Selangor (WITUS) and Women of Will. MRCA started the charity project to soften the blow that COVID-19 pandemic had left on single mothers as many lost their jobs and must continue to support and fend for their children on their own. This project was aimed at helping single mothers regardless of race, ethnicity, and religion. The selected single mothers all have different stories to tell. Many are daily wage earners who struggle to make ends meet while some suffer from terminal illness or have disabled children. There are also those who are forced to work despite
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old age to fend for their grandchildren as their parents have passed away. “We feel the strong need to lend a hand to these single mothers and it is our social responsibility as an association to give back to society. We wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has contributed to this noble cause,” said Shirley Tay who is also the Organising Chairperson of the project and also the Southeast Asia Regional Corporate Director of Sunrider International (M) Sdn Bhd. She also acknowledged all the top donors to this project. Over the past five years, MRCA, through its Branding Education Charity Foundation, has contributed over RM1 million to many charitable causes.
PLATINUM DONORS (Donations of RM5,000 & above) • Dragon-i Restaurant Sdn Bhd • Fusionex International • MyMilan Milan Enterprise • Sunrider International (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd • Supermax Foundation • Urban Idea Sdn Bhd • Wellous Sdn Bhd GOLD DONORS (Donations of RM3,000-RM4,999) • Big Bath Sdn Bhd • Datin Jane Yeo • Focus Point Holdings Bhd • Paradise F&B Malaysia Sdn Bhd • Quill Holdings Sdn Bhd SILVER DONORS (Donations of RM1,000-RM2,999) • Bannerking Sdn Bhd • Bentley Music Sdn Bhd • Crystal Lee • Datin Hii Lu Yeng • Dato’ Alex Wong • E Beauty Group Sdn Bhd • Frederick Ng • Fiffy Sdn Bhd • Kenny Bee • Kevin Lee • KK Supermart & Superstore Sdn Bhd • Kuuvancha (M) Sdn Bhd • Lim Yoke Bee • Malaysian Gifts & Premium Association (MGPA) • MBA Crew Sdn Bhd • Milestone Production Sdn Bhd • Puan Sri Lee • Rotol Food-Chain (M) Sdn Bhd • Senheng Electric (KL) Sdn Bhd • Sharan Valiram • Steffanie Chua • TMG Mart Sdn Bhd • Ultimate Agenda Sdn Bhd • U-One Marketing Sdn Bhd • Vincent Chew • Watatime (M) Sdn Bhd • Yayasan Ekonomi Kewangan Antarabangsa
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MRCA Donates RM100,000 to 170 Single Mothers in Malaysia
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MRCA Women’s Division Hosts Inaugural CEO Sharing Session on Remaining Resilient during a Pandemic Successful entrepreneur, Founder and Managing Director of Marrybrown Sdn Bhd, Datin Nancy Liew, bucked the trend by opening more franchise restaurants in 2020 amidst the doom and gloom of a pandemic-stricken economy. Outlet sales bounce back to normal 3 months after the MCO in Malaysia.
peaking to about 50 members of MRCA’s Women Division, including women members of MRCA Youth and MRCA Southern Chapter during a virtual session recently, Datin Nancy said that Marrybrown set up a crisis team and implemented a 5-pronged strategy to remain resilient during the pandemic. The quick response yielded good results as outlet sales went back to normal 3 months after the MCO. “Our first order of business was to protect employees and customers’ safety. In terms of physical outlets, we were able to follow the stringent standard operating procedures (SOPs) by the relevant government authorities. More importantly, we kept staff morale up. We prioritised communications with our franchise owners, and even waived 3 months of royalty fees, to show our empathy and commitment to them, to grow together for the long term. While embarking on urgent costcutting measures across the board, “the company had to defend against revenue decline. We had to sell the idea of shifting our marketing plan instead of quieting down, to our franchise holders,” shared Datin Nancy whose company is first local fast-food chain to franchise its business in Malaysia. She acknowledged that it was
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not all smooth sailing. “In Malaysia, we were able to stabilise operations. At a time where some of our suppliers may face logistic or steady supply issues, we had to ensure that all our outlets have stock. It is unthinkable for any outlet to run out of a menu item. The same cannot be said for all 16 countries where we have Marrybrown franchises,” she said. She cited Maldives and Sweden as examples. “Maldives imports almost everything to supplement their economy. For our Marrybrown restaurant, we had to bring renovation materials, equipment, cooking raw materials, and even manpower. They were particularly hard-hit as the country’s income relies largely on tourism. Another
international latest entrant, Sweden, had just started its first outlet before the pandemic hit. We had to do a lot of coaching, mentoring and business advisory for these franchise holders.”
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Datin Nancy concluded the sharing session stating that Marrybrown’s ability to bounce back fast and ensure brand trust to its customers was due to the management’s ability to quickly “ACT on the execution of business plans, ADAPT to the situation and find the relevant business channels, and ADOPT strategy to sustain and even expand the franchise business during this crisis”. Women Division Chief, Dato’ Winnie Lim, who is also MRCA Treasurer General, said the sharing personified Women Division’s aim to promote and advance the personal and professional development of women in MRCA. “Our first speaker, Datin Nancy, is a great role model who has generously shared her wealth of experience to benefit all of us,” she said. MRCA President Shirley Tay said the sharing session was an initiative where corporate entrepreneurs would share their expertise and knowledge with one another. “We received overwhelming positive feedback and comments from our participants. With this encouraging
response, we shall certainly host more sessions like this in the future.” The sharing session was sponsored by Allianz General which recently launched a new product called Smart Retail Shield which offers COVID-19 cover for SMEs. Smart Retail Shield is a flexible fire insurance policy which offers customisable coverage, including
Inconvenience Relief Benefit, in which Allianz General would pay a benefit to policyholders up to 14 days in the event the insured or insured’s employees contract an infectious or contagious disease such as COVID-19 while in the premise which directly results in the restriction of use of the premise by order of the relevant public authority. Malaysia Retailer Vol 8 No 4
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Striking a Balance in the Midst of COVID-19 Five MRCA’s Past Presidents, at a recent webinar entitled Tea Talk with MRCA Honorary Presidents, shared the threats and opportunities brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, helping audiences find their own equilibrium in personal life, business, and the products they sell.
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15 he five Past Presidents were Datuk Albert Chiang (Bonia Corporation Berhad); Datuk Lee Hwa Cheng, (Zhonghe Huaxing Development (M) Sdn Bhd); Dato’ Tay Sim Kim, OSIM (M) Sdn Bhd); Datuk Seri Nelson Kwok JP, (Nelson’s Franchise Sdn Bhd) and Dato’ Liaw Choon Liang JP, (Focus Point Holdings Berhad) MRCA President Shirley Tay and MRCA Deputy President Dato’ Liew Bin were also in attendance to deliver their opening remarks at the event held in December and organised by MRCA. Moderating the “Tea Talk” was Melody FM DJ Mr Wang Chun Pin.
