Robust rak issue 10 by SPI Publishing

ISSUE : 10 | Nov - Dec 2014 facebook.com/RobustRak www.robustrak.com

THE VOICE OF RAK BUSINESS COMMUNITY

Live

Work

be well

Let's honour fittest RAK executives!

Top RAK officials and companies set to gather at the inaugural ceremony of HH Sheikh Saud Wellness Awards to honour the fittest business leaders and exemplary work environments. Corporate partner

Sole automotive partner

Technology partner

Robust RAK - Business Roaming 245x175-E.indd 1

16/10/2014 16:50

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contents

November- December 2014

12 Beehive introduces first-ever P2P online lending platform for SMEs

Beehive’s online marketplace facilitates flexible funding for established businesses seeking investment between AED100, 000 and AED500, 000.

16 RAK Hospital opens first-ever specialty eye care center

RAK Eye Care Center is fully dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of all medical conditions of the eye while offering the most advanced, exceptionally versatile and superior cutting edge eye-care technology and surgical platform.

18 One1Info’s perfect matchmaking: Global giants meet local leaders!

A high profile delegation from European developers to discuss future business development plans in the newly developed Murjan island.

20 Revealing 5 most-expensive car accessories

When high-end accessories nudge away luxury apparels to encroach the car’s turf, here’s how it appears….

22 Let’s honour the wellness of worksite warriors!

His Highness Sheikh Saud Al Qasimi introduced the ‘Work Place Health and Wellness Awards’ in Ras al Khaimah to honour all industries and commercial organizations who have the healthiest work force with the best health improvement system and the healthiest top leadership team.

26 Strive for satisfaction, not happiness in your job

David Allen, creator of the ‘Getting Things Done’ system, shared tips on making clear decisions and mastering workflow, in an exclusive workshop held in Dubai.

November- December 2014

contents

28 Plenty of leads, but tiny customer base

It hardly serves any point in generating more leads and enquiries if your existing conversion process results in most of your hard-won enquiries falling through the cracks, explains Simon Hodges.

30 David vs Goliath: Punching

t efi

n Be

giant competitors in their nose

How can a young start-up build a successful business from scratch when giant competitors exist in the industry? Phil Bedford elaborates on how one can match these bigger enterprises by focusing efforts on the niches overlooked by them, using the story of David and Goliath as a source of reference.

32 Employee benefits program,

an absolute necessity?

Choosing the right people is important; giving them the opportunity to spread their wings is a crucial progression and putting compensation as a carrier behind them is an absolute pre-condition to success, elaborates Sandi Saksena.

38 Look out startups, content marketing is more than a good idea!

For all businesses, financing and marketing are two of the most important tasks. However, young businesses find little or no investments for the latter. Tish Tash believes that one of the solutions in these circumstances is content marketing.

40 Wolf of Wall Street:

Telling business tales

With their cost effective business solutions and unique services, One1info assist investors around the globe in bridging the gap of information, direction & opportunities to achieve successful market penetration and generate volume economy.

43 Corporate Lifestyle

For CEOs and executives, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about style. We feature some new arrivals in the market that will up their power quotient.

Earth Holding

P.O. Box: 10044, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE Tel: 07 - 2282555 Fax: 07 - 2264447 www.earthholding.com

In collaboration with

SPI Group

www.spigroup.ae www.robustrak.com www.theintelligentsme.com www.appsmena.com www.appsglobal.ae www.dubai-gbs.com www.smeworld.ae

EDITOR’S NOTE Are you well? So habitual is this friendly conversation opener, it almost goes unnoticed. However, this simple question, wellness, pretty much leaves the worlds of academia and psychology quite stumped. Is wellness a measure of a balanced life or is it physical rather than a mental state or, maybe, just pure happiness-or all three?

Publisher & CEO Shantanu A.P. Editor Samar Manzar Asst. Editor Amey Borkar Consulting Editor Utpal Bhattacharya Account Director Vijay G. Business Dev. Manager Nasim Akhtar nasim@theintelligentsme.com

Strategic Advisor Badal Saboo Expert Contributors Prof. Adrian Kennedy John Merrigan Mark Fisher

Studies find that long hours at work place forces people to neglect themselves, and, compromise on their lifestyle and eating habits. Employees, in today’s economic climate, are expected to deliver more with less and job security is one of the major worries. The outcome of this scenario is nothing but a low productivity rate. So, isn’t it high time companies start looking after the wellness of their employees, promote prevention and care at work to make their staff feel more balanced?

Michael J. Tolan Sandi Saksena Simon Hodges Art Director Aneesh Varghese Web Developer Raj Shekar Reddy Designer Retheesh Viswanath Response and communications

Response Executive Evelyn V.B. MIS Executive Yolanda Pedemonte Rizza Leah L. Gabalfin Distribution Department

Jerry P. Sam Editorial Enquiries & Contributions

% 04-2659704, 04-2650312 Fax: 04-2690566 editor@theintelligentsme.com Advertising Enquiries

% 04-2659704, 04-2650312 response@spiholding.net

And thus, the SPI Group has tied-up with the Arabian Wellness and Lifestyle Management (Arabian Healthcare Group), supported by the RAK Ministry of Health and RAK Chamber of Commerce to organise the Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi Corporate Wellness Awards on December 16 (2014), honouring the fittest worksite warriors. This is a first-of-its-kind endeavour in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, which is a bubbling business hub, to foster well-being and less stress inside corporate doors. The Robust RAK, in its cover story, brings you an exclusive pre-cursor of this event. Also, our battery of outstanding columnists, who make us proud every issue, extend their expertise on business law, finance, marketing, leadership, et al. In the end of course, none of this would matter without you, dear readers. A sincere, heartfelt thank you to all of you. Do share your feedback and comments, as always, at editor@theintelligentsme.com.

Samar Manzar Editor, Robust RAK

Marketing Enquiries

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% +971 4 2659704, 2650312 response@ spiholding.net

Disclaimer

SPI Publishing

P.O. Box: 89735, Dubai, UAE Tel: 04-2659704, 04-2650312 Fax: 04-2690566, 04-2651708 response@spiholding.net

SPI Publishing has endeavoured to bring out a publication that is reliable and informative. This is true to the best of our knowledge. The opinions presented are those of individual writers and not necessarily endorsed by SPI Publishing. The content in this magazine is protected by copyright law and is copyright to SPI Publishing unless credited otherwise, and may not be copied, reproduced or republished for any commercial purpose or financial gain.

Robust RAK November - December 2014

Business Announcements

RAKIA aims 50% growth in five years R as Al Khaimah Investment Authority (Rakia) is aiming a 50% hike on the count of firms it licenses over the next five years, and “aggressive” investment in the infrastructure of its new industrial park in Al Ghail, according to The National report The forward looking guidance was recently announced at an event in the emirate to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Rakia, which was attended by Sheikh Saud bin Saqr, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, who elaborated: “Rakia has made an important and lasting contribution to the success of Ras Al Khaimah As property prices continue to escalate, entrepreneurs and manufacturing companies are now choosing Ras Al Khaimah as the top investment destination owing to its strategic geographical location and efficient business facilitator policies. “Our goal is to extend RAK’s position as a preferred investment destination, not only for manufacturing companies, but also to businesses from a broad range of sectors including services

and information technology.” Sabatino, who was appointed this year, said the emirate’s decade of expansion was thanks to the prudence and wise development plan of its rulers. “During the financial crisis, RAK maintained its ratings with the top agencies, and this didn’t happen by accident, but through wise risk management. It didn’t have too many exotic projects or excessive borrowing.” One of the success stories over the past decade was RAK Ceramics, which has become the biggest ceramics manufacturer in the world and recently sold a 30.6 per cent stake to a group of investors led by the alternative investment group Samena Capital. “The fact that such a sophisticated group of investors

chose RAK Ceramics speaks volumes about the company,” Sabatino added. He further stated that approximately 7,000 companies are registered in Rakia’s two industrial parks, which were home to 40,000 employees and residents. Some 95 per cent of the Al Hamra industrial park is leased out. Recently, the freezone has bagged the title of “best free trade zone in the GCC” by the Londonbased International Finance Magazine. Commenting on basking this glorified award, he said: “Rakia came ahead of five shortlisted free-zone authorities based on its economic potential, promotional strategies for foreign direct investment, transportation links, incentives and cost-effectiveness.”

FEWA plans to aid water shortage in RAK

n the wake of combatting water shortage crisis, Julphar has organised water rationalising programme wherein water is pumped to the area for 36 hours straight and cut for 12 hours to supply water in other areas. A number of important projects will be launched in Ras Al Khaimah to address the problem of water shortage in the emirate.

The Federal Electricity and Water Authority (Fewa) has received many reports and complaints about shortage of water in Julphar and its surrounding areas. Mohammed Khalil Al Shamsi, director of corporate communication, Fewa, said the authority supplies 36 million gallons of water to RAK every day. “This includes 1.5 million gallons of water provided on a daily basis to Julphar and nearby areas.” He underscored that this volume is “sufficient” for the thousands of people living there. “The problem is in just seven houses which suffered temporary cut in water supply due to an unexpected failure in a water desalination station there — a glitch that may take some time to fix.”

“People need not worry about this problem as it will be rectified by the end of this year.” Fewa will start building a water pumping station at Wadi Ghalila by the end of this year, Al Shamsi elaborated, “Fewa is also planning to build three water tanks with a storage capacity of 2 million gallons.” Building a major water transmission line from Al Nakheel area to Julphar using pipes with a diameter of 400mm is also in the pipeline, he added. “The authority is also set to build another water desalination and pumping station with a storage capacity of 15 million gallons at Ghalila.” Al Shamsi said they will build two water tanks with a capacity of 10 million gallons each in the same area.

