by Ferry Bayu | Aug 23, 2023 | Business
JFC says Tiong Bahru Bakery, Common Man Coffee Roasters won’t compete with CBTL
MANILA — Jollibee Foods Corp said on Tuesday its new bakery and coffee ventures won’t compete with its own brands.
In an earlier disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the country’s largest restaurant operator said it formed a joint venture with Food Collective Pte Ltd (FCPL) to bring Tiong Bahru Bakery and Common Man Coffee Roasters to the Philippines.
The Jollibee Group owns Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (CBTL). It also has an interest in Vietnamese brand Highlands Coffee.
During its second quarter earnings briefing, JFC Chief Financial Officer Richard Shin said they don’t see the recent investments cannibalizing the coffee market since the kinds of coffee and food products that will be served in these new stores would be quite different from what you would see in CBTL.
Tiong Bahru Bakery is famous for its hand-made croissants while Common Man Coffee Roasters is known for its specialty coffee.
“Common Man will be a different expression of coffee in that it’s closer to a more premium barista coffee,” Shin said. “That’s what it’s famous for and therefore it will not be competing with Highland Coffee or CBTL, but in fact, it’s a new segment,” he explained.
Shin also confirmed the two Asian brands would be coming to the country “soon.” He said the joint venture has been set up, the funding is ready, a location has been chosen, and they have a management and staffing plan for the bakery and coffee shop.
But unlike JFC’s other coffee brands, Shin said they’ll be keeping the number of branches for Tiong Bahru Bakery and Common Man small to reflect the boutique style the brands are known for in Singapore and Malaysia where there are less than 20 outlets.
by Ferry Bayu | Aug 23, 2023 | Business
Financial literacy for everyone CashKu and airasia academy tie up opens up learning pathways
CashKu (a 1337 Ventures investee), and airasia academy have entered into a partnership to offer financial literacy courses in a bid to empower the Malaysian public to plan their financial futures better.
KUALA LUMPUR, 18 August, 2023 – CashKu, owned by Advisonomics (a 1337 Ventures investee), and airasia academy have entered into a partnership to offer financial literacy courses in a bid to empower the Malaysian public to better plan their financial futures.
This programme is accessible via the following two links on airasia academy’s website:
English: https://airasiaacademy.com/on-demand-learning/financial-literacy-with-cashku
BM: https://airasiaacademy.com/on-demand-learning/literasi-kewangan-bersama-cashku
“airasia academy is delighted to venture into this partnership with CashKu. As an education platform, we believe that making financial knowledge easily available for everyone is truly a worthwhile endeavor,” says airasia academy Director Dr Ram Gopal Raj.
He adds that the direct correlation between low financial literacy and low household income is quite evident in Malaysia, and this underscores the importance for these courses to be made available to the general public.
“The participants will also learn how to use the CashKu app to manage their finances and potential investments and use it for more efficient and effective financial planning to secure their financial futures.”
Meanwhile Advisonomics co-founder Asgari Stephens shares that one in three Malaysians consider themselves as having low financial knowledge. And while more than 75% of Malaysians understand that inflation means the cost of living is rising, only some 38% can understand how that affects their purchasing power.
“The modules we are offering in this programme are especially tailored for the novice and takes them through an introduction to financial literacy right to setting goals and taking proactive steps towards securing their financial futures.”
“I believe this will create a positive impact towards improving financial literacy among Malaysians and help them to better plan their finances,” Asgari adds.
The beginner level courses which are available in Bahasa Malaysia and English encompasses Understanding the Importance of Financial Literacy, Managing Cash Flow, Awareness of Inflation and Its Impact and Introduction to Savings and Investments.
CashKu also has intermediate and advanced modules to promote a progressive approach to learning about financial literacy. The intermediate course would encompass Understanding Net Worth and How to Identify It, Introduction to Budgeting, and Saving vs Investment while the advanced programme covers a Recap on the Importance of Saving and Having an Emergency Fund, Introduction to Passive Investment and Active Investment, Efficient Market Hypothesis and the Concept of Compounding.
To access the course one just needs to go into airasiaacademy.com and search for CashKu. The beginner level videos are available at no charge while the intermediate and advanced level programme are accessible for free via the CashKu app.
1337 Ventures (pronounced as ‘Leet’), is a Malaysian VC, we invest in early-stage startups. We run Alpha Startups Accelerator to help idea and MVP-stage startups launch, validate, and grow. We also help SMEs raise funds via ECF & consult corporates on their Innovation journey.