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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PANEL DISCUSSION • COVID-19 HAS AFFECTED
BUSINESSES AND THE WIDER ECONOMY AT AN UNPRECEDENTED SCALE While
healthcare and PPE enterprises have prospered, Datuk Lee Hwa Cheng highlighted that not-solucky businesses of the other walks wrestled for their lives over the cash flow concerns, collection problems, tenant-landlord disputes, and retrenchment issues piled high over the past 11 months.
• FIRST RESPONSE
At the onset of the movement control order, Datuk Liaw held emergency meetings with industry peers and internal management, with plenty of impromptus plays quickly adopted (e.g. restructuring, work-from-home arrangements, online business migrations).
• RESTRUCTURING
Shirley Tay.
For many retailers and exporters, it’s back to looking inwards again at expenses and productivity, irrespective of whether their businesses were ever “lean” before. The forum identified the following hierarchy of business restructuring cues:
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Profitability – Unprofitable business units and branches would have to be terminated. Even if it means losing foothold in prized locations and bruising company pride in the short run, businesses owe it to their employees and dependents to spend wisely and survive. Dato’ Liew Bin.
2
Working capital management – Smart minimization of inventory and a disciplined treasury
function should maintain company reserves in a position to meet obligations for an extended period.
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Human resources – Revising operation schedules, enriching employee job scopes to include multi-tasking and team-based collaboration, etc. Companies need to be prepared to deal with potential competition from enterprises set-up by resignees.
4•
Digitalization Building an omni-channel In the past 2 years, Malaysian businesses have increasingly moved online, and physical retailers know they’d either have to embrace e-commerce, or risk losing sales income – the latter not being an option in view that most products are capable of being sold off-site. The omni-channel concept remains relatively new in Malaysia. However, Datuk Seri Nelson pointed out, “clicks and bricks” in China, the EU, and USA have been drawing online customers to their physical outlets with promotions and discount vouchers – simple yet effective. Dato’ Liaw cited several omnichannelling strategies adopted by his Focus Point brand: a Leveraging on existing customer data to maximize remote client service opportunities b Introducing a “Virtual Try On” augmented reality (“AR”) app that allows online shoppers to digitally “wear” its products, and c Redirected its advertising and marketing budget to social media advertising “’New retail’ does not distinguish between online and offline. Instead, omni-channels (O2O) improve customer experience holistically, owing to the fact that customers still need to feel and experience a product or service before committing to a purchase,” suggested Dato’ Liaw. He also explained that F&B (as well as certain niche businesses) Malaysia Retailer Vol 8 No 4
MRCA Event
16 are profiting from an “order online, self-pickup” model, because both merchants and customers can save on deliveries and commissions. Having invested in proprietary e-commerce platforms and experienced some measure of success, the general consensus from the panellists is that merchants must be patient with the financial outcomes of the transformation (estimated payback period – circa. 4 years), and “to not give up on physical retail” – i.e. click and brick operations must operate in parallel. Emphasizing the latter, Datuk Seri Nelson pointed out that not all products are O2O-compatible, especially low-margin perishables, such as fruits and vegetables, which could be “more optimallydistributed” through supermarkets. Merchants lacking capital to start-up their own unique platforms could capitalize on existing e-marketplaces such as Shopee and Lazada. Besides, social media sites offer new entrants a free, unencumbered access to their target market. A merchant who plays his cards right could potentially receive favourable response and sales leads on Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, etc. and then decide where to move on from there.
• PRODUCT STRATEGY
There are entire red oceans of notso-special products crowding the e-commerce theatre, with some decimating revenues of fabled retailers by as much as tenfold in 30 years. Prevailing above the price war requires a recipe of determinants – product quality, branding, and “listening to the market”. “Knowledge is crucial for any industry, but there also needs to be space for innovation and creativity. We should refrain from copying others wholesale, lest there be oversupply, just like what’s happening now with the face-mask Malaysia Retailer Vol 8 No 4
“ ‘New retail’ does not distinguish between online and offline. Instead, omni-channels (O2O) improve customer experience holistically, owing to the fact that customers still need to feel and experience a product or service before committing to a purchase.” market,” remarks Datuk Lee Hwa Cheng. Also discussed was the inception and rise of Dato’ Tay’s Ammolite Furniture and Goldenhome Kitchen that was driven by a demand gap in Malaysia for imported, ecofriendly, healthy furnishings. This differentiation soon translated into a competitive edge over other generic brands in the land. Datuk Albert Chiang also brought up the importance of utilizing business frameworks such as the 5P’s of Marketing (Product, Price, Promotion, Place, People) and SWOT analysis in evaluating new product choices.
• NEGOTIATING WITH LANDLORDS
The panellists recommend that business owners reassess the feasibility of maintaining their present premise(s). The process usually entails a dialogue with the respective landlord(s), and it was also estimated that 90% of negotiations usually end with a rebate. Should both parties be unable to arrive at a win-win situation, tenants could consider closing down a particularly unprofitable branch, freeing up resources which could then be redirected to other money-making locations.
• NEGOTIATING WITH PARTNERS On F&B, food delivery companies such as Foodpanda, Grab typically
charge a 25-30% handling fee on menu items sold on their platforms. While the partnership promises more orders and higher throughput, it presents a minimum-profit scenario for the seller. Datuk Lee predicted that delivery industries will l be here to stay, and that the omni-channel and “order online, self-pickup” model will continue to gain prominence. Either way, consumers have more choices now than ever before.
• EXPECTATIONS FOR 2021
AND POST COVID-19. SHIFTS IN ATTITUDES
For Dato’ Tay, the post-MCO period was a fixation on restarting promotional activities, and handling the unexpected rebound of queues at these events. He stated, “Even during the pandemic, business can still be done, we just have to be different.” These differences include introducing new products and features, e.g. stress detection systems in armchairs, antimicrobial furniture, small additions in general, but with compounded returns because they have correctly anticipated the change of attitudes towards health and disease prevention, for instance. Confident about breakthroughs in vaccine development and an expansionary Budget 2021, the Honorary Presidents were optimistic about 2021 being a good year for the whole of Malaysia and its business community.
17 MRCA Event
MRCA Partners With Vettons to Bring Their Businesses Online As the pandemic continues, retailers seek online assistance. he Malaysian Retail Chain Association (MRCA), which represents more than 450 leading retail chain store operators and franchisors in Malaysia, is partnering with Vettons to bring retail businesses onto their online shopping platform. As a new wave of COVID-19 plagues the country, MRCA hopes the strategic partnership with Vettons will expand their reach towards more digital-savvy consumers, and leverage on Vettons’ online assets, expertise and features. One of the features of the partnership is Vettons’ guarantee to sell only original brands and products. This will benefit local retailers and the country’s economic ecosystem, as well as boost consumer confidence in the online shopping environment. Vettons also offers timely deliveries, with an option for same-day delivery
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depending on area and availability, dubbed Vettons Now. Vettons is also introducing many industry firsts, including Augmented Reality to help consumers visualise their purchases in their living spaces, as well as leveraging technology, such as artificial intelligence to assist in the shopping experience. The partnership entails monthly webinar workshops, conducted by Vettons, to promote e-marketplace
services and recruit MRCA members. Vettons shall utilise MRCA’s online assets for its campaigns, and conversely, Vettons will collaborate with MRCA as an e-marketplace partner for offline events. MRCA members are waived for 0% commission fee for three months upon signing up with Vettons. Vettons will also coorganise the MRCA CEO Networking Offline Event in 2021.