November - December Robust RAK

Business Announcements

UAE’s business activity growth swells to record high in October

usiness activity growth in the United Arab Emirates’ non-oil private sector rose to a record high in October, helped by sharp gains in new orders and output, a survey showed recently. The HSBC UAE Purchasing Managers’ Index, which measures the performance of the manufacturing and services

sectors, jumped to 61.2 in October, the highest level since the series began in August 2009, from 57.6 in September, said a Dubaibased daily newspaper. The adjusted index is far above the 50-point mark which separates growth from contraction in the survey of 400 private sector firms. “The pickup in price pressures captured in this month’s data is of concern, but the dominant story is one of a UAE economy in full growth mode,” said Simon Williams, chief economist for the Middle East and North Africa at HSBC. “The performance is all the

more impressive given the decline in oil prices over the same period, and the continued downturn in emerging markets elsewhere.” UAE firms saw output growth accelerate to an all-time high, with the subindex coming in at 66.1, up from 63.2 in September. The new orders subindex rebounded to 69.9, also the highest on record. However, growth in new export orders slowed again to a nine-month low, with the subindex reading 57.4. Employment creation across the UAE’s non-oil private sector accelerated, raising the subindex to a record high of 56.1 in October from 52.6, with almost 17 per cent of firms recruiting new staff. Output prices rebounded from negative territory with the index at 52.8 in October, the highest since June 2011 and up from 49.8 a month before. The subindex on input price inflation rose to 56.6, the fastest pace since May 2012.

Ras Al Khaimah finds its pearl replica to complete UAE’s Guinness World Record

he Pearl Al Qumasha was installed as part of the “Seven Pearls in Love with the UAE” exhibit to mark the 43rd National Day. The replica is on Al Marjan Island waterfront, according to The National report. It has been informed that seven locations were chosen along the UAE coast for installing the pearls to complete the nationwide initiative and attempted Guinness World Record for longest non-stop diving trip starting from the Port of Fujairah and ending on the Abu Dhabi coast. Each pearl has its own name: Algeoan in Abu Dhabi, Alcoloh in Umm Al Quwain, Albuqh in Ajman, Dana in Dubai, Al Qumasha in Ras Al Khaimah, Al Rifaa in Fujairah and Al Sharina in Sharjah. Al Marjan Island, located off the coast of Ras Al Khaimah, has become an ideal tourist destination.

Robust RAK November - December 2014

Industry Update

Beehive introduces first-ever P2P online lending platform for SMEs Beehive’s online marketplace facilitates flexible funding for established businesses seeking investment between AED100, 000 and AED500, 000.

ubai-based Beehive has officially launched the region’s first peerto-peer (P2P) online lending platform on November 2, 2014, offering a new funding alternative for small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs), according to an Arabian Gazette report. One of the key attributes of the platform is its user-friendly approach, which establishes a direct connect between businesses and smart investors. It aims to expedite the process for SME to access lower cost finance while also help the investors in drawing better returns, diversification of their portfolio and managing risks. Peer-to-peer lending, which is based on crowdfunding principles, enables Beehive to reduce operating costs and streamline processes to minimise the cost and complexity versus conventional finance routes. Rick Pudner, the former Group CEO of Emirates NBD, has moved into the P2P finance industry after 33 years in the commercial banking industry. As chairman of newly launched Beehive, he is part of a team who are set to transform lending in the UAE by offering SMEs faster access to lower cost finance and investors better returns and diversified risk. “I’m very excited to be part of Beehive and as an alternative finance platform I think it will bring significant

November - December Robust RAK

Industry Update

benefits to SMEs, investors and the region itself. Presently, a major stumbling block for businesses with growth aspirations is gaining access to credit, as banks generally reject between 50-70% of SME loan applications. SMEs represent 90% of total businesses in the UAE but account for just 4% of bank loans. Through Beehive, we have created an innovative online platform that directly connects investors and creditworthy businesses creating mutually beneficial partnerships for growth. ” said Pudner. Beehive’s online marketplace facilitates flexible funding for established businesses seeking investment between AED100, 000 and AED500, 000. Individual investors can invest from as little as AED100 and bid to lend money, choosing how much they will lend and at the interest rate. Beehive then facilitates the loan agreement between the business and investors, charging

a small percentage fee of the loan amount. The business receives funding typically in around 7 days and investors receive monthly repayments at target rates of between 8% and 12%. “Transparency is key to our offering. At Beehive, we are giving individual investors the opportunity to directly support regional SMEs, driving economic growth and employment. We are confident we have created a platform that offers a real alternative to the traditional debt markets and better value to both sides of the lending transaction,” said Craig Moore, founder and CEO of Beehive. As banks focus on lending to larger companies, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) estimates the current SME funding gap in MENA to be approximately $260 billion. With the current drive to achieve SME policy targets, Beehive’s market offering in the

UAE will help support the growth and development of the 300,000 plus SME businesses located here. Peer-to-Peer lending, also known as marketplace lending, is estimated to be almost $9bn globally in 2014 and is forecast to deliver $1 trillion by 2025. It is an increasingly popular form of crowdfunding that is changing the way that SMEs borrow capital and the way in which investors manage risk and return. “The UAE has the potential to benefit enormously from this asset class where businesses have faster access to lower cost finance and smarter investors earn higher returns on their money, all in a tried and tested concept used around the world. We are extremely excited to be the pioneers in the UAE and are delighted to be rolling out a competitive and technologically advanced lending platform to this market,” added Moore.

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ATTRACTIONS OF THE SME WORLD SUMMIT

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SME choice Awards

VIP Lounge

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Robust RAK November - December 2014

Industry Update

RAKBank reports Dh1.1b nine-month net profit, subsiding 5.3% (YoY)

AK Bank, during the last week of October, reported a nine-month net profit of Dh1.1 billion, down 64 million (about 5.3 per cent) compared to Dh1.13 million reported in the corresponding period in 2013. For the third quarter of the year, the bank reported a net profit of Dh373.05 million, marginally down from Dh377.35 million reported in the same period last year. On quarter-on-quarter, the

third quarter profit was up by Dh7.2 million compared to the second quarter net profit this year. The bank attributed the decline in profit to more normal levels of provisions for bad debts which started from the last quarter in 2013. The total impairment charge for the nine months stood at Dh425.1 million compared to Dh183.1 million for the same period last year. For the third quarter of the year the bank’s provisions were up 156 per cent at Dh166.68 million compared to Dh64.93 million in the same quarter last year. Non-performing loans were steady at 2.3 per cent of the loan portfolio and the annualised net credit losses to average loans and advances closed at 2.4 per cent. “Given our loan mix, we are now seeing more normal levels of bad debt after a period of abnormally low credit losses last year. However our underlying business is very robust as operating income continues to grow strongly quarter on quarter,” said Peter England, RAKBank CEO. At the close of the third quarter, the bank’s total assets stood at Dh34.8 billion, growing 20.5 per cent year-on-year and 15.5 per cent on a year-to-date basis. Gross loans and advances stood at Dh24.9 billion, up 13.5 per cent year-on-year and 11.5 per cent on a year-to-date basis. Gross Islamic financing assets increased by Dh1.7 billion compared to year-end 2013. Net interest income

Total operating income for the first nine months of the year was up by Dh291.5 million to Dh2.6 billion, an increase of 12.5 per cent compared to the same period last year. This growth was largely driven by Dh198.9 million increase in net interest income and income from Islamic financing, and Dh92.6 million in non-interest income, which climbed by 18.3 per cent over the same period last year. Net interest income plus net profit from Islamic financing for the nine months ended September 30 grew by 10.9 per cent compared to the first nine months of last year. “In addition to our top line growth in our Personal Banking business, the Business Banking segment, which covers traditional SME and commercial lending, has become a major engine of growth for RAKBank , with our loan book more than doubling over the previous year to a total of Dh1.8 billion,” said England. On the liability front, the bank’s customer deposits grew by D1.6 billion to Dh24.7 billion compared to year end 2013. The growth came mainly from a rise of Dh1.9 billion in conventional demand deposits and Dh344 million in savings deposits. “Looking ahead, we see more potential for growth by diversifying into fee-generating products and growing our commercial lending and treasury segments. We also see a tremendous opportunity for growth by expanding into complementary industries,” concluded England.

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Robust RAK November - December 2014

Industry Update

RAK Hospital opens first-ever specialty eye care center RAK Eye Care Center is fully dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of all medical conditions of the eye while offering the most advanced, exceptionally versatile and superior cutting edge eye-care technology and surgical platform.

High Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah inaugurated the RAK EYE CARE CENTER

xpanding its tradition of fostering excellence in healthcare, RAK Hospital, the flagship brand of Arabian Healthcare Group has established a state-of-the-art highly

specialized eye care center in Rak Al Khaimah. RAK Eye Care Center is fully dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of all medical conditions of the eye while offering the most advanced, exceptionally

versatile and superior cutting edge eye-care technology and surgical platform, which is introduced for the first time in the region and by far the best in the entire Middle East. The center was formally inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah in the presence of VIPs, senior officials from Arabian Healthcare Group, RAK Hospital and media representatives. With a focused commitment to provide compassionate, safe and high quality ophthalmic services, the center aims to transform eye care service standards. The facility is the first and only dedicated Eye Specialty Center in the entire Northern Emirates to work on prevention of blindness while offering comprehensive patient care, sight enhancement and rehabilitation services along with high-impact eye health programmes. The Eye Care Center offers a wide range of procedures and services executed

November - December Robust RAK

Industry Update

under the expertise of Super Specialists using state of the art technology. Committed to providing professional diagnosis and treatment to patient’s eye care needs, the center empowers the ophthalmologists to deliver and ensure better care for patients, by providing superior surgical platforms and technology confirming to highest safety standards. At the opening ceremony, Raza Siddiqui, CEO Arabian Healthcare Group and Executive Director of RAK Hospital said, “RAK Eye Care Centre is an evidence of RAK Hospital’s success in short span of time and another milestone in our ambitious expansion program. It’s a proud moment not just for the group but for the emirates of Ras Al Khaimah as we successfully establish this world class centre of excellence in RAK. There was a time when people from RAK had to go outside for treatment but now with the launch of our super specialty center not only have we brought exceptional treatment to people’s doorsteps but have created history by offering the best in the region. The center will use the most recent and ultra-modern machinery to ensure the delivery of world-class patient care”. “Prevention, early diagnosis, and cost-effective management of eye disorders are of paramount importance in the UAE and the GCC region. We are excited to

Mr. Raza Siddiqui, CEO Arabian Healthcare Group and Executive Director of RAK Hospital speaking on the launch of RAK EYE CARE CENTER.