Learn more: https://1337.ventures/about/
About Advisonomics
Advisonomics is a registered financial planning firm established in 2019, backed by highly experienced and trained financial advisors. Holding both HRDF and financial planning licences, the firm aims to democratise and create financial literacy among Malaysians using a powerful mix of technology and human collaboration, with the message that everyone can create investments towards securing their financial future.
For more information, visit the website at www.advisonomics.my
About airasia academy
airasia academy is the region’s fastest growing one-stop edutech platform with a goal to make learning more accessible and affordable for everyone. The platform provides an accessible, affordable and inclusive ecosystem to build and nurture talent to meet the demands of today’s digital economy. Some of the education offerings include On-Demand Learning (ODL), accredited Instructor-Led Training (ILT) for in-demand tech courses such as Digital Marketing, Cloud Infrastructure, Data Analytics, Software Engineering and Cybersecurity to the Learning Management System (LMS) which streamlines and elevates the learners journey as well as Job Placement service for its job-ready graduates.
For more information, visit the website at https://airasiaacademy.com/
Shannon Chow
Head of Marketing, 1337 Ventures
sh*****@**37.ventures
by Ferry Bayu | Aug 23, 2023 | Business
PH-SKorea eye FTA signing next month
Philippines and South Korea trade ministers have agreed to work for the signing of the bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), preferably during the 24TH ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit next month in Indonesia.
Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual relayed the new development after meeting with his South Korean counterpart Minister Dukgeum Ahn at the sidelines of the 55th AEM Meeting in Semarang, Indonesia over the weekend where both ministers discussed greater economic engagements between the two countries.
“Both Ministers welcomed the conclusion of the PH-ROK FTA negotiations and agreed to work for its signing, preferably at the sidelines of the 24th ASEAN-Republic of Korea (ASEAN-ROK) Summit in September 2023,” the DTI said in a statement.
In addition, the ministers agreed to work on a possible supply chain resilience cooperation to ensure stability and predictability of business operations, particularly in the manufacturing sector.
Both parties concluded the FTA negotiations on Oct. 26, 2021, two years after it was launch in June 2019.
The concluded Korea-Philippines FTA negotiations cover Trade in Goods, Trade Remedies, Rules of Origin, Customs Procedures and Trade Facilitation, Economic and Technical Cooperation, Competition, and Legal and Institutional Issues.
Both parties also agreed to further negotiate provisions for the Chapters on Trade in Services and Investment no later than one year after entry into force of the Korea-Philippines FTA. Philippines and Korea also committed to complete all necessary domestic procedures towards the signing of the Korea-Philippines Free Trade Agreement in early 2022.
The FTA would further liberalize trade in goods between the two countries, including gradual elimination of tariffs on Philippine bananas and canned pineapple exports and exports of Korean automobiles and autoparts.
Both parties acknowledged that the FTA will help contribute to the economic recovery efforts of the Philippines and Korea.
Once enforced, the FTA with South Korea will be an important vehicle for enhancing trade flows, and generating more investment and employment opportunities in the process. The bilateral FTA will be the third for the Philippines,
“We are glad that our trade negotiations with South Korea have come to a fruition. We also thank Minister Yeo and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) for their continued collaboration in facilitating a wider economic cooperation with our Philippine trade department,” Lopez said.
Both trade partners have acknowledged that the FTA can contribute to the swift recovery for the robust and resilient growth of the economies of the two countries.
At the conclusion of the trade talks, both parties called the deal mutually beneficial and paving the way for high level of liberalization on trade in goods.
Following the conclusion of negotiations, both parties were looking at signing the PH-ROK FTA during the 40TH AND 41ST ASEAN Summits and Related Summits in November last year in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
The signing, however, did not materialize as both parties were still reviewing text and provisions of the trade deal.
Conclusion of the trade deal has been delayed for quite sometime already, largely due to market issues for goods, particularly on the exports of Philippine bananas and pineapples to South Korea. The Philippines fruits are being levied a 30-percent tariff, putting them a disadvantaged against competing exports from Vietnam which tariff rate will eventually reduce to zero.
The PH-ROK FTA Negotiations was launched in June 2019 in Seoul by former Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez and South Korea’s Minister for Trade Yoo Myung-hee.
by Ferry Bayu | Aug 23, 2023 | Business
Antsomi Welcomes D.A.Consortium Inc. as Its Strategic Investor, Onboarding Regional Clients under the Partnership
SINGAPORE and KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug. 22, 2023 — The Southeast Asia-based marketing technology company, Antsomi, is pleased to announce that D.A.Consortium Inc. (DAC), a leading digital advertising and marketing company, has made a strategic investment in Antsomi. This investment marks a significant milestone in the partnership between Antsomi and DAC, positioning DAC as a regional reseller of Antsomi’s innovative customer data platform, CDP 365, in the Southeast Asian region.