About Vettons Vettons is an e-commerce company based in Bukit Lanjan, which aims to revolutionise the e-commerce landscape of Malaysia by offering only original products, timely deliveries, and smarter, more personalised shopping experiences. It’s app, called Vettons, was launched in July 2020, and is available for download on Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
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Members Meeting 3 fter the Association’s AGM in August, MRCA’s first Members’ meeting was organised on 18th November 2020, in the spirit of getting together in sociallydistanced times, on Zoom. Members were briefed on membership updates, and the latest developments from the government, as well as perspectives and outlook on retail. The highlights are as follows:
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MRCA President Shirley Tay affirms the Association’s support to members, helping upwards of the “80% [impacted by COVID-19 one way or another]” work through the economic situation collectively: i) effective strategies and business downturn prevention initiatives, ii) collaboration with tech companies, media and government, iii) rollout of training courses to inspire and educate members, iv) providing members with a “buddy” system for mutual assistance.
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Confirmation of minutes by Council members Ken Phua and Datuk Liew Bin.
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54 events were held in 2020. Favouring online conferences, webinars, and expos, the format of large-scale events and networking parties were transformed in compliance with safety guidelines.
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Division leaders’ updates – past and ongoing activities and events in the pipeline, etc: (See Chart)
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Despite the hardships brought on by the multiple MCOs, Treasurer General Chief Dato’ Winnie Lim assures the Association has managed to stay in positive financial health by working on tight budgets.
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Head of Membership, Valerie Choo, announced that the Association currently has 480 members, made up of 3 registrant categories: Ordinary (260), Associate (201), and Affiliate (19). Around 29 Ordinary, 32 Associate and 1 Affiliate member were instated into the MRCA over its 8 intakes between December 2019 and November 2020. 3 prospective applicants were also introduced on that day.
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MRCA Secretary-General Stan Singh informed members of news in advocacy in November involving the Association and several others voicing out for music copyrights/royalties, government intervention on par with Budget 2021, standard operating procedures (SOP) for the retail industry, among others.
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“Over the next few months we are revamping the look and feel of the magazine to make it more informative for all our retailers to use as a resource and guide,” said Vice President Sharan Valiram, also the person-in-charge of the Association’s official Malaysia Retailer magazine.
19 Division / Portfolio
Chief / Advisor / Organising Chair
Criteria to join / Details
MRCA F&B Division Datuk Seri Garry Chua • Businesses involved in F&B • Company has to be a MRCA Member first • No outstanding dues with MRCA
• Any female employee of MRCA Members MRCA Women’s Division Dato’ Winnie Lim (written consent required from company) • No outstanding payments with MRCA MRCA Southern Chapter Michael Liew
• MRCA Members based in the southern region of Malaysia
MRCA Youth Alex Chong • Individuals 40 years old and below • Company has to be a MRCA Member first • No outstanding dues with MRCA MRCA Academy Dato’ Liew Bin
• Upcoming workshop (19-20 November 2020,
MRCA CEO Get-Together
• 70 CEOs from MRCA Member Companies
MRCA Charity Jordan Ng
• MRCA Single Mother Charity Project
14-15 December 2020): Strategies To Detect and Prevent Workplace Dishonesty and Unique Solutions
(8th September 2020) at Fusionex Office, PJ
(Love Touches Lives) raised RM100,000 from 14th Aug to 30th Sept 2020 for 165 single mothers from 6 selected NGOs
MRCA Digitalisation / Stan Singh • Committee Meetings: 19th October 2020, e-commerce 12th November 2020 Facilitation of Seak Thean Pow • Memorials: 24th August 2020, and Members’ Affairs 26th October 2020 Malaysia International Raymond Woo Retail and Franchise Exhibition (MIRF)
• Malaysia International Retail & Franchise
Media Relations Ken Phua
• Courtesy Visits: Media Prima (3rd September
Exhibition to be held from 22nd-24th July 2021 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre
2020), Star Media (10th September 2020), Sin Chew Daily (29th September 2020)
* as of 18-11-2020. Parties interested in joining can contact: mrca.secretariat@gmail.com
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MRCA Christmas Charity Donation 2020 he MRCA Branding Education Charity Foundation donated a total of RM10,000 worth of cash, groceries, gift sets, masks, sanitizers, stationeries and children workbooks to SAFE Community, KL and Pusat Pembangunan HOPE Selangor in conjunction with the Christmas celebration. The MRCA Branding Education Charity Foundation was founded in 2010 by then- President, Dato’ Tay Sim Kim, with RM1 million funds raised. With the set-up of this Foundation, the MRCA started to work on giving back to the society through visitations and donations to Charitable Homes during Malaysia’s main festive seasons such as Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, Deepavali and Christmas. Through these donations, MRCA aims to promote awareness amongst the community on the importance of reaching out and helping the less fortunate and underprivileged by giving back to the community from time to time to show support towards society.
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MRCA Branding Education Charity Foundation Trustees 1. Datuk Lee Hwa Cheng, Chairman of MRCA Branding Education Charity Foundation 2018-2020 2. Dato’ Eddie Choon 3. Datuk Albert Chiang 4. Dato’ Tay Sim Kim 5. Datuk Seri Nelson Kwok JP 6. Dato’ Liaw Choon Liang JP 7. Datuk Seri Garry Chua
21 MRCA News
Southern Chapter Some members are aggressively opening up new outlets locally and internationally. everal members of the Southern Chapter have been aggressively expanding their business both locally and abroad over the past few months this year. Sedan Corner opened its 8th outlet in Eco Business Park 3, Kota Masai in Pasir Gudang on 28th October 2020. Folks in Pasir Gudang can now conveniently enjoy to Sedap Corner’s popular range of local Kuih Muih, Johor Delicacies and other Malaysian favourite dishes. Diners can enjoy a taste of nostalgia in the comfortable and spacious dining environment. It has also created an interactive wall art murals as interesting photo backdrops of a bygone era. MuzArt International, an art education franchise, opened a centre
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each in USJ 10 (Taipan), Petaling Jaya; Raja Uda, Butterworth; Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur; Jurong West, Singapore and Sengkang, Singapore. Another centre is expected to be opened soon in Bintulu, Sarawak. MuzArt’s “5 Unique DNA” approach uses a combination of “Traditional” and “Creative” art to stimulate students and bring out their natural talent. The teaching methods make use of creativity, intellectual development, and psychological elements to ensure that every child can unleash their imagination and creativity without any restraints. Liang Sandwich Bar (LSB) / Liang Crispy Roll (LCR) in Malaysia opened its LCR outlets in Suria KLCC, Tropicana Gardens Mall and Vivacity Megamall, Kuching. The company also introduced its pop up food truck concept in Southkey Mid Valley and various locations in Johor Bahru, Ipoh, Penang and Butterworth, among others. It also introduced its signature frozen parathas into FMCG channels, livestreams, e-commerce platforms since April and in December, it ventured into supplying parathas to F&B chains. LCR Philippines opened its first
outlet in the Philippines at SM Aura while LCR South Korea opened its first outlet in Gangnam, Seoul, and LCR Vietnam welcomed its customers at its first outlet in Danag. Indonesia currently has 57 LSB outlets throughout the country. It also obtained the MUI Halal Certifications for its existing outlets and in October, Liang Crispy Roll officially opened its first outlet in AEON Mall Sentul City. KuuVanCha restaurant opened its new outlet in early November at Taman Molek, Johor Bahru, The restaurant also hosted a lunch gathering with Datuk Henry Yip, MRCA Council member, on 13th November. Both the events were attended by the Southern Chapter committee members led by its head, Michael Liew.