provide high quality cost-effective eye care diagnosis and treatment, covering all areas of eye care such as cataract surgery, refractive surgery including Lasik corrections,

glaucoma, vitreo retinal surgeries, and other advanced treatment techniques necessary for eye care. Blindness and vision impairment are major public health problems all over the world, including the UAE region. Consequently, there is a great need to develop eye care centres of high quality in the area and our center is one step in that direction”, added Raza During the last decade, the field of ophthalmology has undergone several advancements in diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders. RAK Care Center’s qualified and well experienced team of ophthalmologists bring years of expertise and cutting edge technological innovations under one roof for managing a wide range of complex eye disorders. Committed to providing better vision, RAK Eye Care Center is the first in the region to offer exceptionally versatile VICTUS Femtosecond Cataract Laser Surgery Platform and TECHNOLAS Excimer Laser 317 for true precision, high quality and maximum speed. With the use of Victus, RAK Eye Care Centre provides the very latest Micro incision Phaco emulsification surgery for cataract removal, promoting fast healing and early visual rehabilitation. The use of the latest Femto Laser technique (Femtocataract) ensures the best possible visual outcomes and comfort to the patient as it is a no injection procedure with use of only topical drops. The benefits for Victus Femto Laser Technique are: Versatility, Precision, Quality, Speed and Visualization. At RAK Hospital it is believed that ambience plays an important role in speeding up the recovery of the patients, no wonder the hospital was given “Best Healing Environment Award” at the Hospital Build Awards at Arab Health. Following the suit, the Eye Care Centre also takes every care to provide a patientfriendly, functional and cheerful environment. Well-appointed escalators and lifts ensure that patients can move with ease. The spacious lounge with soothing pastel shaded walls, bright frescos and paintings and comfortable furniture is meant to lift up the mood of the visitors.

Robust RAK November - December 2014

Industry Update

One1Infoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perfect matchmaking: Global giants meet local leaders!

A high profile delegation from European developers to discuss future business development plans in the newly developed Murjan island. 18

November - December Robust RAK

Industry Update

hanks to a multitude of private and public investments across Ras Al Khaimah, One1Info recently attracted companies from emerging markets like United Kingdom, Italy and Morocco. Recently, we have been receiving interesting inquiries from high profile Italian groups coming from different industry sectors, seeking genuine investment opportunities through One1Info “Business Gateway Services”. Here’s a run-down of the same: Italian delegations from Coffee industry, Marzotto, who are one of the world’s leading coffee suppliers to Europe, Asia, Northern America and Oceania, represented by their founder Antonio Marzotto and his senior management team had visited One1Info’s headquarters in UAE for discussing their expansion plans across MENA region. Also Maurizio Zordan, President and CEO of Zordan, one the main designer for high-end brands such as BVLGARI, had availed some project opportunities through One1info Business Gateway Service. One1info had also received senior players from Waste Management industries and signed an MOU for collaboration of new ventures and business setup in UAE. In addition, GreenTech Italy, which represents the excellence of ‘Made in Italy’ for environment friendly, renewable energies and water purification system, have won the opportunity to bid in one of the newly launched solar

powered street light projects through One1info “Meeting Facilitation Service”. Similarly, score environment (Environmental consultants/ specialists) from United Kingdom had visited One1Info office to discuss their environmental consultation services in UAE. They have worked with Scottish and UK governments and had a $15m of research and consultancy projects led by their professional team

design of national and regional waste strategies. With their ability in building assessment tools, they were able to award $2billion of funding to municipalities. On a separate note, we managed to co-ordinate a successful meeting of a leading toilet seat manufacturer, RPS, with the world’s biggest ceramics manufacturing company, RAK Ceramics. One wouldn’t disagree the strategic geographic location of Morocco, and thus, its significance in linking diverse markets like United States of America, Europe, Africa and the Middle-East. It is, therefore, seen as a gate of subSaharan Africa and an emerging market. One1Info’s liaison regional office in Morocco has been working hard in closing some important deals in oil & gas sectors. As the country Al Marjan Island Ras Al khaimah had also received a high profile delegation from European developers to discuss future business development plans in the newly developed Murjan island, the delegation were delighted by the meeting facilitation service received from One1Info.

Robust RAK November - December 2014

Set your GPS

Revealing 5 most-expensive car accessories When high-end accessories nudge away luxury apparels to encroach the car’s turf, here’s how it appears….

lthough retailers may have a huge amount of data about who buys what, they have little clue about the underlying motivations behind it. Even economists have nothing to say about the origins of human preference. It is no secret that when it comes to extravagance and indulgence, the GCC region takes it to higher levels and car enthusiasts are loving it. According to Carmudi.com, cars are characters, absolutely brash ones that come with all the bling and shimmer in this world. The company recently conducted a survey into some of the flashiest car add-ons that the ultra-rich are buying to pimp up their rides. Here’s the list.

Number 1 License Plate:

Anyone who loves their motor, dreams of a customised number plate. We found that the “World’s Most Expensive Number Plate” ‘1’ has sold for a whopping 14,000,000 USD/51,422,280 AED. And this sale represents more than just wealth, status or vanity. It is an investment that quadruples the price of your car the moment it adorns a number plate with a single digit. The lower the number, the higher the status.

Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4

It is also worth remembering when Dubai hosted the world’s most expensive car, a gold Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 crafted from a 500kg solid block of gold. The design collaboration between Lamborghini and Robert Gülpen carried the price-tag of the was $7.4 million, or Dh27 million. The golden ride was seen in the

streets of Paris last September and appears to have been snatched by a Saudi car enthusiast.

Diamond Encrusted Rims: The king of bling Asanti Wheels offers 22 inch wheels studded with diamonds that cost 1,000,000 USD/3,673,020 AED. Obviously, these beauties come with expensive

2 AED 3,673,020 © ABACA/Press Association Images

parking tickets. But the renowned car specialist takes care of this by offering a 24-hour security guard to watch your rims for a whole year. The spokesperson of Asanti commented, “With the response we gathered from the public on these rims, we could confidently affirm that our target market is everyone that appreciates art and the art of dreaming.”

November - December Robust RAK

Set your GPS

source: © Leong Soong/Flickr

Audio System:

source: © Leong Soong/Flickr

For a show stopping road experience, add the Rouge Acoustics Audio System RA:1K to your car. It features an incredible number of 6 unbeatable amplifiers, each reaching 1,000 watts at 8 ohms (bridged) or 500 watts at 4 ohms per channel. With a hefty price tag of up to 300,000 USD/1,101,906 AED (with added extras), the audio maker ensures that a built in mobile phone is placed to allow technicians to examine the system from any location around the world if a technical error was to arise.

Diamond Encrusted Shift Knob:

This royal masterpiece is handcrafted with 30 karat genuine diamonds and costs 150,000 USD/550,953 AED. Shifting gears has never been so pricey. Be careful with the onlookers as you could easily trade several new cars for the price of this single knob. But if this isn’t enough bling for you, there is an even pricey model for the Bentley Continental GT finished in white gold and 30 carats of diamonds for 165,000 USD/606,048 AED.

6 Watch-cum-Car Keys:

A pure collaboration of prestige and elegance! Aston Martin and Jaeger-LeCoultre teamed up to create the first mechanical watch, the Jaeger LeCoultre AMVOX2 chronograph, developed with the

ability to access the car through the use of a built in micro transmitter system. With a high price of 34,000 USD/124,883 AED, you can flaunt sapphire crystals with control strapped around your wrist.

Robust RAK November - December 2014

Cover Story

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s honour the wellness of worksite warriors!

November - December Robust RAK

Cover Story

hat factors play an influential role when an employee decides his loyalty towards his company? A majority of studies have revealed that the perception of being cared for in a workplace culture encourages incumbents and boasts a more committed and happy workforce in the new world of work which is arguably hi-tech, global and 24/7. Since the 1990s countries like the USA, Canada, Europe etc, have instituted-National Corporate Health & Wellness Awards-in order to award organisations that pay attention to the health of their employees and other companies to follow the example of the winners by introducing similar health promotion programs in their companies. Past winners in the USA include: CitiBank, Johnson & Johnson, Dell, Pfizer, IBM, Fedex, Motorola, etc. With this in mind, His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al-Khaimah introduced the ‘Work Place Health and Wellness Awards’ in Ras al Khaimah. The awards cover all industries and commercial organizations and honours organizations, who have the healthiest work force with the best health improvement system and the healthiest top leadership team, etc. The award is being promoted by RAK Hospital with a view to improve the health status of corporates in Ras al Khaimah. The objective is to promote the health of employees and thereby improve their productivity, decrease medicare costs and increase the profitability of corporate organizations. Arabian Wellness is the role of coordinator of the scheme. Speaking about this initiative, Raza Siddiqui, chief executive officer of the Arabian Healthcare Group, said: “We have merely implemented the vision of H. H. Sheikh Saud by introducing Workplace Health into Ras al Khaimah. His Highness believes that corporate organizations should be leaders in society, and set an example for others to emulate. We believe his vision would transform the health of Ras

al Khaimah in future years.” Mr. Siddiqui further stated that their objective is to make Ras al Khaimah an epicenter of corporate wellness in the UAE, and, thus, the screening of all workers and the resultant annual workplace health awards is a step in that direction. On a similar note, Professor Adrian Kennedy, chief wellness officer at Arabian Wellness, pointed out that the initiative is more than just recognizing organizations and individuals who are healthy. “It is only the beginning. It is encouraging health conscious CEO’s to spread the message of health and wellness to the workers in their organizations, and for organizations to spread the message of health to other organizations. Moreover, with better employee health comes reduced medicare costs, improved productivity and greater profits and that is the final goal of any business,” Mr. Kennedy added. Talking about the screening process, he explained that Arabian Wellness has screened over 50 corporates and 10,000 employees and is looking forward to greater participation and support from corporates in future years to make Ras al Khaimah the healthiest place to work in.

Defining the approach and the systems: Step 1: To fix a mutually acceptable date for the health screening, at the organizations worksite, of all/majority of the employees. Weight, BMI, body fat, blood pressure, blood sugar, stress, smoking, diet, exercise and other such parameters, will be evaluated by our qualified team of doctors, nurses and other health professionals.