Antsomi’s collaboration with DAC has yielded remarkable results, with the successful onboarding of prominent clients in the region, including Dunlop Thailand. This achievement highlights the strength and potential of the partnership and showcases Antsomi’s and DAC’s commitments to providing cutting-edge solutions to their clients.
Antsomi is renowned for developing CDP 365, an artificial intelligence-enabled customer data platform that serves clients across the Southeast Asian region. CDP 365 enables businesses to unify customer data from various sources and deliver personalized activations with marketing automation capability across multiple channels. With its headquarters in Singapore and branch offices in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam, Antsomi welcomed DAC as its strategic investor in its pre-series A investment round as DAC has been at the forefront of the digital advertising and marketing industry, driving the market formation and growth through its expertise in digital technology. With an undisclosed amount, the investment will be used for product development and regional expansions, including business development and client success capacities.
Serm Teck Choon, co-founder & CEO of Antsomi, emphasized the significance of this partnership, stating, “Our collaboration with DAC represents a pivotal step forward for Antsomi’s regional expansion and sustainable growth. DAC’s extensive industry expertise and strong market presence will accelerate our mission of transforming businesses into data-driven companies. We are confident that this strategic partnership will deliver exceptional value to our clients and drive unparalleled success.”
Michihiko Suganuma, Senior Executive Officer & Head of Global Business Group of DAC, expressed his excitement about the partnership, stating, “We are thrilled to invest in Antsomi and become their strategic partner. This collaboration is a testament to our dedication to providing cutting-edge solutions to our clients and driving their success in the digital age. With Antsomi’s innovative and data-driven technology, we can unlock valuable customer insights and enable our clients to deliver personalized experiences at scale. We believe this partnership will bring immense value to both DAC and our clients.”
The strategic partnership between Antsomi and DAC is poised to make a significant impact on the marketing landscape in the Southeast Asia market. By combining Antsomi’s advanced AI-driven customer data platform with DAC’s established market presence and expertise, both companies aim to revolutionize marketing practices, empowering businesses with data-driven insights and personalized customer experiences, ultimately leading to greater customer loyalty and business success.
About D.A.Consortium Inc. (DAC)
Since its establishment in 1996 during the early days of online advertising, DAC is leading the industry in market formation and growth as it steadily expands its operations with the digital transformation of information and lifestyles. Currently, DAC operates advertising and marketing businesses centered on digital technology both in Japan and overseas. The company provides comprehensive support, from consulting and planning to ad space purchasing, selling, management and results analysis. With a firm understanding of the characteristics of different media, DAC also produces creative, develops and provides solutions that bridge its wealth of data with advanced technologies, and supports global promotional initiatives. With the mission, “Empowering the digital future,” DAC will continue to be at the forefront in creating new forms of advertising and marketing and providing new value to society.
About Antsomi:
Antsomi is a regional marketing technology company building the first artificial intelligence-enabled customer data platform, CDP 365, in Southeast Asia, with the mission to transform businesses into data-driven companies. Antsomi CDP 365 helps companies unify their customer data from multiple sources, such as mobile apps, web, social media, digital ads, CRM, POS, offline channels, etc. It then delivers relevant activations with rich personalization across multiple touchpoints via both online and offline. Antsomi CDP 365 empowers companies to understand their customers’ behavior and intent across various channels and build a 1-to-1 customer journey at scale. Antsomi is headquartered in Singapore, with branch offices in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
Antsomi
**@*****mi.com
by Ferry Bayu | Aug 22, 2023 | Business
Espionage drama ‘Gray’ makes PH premiere on Lionsgate Play
GOLDEN Globe winner Patricia Clarkson takes the audience on a thrilling roller coaster ride through the high-stakes world of spies in Gray, streaming now in the Philippines on Lionsgate Play.
The gripping series delves into a maze of espionage, where passion, deceit, the pursuit of truth, and the delicate fragility of life intersect in a captivating manner.
The captivating series centers around CIA agent Cornelia Gray, portrayed by Oscar nominee, Emmy and Golden Globe winner Patricia Clarkson. After twenty years in hiding due to suspicions of treason, she reenters her former life, only to uncover a new mole within her spy network, endangering her and her allies.
Gray is based on an original concept by David Baldacci (Absolute Power), a renowned author with over 40 national and international bestsellers. Bringing this tale to life are BAFTA nominee writer John J. McLaughlin (Point Pleasant; Black Swan) and award-winning director Ruba Nadda (Manifest; Magnum P.I.).