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MRCA New Members
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AUTO COUNT SDN BHD AutoCount Sdn Bhd is a leading home-grown business software developer that delivers high-quality accounting and business applications that meets the unique needs of SMEs across different industry verticals. Auto Count possesses more than 25 years of software development experience, and we are an MSC status company. The company is 100% Malaysian-owned and its head office is located at Oasis Corporate Park, Ara Damansara, Selangor. Currently, AutoCount Accounting, AutoCount Point of Sale, AutoCount Payroll and AOTG Dashboard are the preferred choices of most SMEs in Malaysia and its surrounding countries. There are more than 200,000 companies and 600,000 users from various industries/ sectors relying on AutoCount Business applications in their daily operations. On joining the association, Alex Ng, Sales & Marketing Director of AutoCount Sdn Bhd said that MRCA
is a well-established retail association with long history in Malaysia. “It is an excellent networking platform for retail related businesses to engage with industry peers. It’s also an avenue to exchange ideas, share resources and together expand the retail industry in Malaysia and explore opportunities abroad.
MAH SING GROUP BERHAD Mah Sing Group Berhad was listed on Bursa Malaysia in 1992 and ventured into property development in 1994. Currently, Mah Sing has 50 projects in Greater Kuala Lumpur, Klang Valley, Penang, Johor, as well as Sabah. Mah Sing is one of Malaysia’s fully integrated developer with residential, commercial, hospitality and industrial developments. A leading property developer in Malaysia its diverse portfolio includes masterplanned townships, integrated development, Grade A office building, retail projects, SoHo and Industrial Developments. For over two decades, Mah Sing has continuously created iconic developments that have won over 300 domestic and global awards for company performance, corporate governance, product design, concept, innovation and quality. As a market-driven developer, the Group’s key focus
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is to enhance life by inventing fit-for-purpose quality product offerings in prime locations with easy access to amenities, connectivity, and ready infrastructures. Upholding its tagline, “Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life”, Mah Sing continues to build affordably-priced products that suit current market demand. Datuk Ho Hon Sang, Mah Sing’s CEO, said, “We are deeply honoured to be part of MRCA. Through this platform, Mah Sing believes that with MRCA’s reputation through its lengthy experience and established network, will be able to enrich businesses and resources, completing Mah Sing’s ultimate goal towards enhancing the lives of many.”
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HEALTH LANE FAMILY PHARMACY SDN BHD Health Lane Family Pharmacy is a growing chain with more than 30 years of experience in the retail pharmacy business. It currently has 100 outlets in the Klang Valley, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Johor, Sarawak, and is still expanding. Health Lane believes that “GREAT HEALTH BEGINS HERE”, and its goal is to establish a strong bond and long term relationship with its customers, treating them as family by providing personalised service, caring advice and recommending wholesome solutions to help them achieve great health. To achieve its goal, Health Lane employs a dedicated team of licensed and experienced pharmacists, well trained nutritionists, dietitians and health advisors to provide the best service and consultation for its customers. Throughout the journey of over three decades,
Health Lane has built a base of more than 500,000 loyal customers who appreciate the company’s practice and professionalism. Health Lane strives to be one of the most trusted pharmacy brands by offering a wide variety of genuine products, professional service and a convenient shopping experience. The company aims to expand its presence in Malaysia in order to serve the community and enhance the quality of life of every customer we serve Juliana Jamaludin, Assistant Marketing Manager, said, “With more than 30 years of experience in the retail business and with 100 outlets nationwide, we are honoured to finally be part of the MRCA.” “We hope to learn from our peers in the retail industry and at the same time contribute ideas to help grow the retail industry, in line with our company motto, ‘Together We Grow Beyond Excellence’.”
INNITY SDN BHD Innity is Asia’s leading digital media company and provider of digital advertising, marketing and social commerce technologies for brands, agencies, advertisers and publishers. The REVO Rewards Platform, the latest Social Commerce Solution from Innity, is an innovative rewards platform and the first in Malaysia to integrate CardLinked Offers technology. Over 80 merchants offering a wide range of cash back reward options are now available on REVO. Made possible by technologies from partners, Mastercard and Visa, the REVO Rewards Platform seamlessly enables merchants to track and reward customers’ spend using a credit or prepaid card without any technical integration, QR codes or the use of apps. Customers pay as usual through existing merchant card terminals (in-store customers) or through an existing payment gateway (online customers). The REVO platform
takes care of tracking transactions and rewarding customers with cash back or e-vouchers. REVO is available on the web, Apple and Google App Stores. CEO of Innity, Phang Chee Leong, said,”This is the time for businesses from every industry to be bold, to experiment and to level up. We have teamed up with Mastercard and Visa to create a platform that is highly relevant to retailers of the MRCA who wish to drive incremental in-store or online sales in a risk-free, pay-for-performance manner, especially in these challenging times. Malaysia Retailer Vol 8 No 4
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48 Students Receive a Total of RM20,400 from MRCA Encouragement Fund The students achieved excellent results at the UPSR, PT3, SPM and STPM examinations in 2019. alaysia Retail Chain Association set up the Branding Education Charity Foundation in 2010. One of the Foundation’s objectives is to provide educational assistance to the needy and the most deserving students. In showing their support for education and their employees, the Foundation recognises the academic excellence demonstrated by their staff’s children who have achieved excellent results at the UPSR (5As and above), PT3 (7As and above), SPM (7As and above) and STPM (3As and above) examinations.