Step 2: Each employee receives

a personal health card detailing his/her health findings and the organization gets a health audit report with the cumulative health percentile score of all employees who were screened.

Step 3: We try to cover over 100 corporate organizations annually and at a glittering annual awards function, award the companies with highest health scores, i.e.

Robust RAK November - December 2014

Cover Story having the healthiest employee workforce and many more awards

Categories Of Awards

o Organizations with the Healthiest Workforce o Organizations with the Best

Jury Members:

Health Improvement System. o Corporate Health, Leadership Awards. o Healthiest Government Department o Special awards as decided by the Jury.

o RAK Chamber of Commerce o Ministry of Health o RAK Hospital o Arabian Wellness

List Of Companies In Ceo & Leadership Awards

List Of Participating Companies Sl. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54

Company Acacia Hotel Ahmad Tea Al Hamra Construction Al Hamra Real Estate Al Pheniq American University Rak Ammar Cleaning & Contracting Co. Ashok Leyland Asian Ispat Llc Beaufort Rak Bin Majid Beach Hotel Binmajid Beach Resort Dabur Naturelle Dubai Plastic Factory Emirates Stevedoring Emirates Transformer & Switchgear Fa Glass Falcon Pack G.k Wires Ginox Food System Guardian Rak Hexxa Flexible Packaging Hira Industries Iceland Water Park Jbf Rak Julphar Metals Julphar Pharma Kamal Osman Jamjoom Kirby Building Systems Knauf Drywell System Mabani Steel Maico Gulf Majan Printing & Packaging Middle East Specialized Cables Minova Morgan Ceramics Orgi Chemie Perfect Polymers Petron Pioneer Cement Quality Steel Rak Ceramic Rak Insurance Rak Mix Rak Therm Rakmhsu Romeo Interiors Saver Glass Seah Steel Smithline Reinforced Composites Spt Suvadh Metal Structure Unimarine Technical Services Young Hwa

Employees Evaluated 106 81 287 231 23 42 122 211 74 44 96 72 217 27 283 53 107 125 269 50 167 50 122 261 379 51 412 128 141 94 381 72 219 90 54 25 40 81 302 107 53 2080 71 65 69 97 213 135 78 91 88 96 169 322

Sl. No.

Company

Number Evaluated

Acacia Hotel

Al Hamra Construction

Al Hamra Real Estate

Ashok Leyland

Bin Majid Beach Hotel

Dabur Naturelle

Emirates Stevedoring

Fa Glass

Falcon Pack

Hira Industries

11 Iceland 12

Kirby

13 Mahindra 14

Majan Printing

10 5

15 Mesc

Morgan Ceramics

Petron

18 Pioneer

Rak Hospital

Suvodh Metals

List Of Government Companies Sl. No.

Company

Courts Dept

Public Prosecution Dept

Environment Development

& Protection Authority

Rak Chamber Of Commerce

Municipality

Customs Department

Electronics Department

Finance Department

Human Resource Department

Economic Department

Rak Free Trade Zone

November - December Robust RAK

Cover Story Health Analysis Of Employees In Ras Al Khaimah For 2013/ 2014

We propose to do this scheme annually. This will help organizations to compare their existing status with previous years and work towards improvement. Also when compared at a group

level, we will be able to monitor the improvement in health of employees in Ras al Khaimah. Connect with Professor Adrian Kennedy on http://www. arabianwellness.com where he

tracks workplace concerns, work stress management initiatives, workplace well-being trends and writes about transforming stress in a “perennially-switched-on” world.

As a responsible publishing company, we believe that a business should be looked upon at a holistic level. Wellness is one of the most important pillars of an enterprise which supports employees to reach their full potential and, also, the company to achieve its sustainability goals. Through this initiative, we want to highlight and promote health and well-being among executives,” said Shaantanu AP, chief executive officer of the event organising company- SPI Group.

SPI Group is a Dubai-based publishing and top-notch event organising company, which hosts the prestigious Emirates NBD Global Business Series, The Global App Summit and the SME World Summit. It also boasts three prestigious magazine titles-The Intelligent SME, the Apps Middle East and the Robust RAK.

Robust RAK November - December 2014

SME Booster

The personal productivity guru

November - December Robust RAK

SME Booster

Strive for satisfaction, not happiness in your job David Allen, creator of the ‘Getting Things Done’ system, shared tips on making clear decisions and mastering workflow, in an exclusive workshop held in Dubai. Robust RAK caught up with him for a brief tête-à-tête. Q: What is the ‘Getting Things Done’ system all about?

A: It’s about the best practices

for optimizing your ability to be present and 100% focused on what is most meaningful to you in the moment and creating mental and emotional space to access your creativity and intuitive judgments.

Q: Most SMEs usually have very few

people doing too many things. In such a scenario where there is constant multi-tasking to be done, one has to struggle to prioritise tasks. Would you be kind enough to give some tips on how this struggle can be reduced?

A: The main key is to objectify the

inventory of exactly what work is to be done—i.e. what are all the projects and what are the next actions that need to be taken to move them forward. The next step would be to consistently review and keep recalibrating priorities in an on-going, agile fashion.

Q: How would you differentiate

importance and urgency, as most employees often get confused between the two?

A: Well, many important things

clarifying exactly what it means and what you are going to do about it, organizing it into its proper category, reflecting on the total inventory, and then making trusted choices about how you engage your resources, moment to moment.

Q: Do you think, sometimes,

procrastination is justified and it’s fine to postpone certain things for a later stage? Or is it completely the wrong thing to do? What tips would you give to employees to overcome procrastination?

A: Many things should not be

done immediately, and held until a more appropriate time. That’s not procrastination—that’s good workflow management. As a matter of fact, deciding the one thing to do at the moment means that you are not doing everything else. The best way to overcome procrastination is to determine the very next physical action required to move something forward, and focus on that relatively easy accomplishment, without worrying about perfection or trying to do everything about the project in your head all at once.

have an urgency to them; but not all things that seem urgent are that important. If it truly is something that needs to be done immediately, then it must. Ideally, though, if enough of the non-urgent but important things are appropriately handled, the “urgencies” diminish significantly.

Q: From an employer’s perspective,

your workflow?

Q: We see several cases of employees

Q: How can you manage and master A: By appropriately taking the

five steps necessary to control it: capturing what has your attention,

how does one create a stress-free, but highly functional and productive work environment for his/her team?

A: Train people in these best

practices and then hold them accountable to them. And, of course, model those behaviors yourself!

struggling to find happiness in their job. If an employee is not happy with the job, what would be your advice—

quit the job or wait, hang on and search for happiness in the job?

A: Usually people are unhappy in a job because, either they feel out of control in their situation or it’s not really a job they want to be doing, in the first place. Whatever the case, getting the job under control and getting focused on where one is going, will solve the problem. I recommend “satisfaction” instead of “happiness” as the optimal state anyway. Happiness is always fleeting—satisfaction is steady and healthy (satis = enough; factere = to do).

Q: You have also ventured into the

app world with the GTD-Q app. What made you enter this space?

Q: GTDQ is not a workflow app

it’s simply a digital survey tool about your degree of control and focus that can provide immediate feedback.

Q: Is this your first visit to Dubai?

What are your looking forward from the Dubai experience?

A: No, but it has been many years since I was there. I’m looking forward to seeing the changes, and getting a sense of the culture and its interest in the GTD methodology.

Q: Share some of your favourite

productivity principles from your book ‘52 productivity principles for work and life’. Which are the ones you swear by?

A: I think they are all important

and relevant. I think my favorite, though, is the first one: Cleaning Up Creates New Directions.

Robust RAK November - December 2014

Sales and Marketing

Plenty of leads, but tiny customer base It hardly serves any point in generating more leads and enquiries if your existing conversion process results in most of your hard-won enquiries falling through the cracks, explains Simon Hodges.

any of us spend a considerable amount of effort, time and money in lead generation tools. Unfortunately, it hardly serves any point to have a brilliant lead generation system that brings dozens or even hundreds of leads each month, if you only convert a small percentage of them – you are wasting a massive opportunity. Even if you sell a high-priced product or service, and one or two clients or customers from

a total of 100 or more leads is profitable business for you, just think what your business would achieve if you converted 5 or 10 or 15 times this amount?

Concentrating more on converting your leads into customers or clients will ensure two things:

1. You will transform the growth of your business; and 2. You will maximise the investment you make in all your marketing. The good news is that putting in place a system that converts more leads into customers/ clients is simple and costs very little.

What is sales conversion system?

In simple terms, a sales conversion system is a system used to generate more customers or clients from the number of leads generated. It starts the moment you receive the lead to the point where that enquiry becomes a client or customer. Here’s a simple explanation of why you need a sales conversion system. A lead must reach a certain level of interest before he/she is prepared to say ‘yes’ and buy your product or service. Therefore you need to increase their interest each time you make

November - December Robust RAK

Sales and Marketing

contact with them. A contact can be an email, a phone call or a meeting, but it takes seven positive contacts (the ‘Rule of 7’) on average before the prospect says a ‘yes’. Traditional marketing techniques do not advocate this number of contacts, which means the lead only occasionally rises to the level of interest before they are willing to buy. It is really simple! No matter what is your area of business, one is always exposed to several easily identifiable steps when the lead comes in and they finally say ‘yes.’ Your sales conversion system should focus on each step, and as a result, many more leads are converted in paying clients/customers.

Why do many businesses lack this system? There are four reasons why:

1. People are too busy working in their business to take the time to develop a system. 2. People are simply not aware of the importance of a sales conversion system – even though it makes total sense. 3. People just focus on generating leads and enquiries from their marketing activities and are content with the number of clients or customers they get – they do not realise how much business they are losing out on! 4. People do not know what their sales conversion percentage is! (It’s

Conversion Rate 20%

30%

40%

50%

the percentage of customers or clients you get from the number of enquiries). Do you know where you stand on this front? Since people do not know their sales conversion rate, they automatically assume that they are doing well. Often, the opposite is true. Typically, the average sales conversion rate without a sales conversion process is between 15% and 30%.