Lionsgate Play exclusively premieres Gray in the Philippines, marking the series’ first release on the streaming service in any market. Tune in to Lionsgate Play on PLDT Home to catch more exciting premieres.
by Ferry Bayu | Aug 22, 2023 | Business
Twimbit launches ‘CX Stars’, a global program to benchmark and celebrate exceptional customer experience (CX)
Twimbit launches “Twimbit CX Stars” program to acknowledge companies who deliver exceptional customer experiences. With Genesys as a founding partner, the program will set higher CX standards and host the ‘CX Stars Gala Dinner’ in Bangkok on October 11, 2023. Inspired by the Michelin Star Guide, it evaluates organizations across four CX pillars: brand, digital, employee, and service. CX Mastery ratings range from Proficient to Advanced and Exceptional. There are no nomination fees, no hidden charges, no licensing.
Twimbit CX Stars is built to recognise Exceptional CX and celebrate companies with the best-in-class CX platforms, processes and practices
The ‘Twimbit CX Stars’ program recognises CX as the key differentiator for today’s businesses. As CEOs continue to change the industry landscape with new CX practices, the necessity for a comprehensive benchmark has proven more than relevant in today’s landscape.
With Genesys as the founding partner, we are thrilled to elevate the standards of CX excellence and celebrate exceptional organisations at the ‘CX Stars Gala Dinner’ in Bangkok on 11th October 2023.
“Inspired by the Michelin Star Guide, the Twimbit CX Stars program aims to inspire companies to cultivate leading practices and build exceptional customer experience.” – Manoj Menon (Managing Director and Founder, Twimbit)
Led by independent, research-driven, analyst-led benchmarks, the Twimbit CX Stars program will evaluate leading companies within the realm of 4 essential CX pillars: brand, digital, employee, and service. The evaluation will involve secondary research, interviews with organisations on their CX practices & metrics, social engagement trends and mystery shopping. The benchmarking information & analysis will then be assessed and validated by a panel of external judges.
Organisations will be assessed using the Twimbit Exceptional CX Mastery scale and given a CX rating of 5 stars along with their CX Mastery status ranging from Proficient to Advanced and Exceptional (Exhibit 1).
At the CX Stars Gala Dinner, all Advanced and Exceptional CX Stars will be recognised and awarded, along with leading CX Stars from different industry verticals ranging from Banking, Telecoms, Insurance, Travel & Hospitality, Digital & eCommerce, and Government Services.
Twimbit will reveal the leading CX Stars on 11th October 2023, starting with organisations in Asia. Organisations are welcome to nominate themselves and be part of the benchmarking exercise. Get a Twimbit CX Star badge and be recognised for your CX Mastery. Submissions are free and are open till 31st August.
Exhibit 1: Twimbit Exceptional CX Mastery Scale and 4 CX Pillars
“We hope to provide a mechanism for organisations to know their CX benchmarks and strive to become an Exceptional CX organisation. We are happy to offer the first step in that journey to all organisations that aim to deliver best-in-class CX” – Manoj Menon (Managing Director and Founder, Twimbit)
Ready to be a CX Star? Sign up now and get started.
https://www.cxstars.twimbit.com
Twimbit is a research and advisory firm driven by a singular mission: to empower businesses making a difference. We specialize in providing invaluable industry intelligence to executives and teams, acting as a catalyst for innovation and growth. Twimbit’s proprietary research platform seeks to revolutionize the way enterprises consume insights, making it effortlessly enjoyable and accessible to all.
More information on twimbit is available online at www.twimbit.com. Follow news and updates from Twimbit on Twitter and LinkedIn. Members of the media can find additional information in the Twimbit newsroom.
Vansh Sehgal
va***@*****it.com
by Ferry Bayu | Aug 22, 2023 | Business
Whoscall app launched in the Philippines to block spam calls, messages
A Taiwan-based technology firm on Tuesday launched Whoscall—a call identification and spam-blocking app to address the rising mobile scam cases in the Philippines.
“As fraud became more apparent during and after the pandemic, we saw how Filipinos have suffered losses from scams, much like in other countries where we have launched Whoscall such as Thailand, Malaysia and Japan,” said Manwoo Joo, chief operating officer of Gogolook .
“This reality ignited our drive to create a comprehensive life protection platform accessible to every Filipino across the nation,” he said.
Powered by world-leading AI and data-driven technology, Whoscall boasts of the largest database in East Asia and Southeast Asia of over 2.6 billion entries to detect unknown callers, spam and scam calls and texts and potentially harmful URLs.