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Encouragement Fund for UPSR, PT3, SPM & STPM 2019 No Company
Applicant Name
UPSR 2019 1 PCQ Hair & Beauty Products Sdn Bhd 2 Focus Point Holdings Berhad 3 Bonia Corporation BerhadShet 4 Popular Book Co. (M) Sdn Bhd 5 Popular Book Co. (M) Sdn Bhd 6 Popular Book Co. (M) Sdn Bhd 7 Poh Kong Holdings Berhad 8 Poh Kong Holdings Berhad 9 Poh Kong Holdings Berhad 10 Toshiba Tec (M) Sdn Bhd 11 Toshiba Tec (M) Sdn Bhd 12 Hai-O Raya Bhd 13 Hai-O Raya Bhd 14 Sunsuria Berhad 15 Sunsuria Berhad 16 Sunsuria Berhad 17 Fella Design Sdn Bhd 18 Fella Design Sdn Bhd
Gan Zixuan Ler Sze Ying How Kye Khoo Xin Yao Tan Hui Yee Joshua Ooi Kim Jun Teh You Cong Pan Yoke Kee Chong Hui Qi Muhammad Nur Adha Bin Mohd Yusman Kyle Yong Kang Min Nicholas Cheah Shan An Kek Tian Rou Lee Jia Wei Beverley Chee Tyen Xyn Charmine Ellena Ong Mun Hew Yee Yamunaa Chandrasegaran
1 2 3 4 5
Jason Tan Jun Kit Dang Dai Vee Tay Venn Shin Chai Jian Shun Wong Yan Wen
SPM 2019/ IGCSE (Ordinary) 1 Parkson Corporation Sdn Bhd 2 Parkson Corporation Sdn Bhd 3 Parkson Corporation Sdn Bhd 4 Goldsoft Sdn Bhd 5 Bonia Corporation Berhad 6 Eu Yan Sang (1959) Sdn Bhd 7 Poh Kong Holdings Berhad 8 Poh Kong Holdings Berhad 9 Poh Kong Holdings Berhad 10 Poh Kong Holdings Berhad 11 Poh Kong Holdings Berhad 12 Poh Kong Holdings Berhad 13 Poh Kong Holdings Berhad 14 Poh Kong Holdings Berhad 15 Poh Kong Holdings Berhad 16 Fiffy Sdn Bhd 17 Fiffy Sdn Bhd 18 One Ap Design Agency Sdn Bhd 19 Hai-O Raya Bhd 20 Ikano Handel Sdn Bhd 21 KK Supermart and Superstore Sdn Bhd 22 Fella Design Sdn Bhd 23 KK Supermart and Superstore Sdn Bhd 1 2
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PT3 2019 OSIM (M) SDN BHD Focus Point Holdings Berhad Bonia Corporation Berhad Eu Yan Sang (1959) Sdn Bhd Eu Yan Sang (1959) Sdn Bhd
Lai Ting Yee Tan Xin Yi Lee Siao Yan Chong Yuan Ru Woon Yong Jiang Chai Jian Dong Wong Wei Poh Mah Yun Qian Wang Kean Seng Wong Cheng Yee Cham Xiao Chee Liew Liang Lee Chow Shu Xian Cheok Ding Wei Ong Yan Ling Lim Zhi Han Nur Eliani Elissa Binti Mohammad Zuki Pang Eason Sow Jun Dong Ng Zhi Shuen Evelyn Lee Zi Qi Agnes Lee Jia Yi Lim Zi Jie
STPM 2019/ A-Levels Eu Yan Sang (1959) Sdn Bhd Cassandra Lee Ern Hui KK Supermart and Superstore Sdn Bhd Lim Min Yie
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MRCA NEWS THAT APPEARED IN THE MEDIA RECENTLY
MRCA News
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redONE Banks on the Retail Business redONE Network Sdn Bhd (redONE), Malaysia’s leading Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) with over 1.2 million postpaid subscribers, is known for its affordable services and mobile plans that start from as low as RM8 per month. Riding on a premier mobile network operator’s widest 4G LTE infrastructure, redONE subscribers can expect to enjoy seamless data connectivity and uninterrupted voice calls throughout Malaysia at budgetfriendly prices. Winner of multiple awards and recognitions for its practices and values, redONE currently operates in Malaysia and Singapore, and has ambitious plans to expand into other parts of ASEAN in the near future with Thailand being its next market. Since its inception, redONE has always emphasised the importance of its retail distribution channels. The bricks and mortar retail business model is still very relevant to the majority of telecommunications consumers, where they are able to receive
more personalised advice or to simply make a bill payment. Although there are more consumers who shop online in recent times, the retail store setup is especially crucial to cater to those who are still sceptical of online services and prefer faceto-face interaction. redONE now has over 100 redONE Premier Shops, and more than 2,500 retail partners throughout Malaysia since it started its business in 2012. These redONE outlets not only build local brand presence, they also provide instant service access for the community and build customers’ confidence in the company while showcasing the different types of products and services that redONE offers. With the establishment of redONE Premier Shops around the country, redONE also seized the opportunity to use them as training centres for newly recruited redONE sales advisors. Here, they are skilfully trained by the appointed official redONE trainers on how to become a
A newly launched redONE Premier Shop in Terengganu. The founders of redONE. L-R: Chief Sales Officer Ben Teh, CEO Farid Yunus, Chief Operating Officer Tee Yew Yaw.
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telcopreneur that generates personal income with life-long incentives. To date, redONE has a network of 4,000 active sales advisors around the country. On reasons for joining MRCA, redONE CEO, Farid Yunus, said, “We have great ambitions to expand our business in the retail sector and being part of MRCA will definitely help us in achieving this goal. By sharing our experience of having over 2,500 retail partners and synergising with existing MRCA members, we will be able to capitalise on more opportunities together.” Having a strong network of retail sales partners, redONE has and will continue to reward them with attractive commissions based on the sales that they bring in. From disbursing RM29 million in 2014 to RM90 million in 2019, redONE is on track to pay out RM100 million in commissions in 2020. This further proves that the physical retail business continues to remain relevant to consumers in this digital age. Moving forward, redONE is not only planning to strengthen and grow its network of postpaid partners, but it will also establish a wide network of prepaid dealers to market its recently enhanced prepaid plans. With these in place, redONE will be able to offer its great products and services to even more consumers throughout the country.
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Top Trends for Frontline Worker Productivity By Anees Haidri, Global Retail Strategy Lead, Zebra Technologies
s the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, forward-thinking companies are testing new technologies and processes that protect the safety of frontline workers to drive sustained productivity. Companies worldwide are grappling with the rebuilding phase of this pandemic, strategizing on how best to adapt operations to enhance employee safety while also addressing fast-changing business demands to deliver strong results while ensuring customer satisfaction. The following are some top trends companies are exploring to increase frontline
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worker productivity, speed, and effectiveness via technology and refreshed business operations.
REVOLUTIONISING DELIVERY AUTHENTICATION The common practice of providing a signature on a delivery driver’s mobile device to obtain a certified package is no longer ideal in today’s world given the ease in which germs can spread. One new solution companies are rolling out to protect both the frontline worker handling the package delivery and the recipient involves barcode scanning to avoid direct contact. With this trending approach,
the delivery driver scans the barcode on the package and then hands it to the recipient. Then the package recipient can use his or her own mobile device with camera functionality to authorise and certify that he or she has in fact received the package while eliminating any contamination from handling a shared mobile device.