Simon Hodges, CEO, Alchemy Network Middle East has recently launched the franchise network in the Middle East. Alchemy Network is a UK-based worldwide network of consultant partners, who work alongside owners and operators of SMEs to help bring them financial success, and eventually introduce them to systems that will relieve them from the mundane day-to-day running of the business,and allow them time to concentrate more on what they do best.

Why is the system a powerful one?

Let’s take an example shown in the table below where a business is converting 20% of their leads into customers. The average order size for this company is AED 1,000 and 10 leads are achieved each month. From the table, you can see that if this business can improve its conversion rate from 20% to 30%, the result is a 50% growth in that business. Doubling the conversion rate from 20% to 40%, results in a 100% growth in new business. Hence, a sales conversion process is so powerful and important. Preparing your system So, what do you need to prepare while creating a sales conversion process? The following list will help you identify what you need to prepare. 1. Price your product or service correctly for your market. 2. Create case studies of your successes to generate increased interest. 3. Prepare qualification questions

so you can identify and concentrate on genuine enquiries. 4. Create a process of communication stages that each increases the interest levels. 5. Establish a sales system that supports this process. 6. Prepare a buyer’s remorse letter. This is a piece of communication sent to a customer shortly after purchase, giving them comfort that they made the right decision. It is amazing how many of us feel guilty after we have bought something! You will note that these items do not cost you much, so have the confidence to give this a try – it really works. Good luck!

Enquiries per month

Clients per month

Average order

1000

24,000

1000

36,000

1000

48,000

1000

60,000

Annual income

Robust RAK November - December 2014

Business Networking

David vs Goliath: Punching giant competitors in their nose How can a young start-up build a successful business from scratch when giant competitors exist in the industry? Phil Bedford elaborates on how one can match these bigger enterprises by focusing efforts on the niches overlooked by them, using the story of David and Goliath as a source of reference.

dusted marketing /advertising people. Often, we have no idea campaigns and cold calling to where they work or who attract new clients. They are they know. surrounded by other companies Let me illustrate a personal doing exactly the same thing, example here: I used to spending the same revenues to try handle sales for a real and achieve the breakthrough to estate firm earlier. the client. For a while, I sat Contrarily, the simplest way next to the company of doing business, getting new accountant, Mehar, and contacts and winning deals is never we hardly spoke except exchanging even considered. The slingshot pleasantries. One of the major is relationships. For this month’s reasons, perhaps, was that we article, let’s look at just one place didn’t really have any common that we could be getting new business through relationships, that is overlooked- Staff (and not sales staff )Look at your company. How many employees does it have? Considering that a majority of us are acquainted with at least 150 and have access to up to about 2,000 people through social media. If we could find a way to get each employee to search through this gold mine of potential contacts and bring in just one or two potential clients. It would Sales executive serve significant client acquisition database for our business. Help me for Business It doesn’t matter if the staff’s main role is sales, management, accounts or reception. We all know

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ost of us have heard the tale of David and Goliath, where an outsized and outmatched young David defeats the giant Goliath in battle with only the use of a sling. But do we really understand the deeper meaning hidden in this tale of underdog winning the battle? In "David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants," best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell suggests, that despite popular belief Goliath had no chance of winning. He argues that Goliath was actually penalized by all his confidence, weapons, armour and physical size. On the other hand, the shepherd boy was faster with a weapon that many would consider insignificant-a small material sling that fired stones. Nonetheless, the small stone could be fired from a distance with great accuracy and proved to be deadly power. The giant was struck in the head, knocked onto the ground with enough force to allow David to run up and ‘finish the job’. A legend was born In today’s business landscape, people usually rely on done-and-

November -December Robust RAK

Business Networking

came through a receptionist. She happened to socialize in a unique circle because of her husband, and proactively brought enough leads to the sales team. Is your receptionists capable of doing this? In order to make this happen, we need to consider two things: Educating the staff on what to look for and then how to take the opportunity to the next level. We do not need them to sell. It’s not their job. We can show them how to recognise an opportunity and bring it back in for further action.

ground to exchange ideas. After all, he was an accountant and I was in sales. One day I heard him speaking to another agent working in the same company, and it turned out that Mehar’s cousin was one of the most prolific real estate buyers in Dubai. And, this other consultant was working with him and not me. Despite sitting next to him for a year, how much business had I lost? In the USA, a company reported that 45% of its sales

An experienced business trainer, Phil Bedford brings over a decade of experience to his role as master franchisee for the Referral Institute. His expertise and experience of working with both companies and networking associations, coupled with a passion for training have helped him immensely. He regularly appears as a speaker in the UAE and abroad, educating people on how to build their business by word of mouth and “creating referrals for life.”

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Also educating the staff on what the company actually does (often they may not really understand unless in sales or management). We can also consider incentivizing our staff. For many lower earners, a small cash incentive or even ‘time-off’ incentive could work wonders. Wouldn’t this be a much more cost effective way of getting business than the usual spend on advertising or paying a team member to cold call? It doesn’t really imply that one should replace ‘relationship’ sales from the usual forms of business acquisition. It is a valuable resource, a slingshot, which one completely ignores. Simply put, it’s a potential referral system for any business.

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Robust RAK November - December 2014

Insuring Business

Employee benefits program, an absolute necessity?

t efi en

xpatriates continue to form the backbone of the UAE workforce, and the SME sector needs to look at providing a stable, long term financial solution that will benefit employer and employee alike. According to UAE Ministry of Economy, SMEs currently account

for 92 per cent of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total registered companies, 86 per cent of the workforce in the private sector and 40 per cent of the GDP. The country is home to several â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;homegrownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; establishments in several sectors. While multinationals operating here may have more sophisticated HR

practices, there is now a growing need and an understanding of the direct correlation between workplace culture, employee satisfaction and business performance. As much as employers choose their employees, it is safe to assume that credibility, respect,

November - December Robust RAK

Insuring Business

pay and severance packages, loyalty rewards, fairness, pride, coupled with organization’s productivity and profitability are employees’ top priority. It is now becoming a challenge for companies in the GCC to attract top talent and ensure staff loyalty within their benefits budget. The rising cost of healthcare, housing, travel and education is increasing the cost of benefits packages offered by employers compared to the past. In order to achieve a balance of high performance with peoplecentric management, SMEs must look to investing in their ‘human’ capital. According to the labour law in the UAE, termination benefits for local employees and expatriates are required after one year’s service. Local nationals are entitled to 45 days salary plus allowances for the first 5 years of service, 2 months for the next 5 years and 3 months for each year over 10 years. Expatriates are entitled to 21 days’ salary for each of the first five years of service. This increases to a 30 days’ salary for each additional year of service provided, always that the aggregate amount of severance pay should not exceed two years’ salary. Thus, an employee gets 2 years’ salary after putting in many years of service; not so much in this day and age! Throughout the region, the majority of employers still continue to leave their end-ofservice liabilities on the company balance sheet, using these funds as working capital within the business, expecting to pay out gratuity to employees as and when they leave from day-to-day cash flows. They are actually taking an interest free loan from their own employees, without their consent or understanding, and investing it within the business. In this scenario, the typical employee has no say in how the money is invested but carries the full risk. If the company invests this money wisely, the organization will continue to profit and leavers will receive their due benefits, but if things don’t work out, it is the employee that risks losing their rightful gratuity payment. The employer is then embroiled in costly litigation and everyone

suffers. There is challenge of providing the right employee benefits at the right cost. SMEs need to ensure the benefits are cost effective, meet expectations and help motivate and retain employees, while focusing on the cost of providing these benefits. According to Duncan Crerar, head of employee benefits at the Nexus Insurance Brokers, “An employee benefits program is cost effective to the employer where the investment returns offset against the future accruals and, of course, in many other slightly softer waysemployee loyalty/engagement/ protection/reward to mention a few.” Regarding terminal gratuities, he responded, “…no, the typical approach is not a mechanism to replace gratuities. Moreover, it is a best practice for how to manage and accommodate the liability that gratuity puts upon a business. Payments to employees will always need to be equal or greater than the mandatory limits set by the labor law.” He further explained: “As the law merely states what the liability (gratuity payment) is, it does not enforce an employer to ring fence or physically reserve for these payments. Having a specific gratuity fund in place protects the employees’ rights,

As much as employers choose their employees, it is safe to assume that credibility, respect, pay and severance packages, loyalty rewards, fairness, pride, coupled with organization’s productivity and profitability are employees’ top priority.

Sandi Saksena is a financial planning counsellor with over 15 years experience in advising on life, disability and critical illness insurances. She focuses on exit planning for SME owners, working with accountants and lawyers to provide holistic solutions. Sandi can be contacted by email (sandra.saksena@ nexusadvice.com) or by mobile (0506517963).

gives the employer peace of mind and also the opportunity to make investment gains on the present liability (accrued fund) to offset against the ever growing future liability.”

A typical employee benefits program should include:

• Group life and survivors benefits. • Disability. • Accidental death and dismemberment. • Health. • Retirement savings/Pension As far as the pension option goes, it will almost always be voluntary, or with option on what the employee might wish to contribute. Typically, employee contributions range from 10% to 20% of their salaries, which will be deducted at source. People are the lifeblood of any organization. Managing, motivating and rewarding them effectively whether in a buoyant or challenging economic environment, is difficult for all organizations. Consult with preferably a broker that specialises in employee benefits and who has the knowledge, skills and hands-on experience in helping companies put in place robust gratuity funding programs, or group pension arrangements. Independent advice on the choice, cost, implementation, management and communication of all types of employee benefits- from pensions and to health and life disability and critical illness insurance policies is important before you make a commitment.

Robust RAK November - December 2014

Corporate Governance

More reflection on ‘terms of service’, less adverse reactions Good corporate governance can be achieved by continual review and close monitoring of key service contracts in any business. It not only helps in saving time and money, but also keeps one focused on building profits, points out John Merrigan.

key task of management is to ensure that the terms and conditions of the contracts and agreements in any business are up-to-date, reflecting the reality of operations, legal requirements, and thus protecting the organisation’s interests as far as possible. The distractions associated with contractual and legal disputes are draining not only from the time wasted, but also in terms of unplanned costs, damage to company’s reputation and key stakeholder relationships. Hence, good governance based on continual review and close monitoring of the key contracts in the business will ultimately save you time and money, keeping you focused on building profits. Against the backdrop of the anticipated growth in the UAE economy this year, the purpose of this article is to prompt you to review this important aspect of risk-management this month.

Client / Customer Contracts

It is often the case that customer contracts have not been updated to reflect changes in the business. Basic contract elements such as payment terms,

bank details, company address / contact information, delivery terms / conditions, dispute resolution clauses, are not correct or updated on invoices, delivery notes and contracts. The gaps in this critical information can give rise to delays in payments, disputes and loss of business. A specific area to consider is whether the contracts with customers have arbitration clauses and where legal disputes may be settled. It is vital to take good independent legal advice before changing contract terms. Supplier Agreements Often, contractual terms with key suppliers have not been proactively managed, where the terms of business with key suppliers are not even formalised. It is a vital task to ensure that discounts, payment terms, service levels and other long-term arrangements can be assessed, formalised, and critical gaps addressed. The resulting proactive discussions to negotiate the best possible terms will ensure continuity of business and help to keep your input costs under control.

Employment Contracts

The employment laws of the

UAE are constantly evolving to promote best international practice and protecting the rights of both employer and employees. However, it is often the case that the terms of employment contracts, especially pertaining to long-standing key staff, do not reflect changes that have occurred in their terms and conditions. It only becomes an issue when a dispute arises or new labour laws are enacted and require compliance. Critical terms such as job titles, salary and benefit conditions, annual leave, sickness policy, termination and probation among others should be actively updated to reflect the current realities.

Insurance Contracts

The task to ensure that insurance cover in the business is up-to-date is often left aside. It includes buildings and contents, third party liability, professional indemnity, vehicle cover, health insurance cover and other specific risks that may apply. The levels of cover you currently have in place may not reflect the actual operations or critical information may not have been advised to your insurance provider which may affect the validity of cover.

November - December Robust RAK

Corporate Governance

Typically, these issues are not addressed until it is too late and a claim arises. It is vital to ensure that insurance contracts provide adequate and updated cover to protect key risks in your business.

Trade Licenses & Other Approvals

A regular review of key documents relating to regulatory approvals, including trade licenses is essential. Typical risks include changes in key designated personal mentioned on the license documents, changes in operations or the nature of business, or new provisions from the licensing authorities such as free zones. If these documents are not updated or compliant, there is a risk of non-renewal, penalties or delays which can impact on your ability to continue trading.

Office & Factory Contracts

The terms and conditions associated with office and factory rentals / leases are critical for the continuation of all business. In the context of the significant changes in the market rates and regulations, long-standing lease contracts should be proactively reviewed to ensure that the contract provisions are as favourable as possible and protect you over the term duration.

Safe Keeping & Storage

It is imperative to ensure that all the above documents are kept safely in secure storage so they can be easily accessed and produced when required. Start compiling a register of key business documents

and ensure regularly review.

John Merrigan is a seasoned senior manager and company director with extensive experience in wideranging industry sectors. His career spans more than 25 years in multinational, SME and family businesses, internationally and in the Middle East Region. He advises and supports small and medium organisations to successfully implement fit-forpurpose strategies in corporate governance.

Process

In order to implement the above, a systematic and thorough approach is required. Start by compiling the documents into one central location. The documents should then be closely reviewed with the following in mind:

Validity: Check the documents are still in force and make a note of the renewal / expiry dates. Use this to plan the necessary actions in the business cycle. Accuracy: Check the key information and conditions are correct. Relevance: Check the contract terms are relevant and reflect the business needs. Risk: assess and detail the risks / critical gaps. Prioritise: List the key actions / requirements in order of priority as they impact on the business operations. Accountability: Clearly define and brief the relevant person in the business who will be tasked to take the action and set milestones. Professional Legal Advice: Seek advice on the major contracts to ensure your agreements are properly drafted and comply with local laws.

Conclusion

Good risk-management of key contracts and agreements that support safe and cost effective business operations is a critical part of good governance. However, these basic concerns are forgotten in the heat of daily challenges and distractions. It is only when a dispute or incident occurs that the real cost is counted. Accordingly, a proactive approach to regularly review and update the terms and conditions of your contracts will save you time, and avoid costly distractions from your core operations. Make it a priority to address this task in the coming month and good luck!

Robust RAK November - December 2014

Tourism

The growth of medical tourism in the UAE Medical tourism, more precisely health and wellness tourism, refers to the industry where people from across the globe travel to other countries for medical and surgical care, and at the same time, visit the local attractions of that country. Karen Osman shares some key highlights of medical tourism in Dubai hat could shape the future of the emiratesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; economy and healthcare. 36

November - December Robust RAK

Tourism

lthough globally, medical tourism is still in its early stages, it’s cited as one of the fastest growing industries, especially in the UAE. According to the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), medical tourists contributed about 8.7 per cent of the total health sector revenue in 2012. Euromonitor International has calculated that the UAE medical tourism market is worth $1.58 billion (Dh5.8 billion) and is expected to grow a further 6.5 per cent this year to $1.69 billion. Impressive figures – so what are the key factors driving this growth? The UAE is amongst the world’s top 20 destinations for medical tourism partly due to the country establishing itself as an international tourism destination for leisure and business travellers, boasting luxury resorts, countless attractions and impressive shopping malls. In addition to the UAE being the ideal holiday destination, it has also invested billions of dollars in the healthcare system, establishing accredited and internationally recognised hospitals and clinics with Western standards of healthcare and facilities such as Dubai Healthcare City, The Cleveland Clinic and Moorfields Hospital. Adding to the lure of the UAE, is its ideal location, being situated between East and West with national carriers flying over a third of the world’s population within four hours of Dubai and two-thirds within an eighthour flight, the UAE is accessible to most people. Although the UAE is fast becoming a prominent player within the medical tourism sector, it does face heavy

The strategy focuses on establishing a health system that provides excellent services, focusing on highly qualified medical practitioners and building 22 state-of-the-art hospitals.

competition from more traditional medical tourism destinations such as Switzerland, Germany, Thailand and the UK. In order to further strengthen the UAE’s position as the leading healthcare destination, the UAE government has recently approved a comprehensive strategy which was presented by the DHA. The strategy focuses on establishing a health system that provides excellent services, focusing on highly qualified medical practitioners and building 22 state-of-the-art hospitals. The initiative also includes the launch of Dubai’s medical tourism e-portal promoting Dubai as well as presenting medical packages that include visa, hotel stay, and activities to do. With the Ministry of Health projecting over a million medical tourists visiting Dubai every year by 2020, the DHA and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs have recently decided to extend medical tourist visas in order to further facilitate and support the medical tourism initiative. Targeting patients from Russia, CIS countries, South Asia and neighbouring GCC countries, the UAE medical tourism marketing strategy will be implemented in various languages, enabling patients to have access to the information in their own language. It’s the UAE’s commitment to providing excellent healthcare services, packaged with the promise of sun, sand and shopping along with an aggressive growth and marketing strategy that will undoubtedly position the UAE as one of the world’s most popular medical tourism destination.

Karen Osman is the managing director of Travel Ink, a creative copywriting and translation company that caters exclusively to the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. Focusing on helping hotels, airlines, tourism boards and other tourism related companies with their content requirements, Karen Osman has over fifteen years of experience in publishing, communication and marketing across Asia, Europe and the Middle East. She can be contacted on Karen@group-ink.com

Robust RAK November - December 2014

Marketing

Look out startups, content marketing is more than a good idea! For all businesses, financing and marketing are two of the most important tasks. However, young businesses find little or no investments for the latter. Tish Tash believes that one of the solutions in these circumstances is content marketing.

F Get lo b gging

or any startup or small business, marketing is as important as financing. Hence, it’s not surprising that many SMEs think of it as a key priority when it comes to growing their business. The roadblock, however, is that most small companies have limited marketing budgets, which restricts them to experiment and explore out-of-the box strategies. After all, any kind of advertising (traditional and digital) or SEO activity is rather unaffordable for majority of the SMEs, not to mention often ineffective, unless conducted frequently and skillfully. One of the solutions for small businesses is content marketing. It’s one of those buzz words of late, but there’s more to it than sheer hype. Following are three content marketing techniques you can incorporate into your marketing strategy this year, at zero cost.

Get blogging

Get social

Get a newsletter 38

One of the most cost-effective content marketing techniques that any SME could take a stab at is blogging. It’s also one of the most proliferated techniques today, with plenty of good examples and reference guides available. You must have heard this adage thousands of times by now: content is king. It’s true. Regardless of the communication platforms or channels used, content remains the key ingredient. When you start blogging, think of the content – what you’re writing and putting out for others to read or see - as a means to represent yourself and your business in the sharpest and most knowledgeable light. One should aim to provide insight, advice or commentary on the most important issues for your potential customers through their posts. For

Make sure it looks clean and elegant and it’s mobile-friendly.

November - December Robust RAK

Marketing

e.g., you can format your posts as a Q&A, addressing the frequently asked questions or issues your potential customers face. Or you could share a case study, an instance where a client of yours faced certain challenges and you could provide a unique set of skills and a customised solution. A lot of companies feature examples of work or case studies on their websites, like a window display, but they hardly ever enter into much detail, so a blog would allow you to highlight the solution provided. Idolise interiors, a boutique design consultancy, realized that small businesses are equally keen to create an optimum work space (like Google’s) in their offices, but could not afford to pay the consultancy fee or the specialized suppliers, hence they started a series of posts to share tips and advice on spacing, decorating, lighting, furniture and so on, that small businesses could benefit from, even if their offices are a DIY project. Evidently, in addition to the value of the content, you also need to pay attention to the tone of your posts: make sure you have interesting and catchy titles. Use accessible language; be careful not to sound overtly promotional because that puts people off; and, importantly make sure you ‘optimize’ your posts with the keywords that are most valuable to your business.