REINVENTING THE ROLE OF BRICK AND MORTAR SPACES Retailers specifically are looking at creative new approaches for reutilizing brick and mortar square footage in productive ways given current consumer shopping
29 habits are gravitating toward e-commerce, resulting in a decrease of in-store traffic. One trending approach is providing the front line with more space and moving logistics farther up the supply chain. Some retailers are shifting toward “dark stores” – determining that they are better suited to meet customer demand by closing the store to the public and instead, converting the space into a mini-distribution centre to fulfil e-commerce orders. By adjusting their supply chain to address demand, this retail strategy allows inventory and workflow to be organized in a manner that keeps employees safe and consumers satisfied while addressing critical needs at every step of the process. Other retailers are opting to increase the footprint of “back-of-store” while remaining open to the public, allowing for additional items that are traditionally only sold online to be stocked in-store, driving increased inventory levels that better support in-store customers, fulfilling e-commerce and rapidly growing “buy online, pick-up in store” demand.
PRIORITISING FRICTIONLESS CHECKOUT Some consumers still prefer in-store shopping, while others prefer to order online and pickup curbside. Consumers expect limited engagement and interaction with employees, which provides a definitive health benefit for frontline workers as well. Removing friction (“pain points”) from the shopping experience helps drive productivity and business
growth, as friction impacts both frontline workers and shoppers – and ultimately a company’s bottom line. Adopting social distancing measures has caused retailers to consider ways to limit touchpoints and customer engagements around the checkout process. Empowering associates with technology to quickly provide customers with service or answers to questions helps keep employees and customers safe.
ENABLING SAFETY WITH MOBILITY While mobile technology for the frontline worker is now a mainstay for most businesses, the pandemic has highlighted that there is an opportunity for even more value. In retail stores, mobile devices are
enabling the pickup process that is needed as shoppers shift from in-store purchases to online shopping and curbside pickup. Retailers that leverage mobility can also ensure the curbside experience is seamless by providing alerts to associates on arrival leading to the instant handoff of merchandise. Additionally, mobility is providing retailers with a way to meter customers, creating a safer shopping environment and providing associates with a communications tool that helps ensure they can move safely through the store. Mobile solutions also enable associates to receive real-time communications and information about product availability or the company’s latest health procedures. In addition to retail stores, warehouse workers are safer because of mobile solutions that offer proximity sensing and contact tracing. Transportation and logistics companies, field service providers, retailers, and other businesses with warehouse environments can benefit from implementing various new safety precautions and shifts in distribution and manufacturing operations like those mentioned above to keep the frontline workforce as productive as possible. To learn more about technology solutions that can drive frontline worker productivity, please visit www.zebra.com/retail or Scan here to talk to us:
Scan the QR Code to learn more.
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The acquisition will bring more enriching reservation experiences by connecting patrons to restaurants and hospitality outlets more efficiently and seamlessly. oth companies, in a joint statement, said that the acquisition, for an undisclosed sum, consisted of cash and equity. The merger is set to provide a platform for users to have instant online access to both restaurants and other hospitality and lifestyle activity merchants. Philip Ting, founding partner and head of Southeast Asia of FunNow, said the combined resources of both entities would be able to supply consumers with a 360-degree hospitality solution experience with access to even lastminute deals in Klang Valley. FunNow, a leading reservation platform for various entertainment and leisure venues, started out with mainly Japanese and Malaysian customers on their app. It has since ventured out to provide deals globally. Ting said that there is a growing trend of diners and restaurateurs relying on online reservation platforms, and more so since Covid-19 due to required social distancing measures. “This acquisition of TABLEAPP aligns with FunNow’s mission of creating more memorable experiences, a big part which is for users to be spontaneous before enjoying what lies ahead through a powerful reservation platform within
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their mobile devices. “Now with TABLEAPP, we are set to become the largest reservation platform in Malaysia and soon other cities in Southeast Asia for urbanites,” Ting stated in the statement. TABLEAPP Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Benson Chang, said the synergy from both companies and the pooled resources would further strengthen their positions in the food and beverage and lifestyle industry. “The combined entity enables restaurants to sell their empty tables at the last minute while, concurrently, attracting a bigger user base to also capitalise on discounts and offers. The combined platform also helps eliminate no-shows for restaurants while also providing deals for diners — a win-win solution
indeed,” said Benson Chang. Since its establishment in 2013, TABLEAPP has seated over 6.3 million diners. Benson Chang will join FunNow as the Director and Head the Operations of the combined platform in Malaysia. The TABLEAPP team joining FunNow will be based at the FunNow Malaysia office in Kuala Lumpur while its core restaurant reservation and table management tools for merchants will continue to operate as standalone applications. The acquisition will result in TABLEAPP’s current investors including SEA Unicorn, an investment holding company controlled by former PIKOM Chairman Ganesh Kumar Bangah, global venture capital firm 500 Startups and Singapore-based venture capital firm Crystal Horse Investments, together with TABLEAPP’s core team, becoming shareholders of FunNow. Malaysia Retailer Vol 8 No 4
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Taiwan-based FunNow acquires Malaysian startup, TABLEAPP
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‘Looking Past The Discount’: Can This Peak Shopping Season Be The Start of The Retail Resurgence? The challenges caused to businesses in 2020 means most are looking for sales season to be huge. Helena Gamvros, Head of Brand and Agency, Asia Pacific, at Outbrain, explores the best performance strategies to make the most out of the fast-approaching peak retail season. his quarter is gearing up to be the best of 2020. We’ve had so much going on that has directly affected our economy that the upcoming sales season is a chance for many to start to rebuild Malaysia’s retail industry is suffering its worst decline in 33 years. According to Trading Economics, retail trade has declined 1.5% year-on-year in August 2020, following a 3.8% drop in the previous month. While it’s the sixth consecutive month with decline, the losses from the pandemic shock are slowing as customers adapt. If Malaysia follows the pattern of China this year we can expect to see some green shoots soon. (Graph A) One thing is for certain, we can safely say that COVID-19 will not
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break the holiday spirit. According to a consumer insight survey undertaken by Radical, 66% of shoppers are expected to increase online spending in this flash sale season with days like Singles Day, Cyber Monday and Black Friday on the horizon. The Malaysian consumer has proved now more than ever, there needs to be a solid focus on your online experience. According to GlobalData’s ecommerce Analytics, Malaysia’s e-commerce market is estimated to register 24.7% growth in 2020. (Graph B) We’re likely to continue to see restrictions on movement due to COVID-19 until at least the end of the year, so getting that ecommerce piece right is more crucial than ever before.