Get social

Adding valuable content to your website via a blog can help grow your website’s reach and visibility, but it’s just one step. To fully tap into the potential of content marketing, you need to get social. Simply put, it means you need to not only self-promote, but also engage with other people and businesses that can promote you. The most cost-effective way to promote your blog is with social media. It’s utterly free, fairly easy to understand and use, but it does require skill. So, start by doing your homework, this way you can determine the places (platforms) your potential customers ‘spend’ most of their time, then you can establish your presence on those platforms. You may end up with

a few accounts: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at the very least. The most important part comes next: engaging. Essentially, getting social. However, don’t overthink because the real life rules of engagement apply here as well: respect, transparency, common sense. In the first stage, learn and observe. Start by following the leaders in your industry and engage them with likes, mentions, tags, comments, re-tweets. When you have that post ready and you feel confident, it’s valuable content, start sharing it. You should consider using a free social media aggregator like HootSuite for e.g., to spread your post across potential customers and audience, because it’s really expedient, and it can do it across all social channels.

Get a newsletter

This may come as a surprise, but the newsletter is still a prevailing and convenient content marketing technique. Surely, you are the recipient of a few newsletters a day or a week – albeit

some better received than others! And that’s because email - despite all its detractors - remains one of the most convenient ways to stay in touch with your customers, and get their attention, as it places your message directly in their inbox! This is the one place all people check-in constantly throughout the day, quite simply because this is where they conduct their business from. As with the other techniques, content and format is paramount to producing a good newsletter. It’s best to start using a professional yet friendly service like MailChimp to produce your newsletter template and the signup form. Make sure it looks clean and elegant and it’s mobile-friendly. When it comes to content, use catchy titles, and limit the number of topics to three or four. Baraka Ventures, an SME dedicated to promoting better collaboration and participation among all agents of society, have managed to create quite a following with their ‘ Good Weekly News From The Middle East’.

Robust RAK November - December 2014

Leadership

Wolf of Wall Street: Telling business tales With their cost effective business solutions and unique services, One1info assist investors around the globe in bridging the gap of information, direction & opportunities to achieve successful market penetration and generate volume economy.

artin Scorsesesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; most recent Hollywood blockbuster has the business world talking and a few financial guys on Wall Street ducking for cover. The film unveils a brash lifestyle that claims to depict the real life escapades of Jordon Belford and along with members of his company selling financial services and wealth management products. Of course, for those who may not have read the book or seen the movie, expect a few spoilers in this article as it would make no sense at all otherwise.

Here are the 3 things that Jordan Belford (The Wolf of Wall Street) did right as a leader: Getting your team engaged in a powerful compelling vision:

Leaders who are able to attract, engage and tantalize the imaginations of their fellow team members will build a fire of enthusiasm that will power their individual producers forward and spur others using the momentum. Jordon set examples, led his team, was fearless in engaging in personal performance himself. He effectively got his team to buy into his dream of the future and these team members could begin to paint a picture of their new future with

Belfordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s company in return. This daily ritual of getting his team pumped and motivated could be emulated by leaders today provided that they engage in activities of an ethical nature that will provide win-win experiences for both the customer and the business.

Creating amazing rewards for team members:

Giving them a compelling reason to take consistent action! Leaders today who understand that success is a mix of both inspiration and perspiration can

quickly take a page out of Jordonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book. His leadership style, brazen and wild as depicted in the film, used incentives and performance management techniques that infected some of his team members with incredible drive. As a result, and as preposterous and outlandish as it seemed, he rallied his team performance by creating an eco-system of rewards and incentives within his team that impacted his bottom line. (Pun unintended)

Dare to Dream Big

The Wolf was not shy about

November - December Robust RAK

Leadership

dreaming big, in fact, few people of his age and background could have had the audacity to dream so big. Of course, if you consider that big dreams are not always ethical while considering the late Ronny Biggs of the Great Train Robbery, or Jordon Belford’s tactics. Ethical leaders who dare to dream big are contagious and will gather energy and enthusiasm just as a tornado gathers dust, becoming even more powerful at each new collection of souls who buy into the dream. Imagine Martin Luther King without a Big Dream, or Ghandi saying he was ready to give up, Mandela, or

Steve Jobs, along with hundreds of other noteworthy examples in human history. In the building of his company, Jordon used three leadership techniques and deployed them perfectly. The only problem was that he had forgotten where the line of ethical practices started and ended. His short-lived rule of being the master of the universe could have been easily predicted by anyone who understands that success can never be measured in the short term trick, but the trick is to enjoy long term success ethically. It is the mantle of the leader’s

Leaders today who understand that success is a mix of both inspiration and perspiration can quickly take a page out of Jordon’s book.

Michael J. Tolan is a speaker, writer and corporate mentor and board advisor to several organisations. He is the creator of Mission I’m Possible series of motivational workshops through FirePowerLeadership. com and is the Chief Inspirational Officer of the World Class Academy of Excellence (Follow him on Twitter mtolan@ worldclassgroup).

character that will sustain their attractiveness to others with their real inner enthusiasm, purpose, passion and integrity. To know without question that your boss is honest, would support you, will always strive to do the right thing, to know that your boss does not engage or tolerate in unethical practices or behaviours helps team members sleep much better at night. One of the things Belford did not abide to the ethical way, which is why the rug was snatched from underneath him with the speed that he gathered his fame to begin with.

Don’t cry, wolf. Ethics rock.

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Robust RAK November - December 2014

Corporate Lifestyle

A hands-on luxurious experience

enowned Swiss creators of technically complex timepieces, Eberhard & Co., recently unveiled a stunning collection of novelty pieces for the benefit of fine watch lovers in the region. Presenting this exquisite collection at the Damas Les Exclusives boutique in Dubai Mall was Eberhard & Co.’s CEO, Mario Peserico. "It gives us great pleasure to introduce these specially crafted collections to lovers of fine watch making in the region. Each one of these timepieces represents different facets of the skills and innovativeness of our master craftsmen and are outstanding examples of high end mechanical watchmaking." The Novelties collection includes creative reworking of some of the renowned classics

including the new Contograf, a reedition of the 1960’s classic creation of the same name, which was an emblem of its era thanks to its innovative features. Most of these original features have been maintained in the new 2014 edition, but there is no shortage of innovative details: the new ceramic bezel with unidirectional rotation serves as a frame for the tachymeter scale inspired by automotive design. The case back is screwed in like in the original version and contains the inscription “Tribute to Contograf 1960s”. The date window at 6 o’clock has kept its particular trapezoidal shape. The innovations include the new metallic bracelet chassis and an original black leather strap with a ‘red arrow’ embroidered detail. The deployment buckle Déclic (Patented) is available as an accessory. The 8147 calibre (base ETA 7750 13¼) guarantees the reliability and precision that have made Eberhard & Co. one of the points of reference for mechanical chronographs. The luxury watchmakers are also offering the svelte Traversetolo watch in two new versions: - a version with a white dial and a white second’s counter highlighted by ‘azurée’ finish

and a black profile. The profile of the minutes hand is also black and has an ‘azurée’ finish. The hour markers stand out as they are rhodium plated, rounded and inlaid with black superluminova, while the upper part has a diamond-shaped radius. A second version is black, with a black seconds counter highlighted by ‘azurée’ finish and a white profile. The profile of the minutes counter is also white. Gilda, the timepiece that exudes feminine charm and provides the complete expression of the watchmaker’s refined and elegant world is presented in a new floral version. Gilda Floral has soft, harmonious lines enveloping a white mother of pearl dial with a delicate floral motif, finished with beautiful sapphires. In this new version the bezel, covered with 66 enchanting blue sapphires, frames the dial with a total of 112 precious stones and an elliptical case in white gold. The result is a masterpiece of craftsmanship and style. Chrono 4 is the first and only chronograph in the history of watchmaking with four aligned counters. This Registered Design is an aesthetic and functional innovation and represents a technical revolution thanks to the device developed and patented by Eberhard & Co. with sophisticated complexity. Indeed the entire mechanism operates using no fewer than 53 rubies. Never before had minutes, hours, 24 hours and seconds been arranged horizontally in a linear progression. Never before had reading the time felt so extraordinarily natural.

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Robust RAK November - December 2014

Samsung’s yearend corporate gift guide… T

he holiday season is a time for giving, but getting the right gift for an endless list of friends and family can be a stressful task in the lead up to December 25th. If you haven’t made a start to your festive shopping yet, we’ve compiled a guide of gadget gift ideas from Samsung, which are guaranteed to be a hit on Christmas day. Give a little get a lot—Samsung’s thinnest and lightest tablet to date, the Galaxy Tab S is perfect for those always on the go. Designed for both work and leisure, this super slim tablet is powered with enhanced productivity features for effortless multi-tasking, whether you want to flip through an endless gallery of magazines or play a high-octane game. And once the floor is littered with wrapping paper and Christmas roast has filled your brim, you can watch all of your favourite holiday films in stunning detail thanks to its Super AMOLED display. A real merry-maker – The latest addition to the popular Note series, the Galaxy Note 4 is a festive essential for smartphone addicts. With a large screen and an upgraded S Pen (possibly one of the handiest tools on any touch screen device),

the Note 4 takes the smartphone experience to the next level. The Note 4 also sports an advanced camera that is able to reproduce brighter and clearer pictures of all your festive celebrations and a wide-angle focus for the perfect selfie. Locked and loaded – A must-have for the photographer in your life, the Samsung NX 1 is the world’s fastest and most accurate interchangeablelens camera. The latest addition to Samsung’s award-winning NX series, the NX1 combines connectivity features, with crystal clear image quality, lighting-fast shutter speeds and a durable body that lets users take photos under any conditions. The NX 1 will be available in the region in just a few weeks. A Touch of Magic – While we’re not sure if this will fit in Santa’s sleigh, the Curved UHD TV is the ultimate gift. Breaking the rules with this breathtaking TV, Samsung developed the world’s first and largest Curved Ultra High-Definition TV, making every seat the best seat in the house no matter the viewing angle. Just take a peek at its startling colour and listen to its fine-tuned sound—watching TV will never be the same again.

November - December Robust RAK

Corporate Lifestyle

The Fujifilm X-T1 gets a makeover! T

he launch of the X-T1 Graphite Silver Edition, a new colour variant of the Fujifilm X-T1 premium mirror less camera, is creating a buzz amongst professional and amateur photographers in the region. Since its launch, the X-T1 has received high praise from photography enthusiasts and

professional photographers around the globe thanks to its outstanding features, including the world’s fastest Real Time Viewfinder with a display lag-time of just 0.005 sec, the highest display magnification (0.77x), and a dust and waterresistant body. “The Fujifilm X-T1 is a very capable and powerful camera.

The graphite silver edition is being introduced to provide our customers with an option to choose between the all black version and the new graphite silver variant. The unique colour combination of silver graphite stands out from the other advanced compact systems cameras available in the market as it adds an original retro feel to the X-T1,” stated Mr. Yuta Kawamura, marketing manager, electronic imaging division, Fujifilm Middle East & Africa. The X-T1 Graphite Silver Edition uses a unique three-layer coating process for a stunning, highly resilient, finish. Three coats are applied to the camera body to impart that perfect finish. Along with the introduction of the new colour variant, the electronic shutter of the X-T1 has also been upgraded with a maximum speed of 1/32000 seconds which is perfect for shots of pets, weddings, etc. that require fast shutter speeds. The X Series' Film Simulation modes represent Fujifilm's wealth of experience in colour reproduction technology. New to the suite of effects is Classic Chrome, which delivers subtle colours and beautifully muted tones reminiscent of vintage reversal film that enhances the creativity of the photographers. Fujifilm will continue to provide support to their users by providing firmware updates. The updates will also enhance the usability of the X-T1. Some of the planned features include manual shooting in video mode, direct selection of AF area, etc.

Robust RAK November - December 2014

Corporate Lifestyle

Redefined 2015 Cadillac Escalade debuts in UAE L

iberty Automobiles Co. celebrated the launch of the all-new 2015 Cadillac Escalade on the September 16, 2014, at the Armani hotel. Senior officials of General Motors, Liberty Automobiles, many prominent business guests and media were present at the event, offering an opportunity to learn what the new model had to offer for car enthusiasts in the region. Speaking at the event, Gilbert Nassar, General Manager of Sales and Marketing, Liberty Automobiles said, “We are proud to announce the launch of the all-new 2015 Cadillac Escalade in the UAE. This magnificent vehicle has always been the embodiment of strength, prestige and capability. Owners will see that the fourth Generation Cadillac Escalade is true to its style, and represents a significant improvement to the series.’ Car owners in the UAE will find that the vehicle is perfect for roads in the UAE, providing a great mix of power and luxury that the brand is renowned for. The new 2015 Escalade features a 6.2 L V8 engine with 420 horsepower and 624nm

of torque – making certain that it contains the best specs for any base engine in the segment. In terms of performance, the new Escalade offers a world-class quietness, which is superior to other high-end luxury vehicles. It delivers great safety - with seven airbags installed, lane departure alerts and front and rear park assists available with the help of its long range sensors. It is a vehicle that exhibits the flair and personality of the owner and its size, efficiency and comfort make it the perfect family vehicle. Felix Weller, Director of Cadillac Middle East, said, “The all-new 2015 Cadillac Escalade has been redesigned through an extraordinary level of

hand-tailored craftsmanship and technology. Offering further luxury, a sophisticated look and greater efficiency, this model is by far the best in the range and will set new benchmarks.’ The Escalade has always been not only perfect for utility but also for luxury, and this blend is displayed by a heavily redesigned interior. The new posh interiors feature augmented wood, premium cut-and-sewn materials and sueded accents. The driver and front passenger seats have been specially engineered to be more comfortable and are trimmed in perforated leather, ensuring that customers have as luxurious an experience as possible.

The Cadillac Escalade instantly stands out in the crowd because of its elegantly re-designed appearance, consisting of newly sculpted chiseled lines, tight seams and LED lights. With exceptional illumination and dynamic front styling cues, the new Escalade is enhanced by a highly detailed chrome grille, which gives it a unique and distinguishable look. This mix of power, performance and luxury ensures the allnew 2015 Cadillac Escalade is unparalleled in the region and is sure to satisfy the demands of many discerning car owners.

November - December Robust RAK

Events Calendar

Networking opportunities Important business events across the globe MIDDLE EAST CONCRETE 2014 Date: 17-20 November, 2014 Duration: 4 days Timings: 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Venue: Dubai World Trade Centre Admission: Free Online Registration, On-Site RegistrationAED 100 Telephone: + 971 4 438 0355 Over the last three years, Middle East Concrete has been the region’s largest dedicated concrete event addressing the overdue needs of the industry. It is co-located with PMV Live and The Big 5, the Middle East’s largest building and construction event. Last year, the event welcomed 19,787 visitors during the four day show with 355 exhibitors using over 9445 sqm that include nine international pavilions, 25 free to attend seminars, live demos, Asset Maintenance Workshop, and the International Concrete Sustainability Conference. 6th WORLD ISLAMIC RETAIL BANKING CONFERENCE Date: 23-24 November, 2014 Duration: 2 days Venue: The Address, Dubai Marina Admission: Online Registration Telephone: + 971 4609 1570 6th World Islamic Retail Banking Conference is the platform that brings together key policy makers, global Islamic retail bankers and business decision makers to put a spotlight on the challenges, innovations, latest developments and technological solutions essential for the further growth of the global Islamic Retail Banking sector. GPCA ANNUAL FORUM 23- 25 November, 2014 Duration: 3 days

Venue: Madinat Jumeirah Admission: Online Registration Telephone: + 971 4 451 0666 Since its first meeting in 2006, The Annual GPCA Forum has become the flagship petrochemical gathering in the Middle East. Its attendance has grown steadily year-on-year along with its reputation in the global chemical industry. In 2013, around 1,900 international industry executives from all parts of the value chain gathered in Dubai for the 8th Annual GPCA Forum. This will be the must-attend event in the chemical industry during November. Ensure you are there to take advantage of the visionary perspectives and industry networking provided by the 9th Annual GPCA Forum. VISION X DUBAI 2014 Date: 25-27th November, 2014 Duration: 3 days Venue: Dubai World Trade Centre Admission: Online Registration Telephone: + 971 4 308 6243 / + 971 4 308 6467 This all-inclusive event will showcase the very best of eyewear, eye care, optical equipment, surgical instruments and accessories from around the world. The event is open only to people aged 21 and above. Facilitating the growing needs of eye-care specialists in the region, Vision X provides the ideal platform for manufacturers, suppliers and distributors to showcase the very best in fashionable eyewear and medical eye care products. ENTERPRISE DUBAI Date: 19-21 December, 2014 Duration: 3 days Venue: Crowne Plaza Dubai (Sheikh Zayed Road) Admission: Online Registration

Telephone: + 971 50 5158659 / 971 50 4590258 / 971 50 5505174 Enterprise Dubai is a high level gathering of businessmen, professionals, youth and families offering an unrivalled platform to explore the business, leisure and pleasure opportunities that Dubai has to offer. ARABPLAST 2015 Date: 10-13 January, 2015 Duration: 4 days Venue: Dubai World Trade Centre Admission: Free Admission Telephone: + 971 4 340 6888 Arabplast 2015 is one of the most effective ways to enter the plastics, petrochemicals and rubber industry in the MENA region. Leaders of the plastics and rubber industry would be attending the exhibition to unveil products solutions, cutting-edge technology, and revolutionary innovations and forge international alliances. It is an event that would provide a greater leverage to international exhibitors and trade visitors with decision-making authority. INTERSEC 2015 Date: 18-20 January, 2015 Duration: 3 days Venue: Dubai World Trade Centre Admission: Online Registration Telephone: + 971 4 389 4500 Intersec turns the spotlight on issues of concern within the global security, safety and fire industries. As one of the world’s foremost trade exhibition for the security industry it features security conferences, workshops, live SWAT demonstrations and much more. This is the 17th edition of Intersec since its launch in 1999. More than 1,000 exhibitors and 22,000 visitors are expected.

Robust RAK November - December 2014

Column

The bizarre fallout between sales and marketing courtship Utpal Bhattacharya on how lack of awareness can make sales and marketing antagonistic towards each other in an enterprise.

n the recent times, I have come across practical examples of how a lack of empathy, understanding and connect across departments in an enterprise could affect the performance of a business in the long run. While departments are run by individuals, lack of robust processes or codes of conduct in place can create serious confusion both internally and for vendors servicing an enterprise. An ad hoc approach cannot become a permanent solution in an enterprise, and this is what we tend to forget while focusing on “bigger” things like selling and accounting for profits. In one of my short stints at consulting, I was working with a company to help them with some of their marketing communications. In the first few days, I realised that the entire initiative was on the direction of the new CEO and under the administration department. These were, of course, novel initiatives, and did not have much support within the organisation, as sales felt a marketing budget hardly helped, while a larger incentive for selling was a better way to beef up revenues. While my mandate in this company was an easy one of setting up basic marketing tools, and putting certain processes in place, the challenge was that most thought I was getting in their way. During that time, I also found out,

accidentally, that the company was planning an event. The administration department would not discuss this event with me, as it was driven by sales department for their customers and potential customers. So, I went up to the CEO to find out what was going on, and he called the head of the administration to explain, while also directing him to take my help. The administration department, very reluctantly, discussed the event with me. Suffice to say that it was planned as a fun cum cultural evening. From messaging and communication perspective, we had a vacuum. Also, to my shock, I found out that the choice of the star performer for the evening was not decided on merit, but who cost the least, almost like L1 in a tender. I would have been a fool to put my hand into this event, although, out of courtesy, I did offer my two bits here and there. The event did happen and the star performer was flown in from the US. He was as boring as can be, and was keener on doing his own deals with other corporates or customers that had come for the event than his own show, for which he hardly got paid. The long and short of it is that the event had no ingredients in terms of messaging or communicating to customers as to why they should be doing more business with the host company. In the word of a communication specialist, this event was a waste of time, period.

Summing up

It is quite ironic that the words “sales” and “marketing” are used mostly together, and as a phrase. However, lack of awareness in an enterprise can make these two functions, which are so symbiotic in nature, antagonistic. That’s why robust processes are so important and have to be driven top down in enterprises and followed up meticulously by the leadership. I do not work with this company any more, as my mandate was quite narrow in scope. However, I felt, as I was leaving that I was able to stir up enough curiosity within the organisation for the sales team to start asking how marketing could help in their bottom line.

Robust RAK iPhone6 245x175-E.indd 1

16/10/2014 16:50