GRAPH A 7.2
6.8
7
7
6.7
6.3
10 0 -3.8
-6.6
-1.5
-9.2 -16.2
-20 -20 -30
-32.4 -40 Oct 2019
Jan 2020
Apr 2020
Source: Tradingeconomics.com / department of statistics, Malaysia
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Consumers are now changing where they shop, why they shop, and how they shop. These enforced changes will create new habits. So for many retailers there needs to be key changes in strategies to help target this new wave of customer. For retailers, there’s a now or never moment coming. There are more affordable ecommerce solutions available to even small businesses, and because of this your customer base is now anyone with an internet connection, not just people visiting your stores. So, how do you connect with them? There are three main points you need to consider: • Cut through the noise • Start even earlier • Target, optimise, target To get customers, you’re going to need to invest in your marketing. We’re among the slowest for advertising growth globally, with many small and mediumsized businesses operating in the hospitality, tourism and retail sectors, slashing spend during the pandemic. Consumers are exposed to a lot of advertising every day. To cut through the noise you must make sure your creative and content strategy hits the right people and stands out from the crowd. We’ve always known there is a lot of over-saturation, but now
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GRAPH B
60 50
41.7
40
20
0
9.6
2016
14.2
19.7
60% 50% 40%
36.1 30.2
30
10
46.7
51.6
30%
24.2
20% 10%
2017
2018
2019
2020
E-commerce value
2021
2022
2023
2024
Growth rate (%)
E-commerce value (MYRbn)
Malaysia: E-commerce Value (MYRbn) 2016-24f
0%
Growth rate
Global Banking and Payments Intelligence Center. www.globaldata.com
we’re balancing that with navigating all these new buyers and sellers shifting to online. Now, more than ever, is a time when you need to make a meaningful connection with your customer and not just become part of the noise. This can be done in a multitude of ways, yet my advice is to focus on what makes your offline experience special and mimic that online. Customers find comfort in meaningful connections which needs to be done by looking past the discount, so to speak. By thinking beyond one-time purchases or visitors you can drive repeat engagement by utilising incentives, providing closed-door content and making consumer trust one of your main goals. Another way to cut through the noise is through the proper use of headlines and copy, to capture attention through images and branding. My favourite mantra is fail to plan and plan to fail, which is why this sales season starting even earlier will be key in driving sales, especially as 30% of COVID-era consumers plan to utilise Cyber Weekend as their main holiday shopping time. There is so much to do, and so
little time. A great place to start is building your audience pools. This will take time, but is one of the most important aspects as segmentation is everything when it comes to more cost per acquisition (CPA) driven targeting and retargeting, personalising ad experiences and efficient optimisations. From soft conversions to hard conversions, all the way to generating ‘Lookalikes’ off your first party data, you need to look at the pools that are the most important to you going into that shopping season. Soft conversations can include new website visitors or email engagements, while the trickier conversion pools can include add to cart purchases and repeat purchases. However, don’t discard looking back at pools that didn’t convert last holiday, or even pools for October that didn’t convert to sales - they’re all valuable and have a long lifespan. My suggestion is to use pay day sales or Singles Day as dress rehearsals to really get your strategy right. That brings me to the last strategic point to really increase your effect this holiday season: target, optimise and target. This includes
breaking out campaigns by platform, thinking outside your vertical, target for conversion and expanding regionally. As more shoppers shift to mobile you need to make sure you’re creating experiences for the intimacy of the small screen, especially in the discovery phase. But keep in mind, desktop and tablet still win out for overall e-commerce conversion rates. COVID-19 has seen a lot of categories climb in popularity as consumer habits shift, notably health, fitness and home goods. Yet these categories can be used to the advantage of all, which is why retailers also need to think outside their vertical. Your consumers are interested in many different topics, so you can miss potential customers because you’re not showing a wider group you have what it is they’re looking for. The takeaway here is give yourself some room to explore. There may be opportunities in things you haven’t considered, this is how you can lead more new customers you may not have usually connected with through your funnel. These strategy suggestions can help give you the lead you need to make the most out of the peak sales season. They also not just for the golden quarter. By cutting through the noise, planning and strategising, you can adapt your offering to maximum efficiency year round.
Outbrain is a leading discovery and native advertising feed for the open web. A third of the world’s Internet-connected population explore and discover information through its feed technology. Outbrain operates in 55 countries and is headquartered in New York city with offices in 18 cities worldwide.
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Toppen Shopping Centre Unveils Plans for Pedestrian Bridge and Welcomes New Offerings The bridge will provide better accessibility, connectivity and customer convenience for everyone visiting the Tebrau meeting place. Meanwhile, 13 new tenants open with exciting new offerings at Toppen, a big sign that business is bouncing back again. oppen Shopping Centre recently unveiled its plans for a new pedestrian bridge that will link its centre to a neighbouring retail complex, effectively making the shopping experience for visitors even better. Going over the busy Persiaran Bandar Desa Tebrau, the 86-metre elevated pedestrian bridge will enable the community to travel safely and easily between Toppen and AEON Tebrau. With early approval from the Johor Bahru City Council, the pedestrian bridge will connect Toppen’s sheltered bus stop to AEON’s outdoor parking space. Construction of the bridge started in early August and is expected to be completed by January 2021. The covered bridge will provide shoppers and employees with a more convenient and safer alternative to crossing the current busy eight-lane roadway. “As we approach our first
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anniversary, we remain committed to our vision of being the heart and hub of the Johor Bahru community. We are always looking at new ways to improve accessibility in and around our centre, including Tebrau as a whole,” said Joakim Hogsander, General Manager of Toppen Shopping Centre. “We built this pedestrian bridge of our own accord, and we hope that it will benefit the local community as a public amenity for a safer and better tomorrow.”
NEW RETAIL OPTIONS UNDER ONE ROOF ‘TOPP’ In spite of Malaysian’s economic challenges during the Movement Control Order (MCO), Toppen welcomed 13 new local and independent tenants to offer customers more options in areas of Beauty & Health, Fashion, Food & Beverages (F&B), Furniture & Household, Electrical & Digital Goods as well as some new services. The
new tenants are D’Natural, O’Care, Top Secret, Historia Hair Salon, Shoe City, Prestar Jeans, TW Shoes Station, JIRE, SAY CHIZU Hokkaido Cheese Toast, MyeongDong Topokki, My Digital Lock, Segi Ganjaran Money Changer, and ONEXOX. In September, Toppen introduced its own Beauty & Health space known as Beauty Stories, by Toppen. The area is designed to house a specially curated selection of independent health and beauty brands ranging from beauty, skincare and nailcare, to overall health and wellness. With the addition of these new partners, the 1.2 million square feet retail space is now 92 percent leased, complementing the current attractions including IKEA Tebrau, TGV Cinemas, B.I.G Supermarket, Harvey Norman, among others. The Topp, the centre’s unique community hub, features a water splash park, skate park, Zen garden, multipurpose courts, and alfresco dining for shoppers to enjoy. Arnoud Bakker, Head of Leasing, Ikano Centres, said, “With every new opening, we create new job opportunities for Malaysians while filling the needs we see in our community – and that is really rewarding.” Hogsander explained that Toppen has put strict processes in place to help ensure the health and safety of its visitors. Opened in November 2019, Toppen Shopping Centre is one of five anchored-by-IKEA shopping centres in Southeast Asia.
MR D.I.Y. Profit Soars Following Listing he home improvement retailer that was listed in September, posted a net profit of RM113.45mil (57 per cent jump) in the third quarter ended Sept 30,2020, compared to RM73.62mil the previous year. The company also recorded a 32% increase in revenue to RM740.2 million from RM561.72 million in the corresponding quarter last year. The company declared an interim dividend of 0.73 sen per share. MR D.I.Y. Group (M) Bhd added 46 new stores in the third quarter, representing an increase of about 100% from the average store additions in each of the preceding two quarters. For the nine months of this year, MR D.I.Y. registered revenue of RM1.79bil and net profit of RM228.9mil, up 8% and 1%, respectively compared to the corresponding period in 2019. Meanwhile, MR D.I.Y. Group celebrated the opening of 46 new MR D.I.Y., M. TOY and MR DOLLAR stores with grand opening events nationwide. About 50,500 freebies worth more than RM1.5million were up for grabs over the three-day weekend event at the new stores located in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Perak, Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang and Sarawak. The group’s nationwide event has opened up employment opportunities for 700 Malaysians through the launch of 32 MR D.I.Y., 7 MR TOY and 7 MR DOLLAR stores respectively. MR D.I.Y. Group currently owns and operates more than 710 stores across the country. MR D.I.Y. Group vice-president of
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marketing Andy Chin said, “Our past grand opening events demonstrated how much Malaysians welcome a good bargain, which spurred us to fast-track our expansion plans. Opening these 46 new stores just ahead of the year-end festivities and back-to-school period will allow more Malaysians to enjoy quality products without straining their wallets.” MR D.I.Y. also won the Brand of the Year in Retail – Home Improvement Category 2020-2021 in the World Branding Awards. On winning the award for three
consecutive years, Andy Chin said, “This year’s win is testament to our employees’ unwavering commitment, hard work and dedication towards our vision of becoming the market leader in the home improvement retail industry.” “It was also proof of the people’s confidence in MR D.I.Y,” stated Andy. He added that the group plans to open more than 200 MR D.I.Y., MR. TOY and MR. DOLLAR stores nationwide in 2021. While other companies were cutting jobs at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, MR D.I.Y. held a recruitment campaign in June, offering 1,000 positions to fresh graduates, retrenched workers, people with disabilities and the unemployed older generation. The group has also been supporting national COVID-19 efforts through its ongoing Stay Safe, Malaysia! initiative. It has donated more than RM1.1mil worth of protective gear to frontliners and communities nationwide. Malaysia Retailer Vol 8 No 4
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UNIQLO Malaysia Launches New Store Concept New model of store away from shopping mall aims to closely engage with the surrounding community for a more personal, more convenient shopping experience. apanese global apparel retailer UNIQLO recently opened a roadside, community-based store in Bandar Sri Damansara, surrounded by residential townships, schools and office buildings. The new roadside store has a shopping space designed to accommodate some of the essential needs of the surrounding community. Yuki Yamada, CEO of UNIQLO Malaysia and Singapore, said that UNIQLO turned 10 in Malaysia in November. “Over the years, we have developed a strong presence here with an online store and 51 physical stores in shopping malls located in major cities and towns across 12 states,” he stated. The roadside store at DA Square @ Damansara Avenue, he pointed out, is carefully designed to ensure enough space and accessibility for all, including families with children, elderly people and people with disability, and will feature its own car park for our customers.
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“It will serve as a close-tohome store for customers in Bandar Sri Damansara and surrounding townships, giving locals the chance to enjoy a quick and convenient trip to UNIQLO, he added. UNIQLO’s first roadside store in
Japan opened in 1985. Malaysia is the fifth country outside Japan and the third in Southeast Asia to have a roadside concept store following successful launches of the store format in South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines.
By Stan Jit Singh, Secretary-General, MRCA
“Business is About People & People is About Business” – Stan Singh etailing has evolved over the last decade with the advent of new technologies and its offering to allow businesses to disrupt and exist in a speedier and structured manner with newer effective capabilities. Having said that, technology has, in the past played the role of an “Enabler” supporting business processes to establish a greater degree of accuracy in the results and outcome but this landscape is equally vastly changing overtime and today it’s no longer the case because Technology is the “Business”. Some still believe the narrative that IT must be looked at after a business strategy has been crafted out and if this is the case, a change must occur. Today, IT has become the immediate integral part of the entire business outlay representing to be the main component in the final analysis. In addition, with the combination of newer technologies being play-out or deployed, it gives the business owner a greater chance to scale upwards and perhaps have a multi-channel or hybrid business model to cater for the vast changing business landscape having agility and alignment to the processes. A new norm need has taken shape for the traditional retailer to reinvent taking advantage of the newer technology offerings to reach the greater plains of the Digital World or better known as the Digital Economy, and hence, the word “Disruptive” comes to mind. Today, you would undoubtedly, often hear the statement, “Disrupt or Be Disrupted”, being made by so many of us from all walks of
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life. What that really means is, a shakeup, change, evolve, innovate, transform and adopt to adapt newer technologies into your business to be competitive and stay relevant. It also means bridging and aligning the “Physical World” with that of the “Digital World” capturing all the pertinent data touch points that is required for business owners to make that critical business call in moving the curve upwards to reach Customers at large and more importantly, be profitable. Furthermore, we must also remember that it’s the customer’s demand that drive changes through their lifestyle and habits and as such, a retailer cannot remain traditional in its ways to conduct business even though the road to success has been travelled before and hoping to continue this journey. As technology evolves a change is imminent and if you are not ready for that change, you will be left behind to travel the “old road” that no longer will give you the same velocity, result and impact to your business cycle. The retailer must consider all the digital avenues that are readily available to exploit and disrupt so that with the data gathered through these digital touch points it can be analyzed with predictive capabilities. Imagine what insights it can bring to the retailer and continues to exploit the digital space to be profitable and has created a new opportunity in keeping the business afloat and at the same time building the brand as well. Let me also make a cautionary statement here, in that, there is no such thing as “One Size Fits All” which remains an illusion myth and please avoid this route. Test, check, consult, understand,
review, realign and then decide what you are looking for to do and whether the technology in consideration is right for your business. Importantly have the right talent to work along side that new strategy to achieve your goals and objectives rather than shooting at a moving target, which very often is the case, and IT always get the “blame” for not doing what it was supposed to do and when things go horribly wrong. Let us look at what newer technologies are available today that will give the business the opportunity to consider, and disrupt all traditions to make that quantum leap to take the business forward in the new redefined landscape and at the same time address all business pain points and issues. At the end of the day what you need to do is to create a new tested and stable business framework that will house, the new business strategy, new technology, new talent pool, new operational methodologies and eradicate every fear and misbelief, that retailing is not just about business but it’s about technology that is driving newer found retailing frontiers when you disrupt. Technologies for Retailing available today are: * Big Data Analytics * IoT Devices (Internet of Things) *Artificial Intelligence (AI) * Machine Deep Learning * Robotics* Conversational AI Chatbot with WhatsApp * Blockchain *Augmented / Mixed Reality * Mobility – Mobile Commerce * Internet Commerce * Cloud Computing and 5G (Retail). In the next article, let’s demystify these technologies to bring greater understanding and perhaps consider to disrupt, reinvent and realign your business to take it to the next level. Malaysia Retailer Vol 8 No 4
Digitalisation
Technology – The Value Proposition
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