Whoscall app identifies unknown numbers, blocks spam calls and scans suspicious URLs from messages to provide comprehensive mobile protection. Armed with a range of innovative AI features and an internationally acclaimed reputation, Whoscall arrived in the country to enhance the nation’s mobile security.
Users can regain control and confidence over their phone communications. The app’s anti-fraud features allow users to make informed decisions on whether to answer or ignore calls and messages.
Individuals on the app can report suspicious numbers, empowering them to participate in the broad movement against fraudulent activities.
Gabriel Barrios, country marketing head for the Philippines, said Whoscall has been available as the leading caller ID and scam detection app in Thailand and Taiwan, accumulating 100 million downloads worldwide.
“It has been rolling out in other Asian countries as well, and we’re happy to finally provide this protective service to all Filipinos. We highly encourage everyone to install it on their phones and join the community to protect themselves and their loved ones from potential risks, fraud, and scams. It’s about time we all step up and unite for a Scam-Free Pilipinas,” he said.
Whoscall is available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
by Ferry Bayu | Aug 21, 2023 | Business
Filipino Consumers Name Their Favorite Brands of 2023
Discover the results of the 2023 Consumer Choice Award, which surveyed 1,200 Filipinos about their opinions towards multiple brands on various major industries and topics.
Standard Insights Unveils Winners of the 2023 Consumer Choice Awards Philippines
Earlier this year, over 1,200 Filipinos participated in a survey to vote for their favorite brands in a wide range of industries. The survey was part of Standard Insights’ Consumer Choice Awards 2023, which aims to recognize brands that have earned Filipino consumers’ trust and loyalty.
Among the favorite brands of Filipinos, we can find:
Best Mobile Network Operator: Globe Telecom
Prominent telecommunications giant Globe Telecom emerges as the undisputed leader in the telecommunications sector, securing an impressive 41.2% of the overall votes. This is their 2nd consecutive year being recognized, following last year’s sweep at the Mobile Network Operator Awards 2022.
Best Retail Bank: BDO Unibank
Full-service universal bank BDO Unibank stands as the favored retail banking brand, commanding a significant 33.0% of the votes.
Best Retail Insurance: Sun Life
Insurance provider Sun Life distinguishes itself as the favored insurance brand with an endorsement from 25.3% of the participants.
Best Local Beer: San Miguel
Local beer icon San Miguel secures its position as the favored local beer with a substantial 52.8% of the votes.
Best International Beer: Heineken
Global brewing powerhouse Heineken wins over consumer hearts as the preferred international beer, capturing an impressive 54.1% of the votes.
Best Retail Oil & Gas Brand: Petron
Leading fuel and energy leader Petron claims the top position within the oil and gas segment, amassing an impressive 45.7% of the votes.
Best Food & Beverage Delivery App: Foodpanda
Well-established food delivery platform Foodpanda dominates the food delivery category, capturing an impressive 56.2% of the votes.
Best Transportation App: Grab
Ride-hailing frontrunner Grab emerges as the premier transportation app, receiving a commendable 70.2% of the votes.
“The Philippines has known a momentous year with a new election, a significant impact on inflation, and COVID-19 issues that may have changed the way people consume. We are glad to have launched these awards in the Philippines to give brands insights into what people are thinking at the top of their minds and to reward them for their efforts. We are excited to see how the next editions will unfold,” said Florian Gaudel, Founder & CEO of Standard Insights.
The 2023 Consumer Choice Awards not only honour the brands that have achieved consumer trust but also set a definitive benchmark for others striving to excel in the Philippines’ competitive market. This recognition underscores the impact these brands have made on consumers and their commitment to delivering top-notch products and services.
For more information about the 2023 Consumer Choice Awards and the list of winners, please visit: https://standard-insights.com/awards/philippines/
About the Consumer Choice Awards
The Consumer Choice Awards by Standard Insights is an initiative that proudly recognizes brands that prioritize the needs and opinions of their customers resulting in being the top choice in their respective industries. The awards are based on a strict methodology involving real respondents, making the evaluation process fair and impartial.
Standard Insights offers accurate and comprehensive consumer insights utilizing the latest ad-tech infrastructure and Al-powered system. Our team of experts reaches real, representative respondents to give our clients the confidence they need when making important decisions about their brand’s future.
Standard Insights
Rémi Marié
Head of Digital
re**@***************ts.com
by Ferry Bayu | Aug 21, 2023 | Business
Grab to drive inclusive growth with new regional GrabScholar Programme and GrabMerchant Centre in Singapore
Grab opens new Headquarters @ Singapore at event graced by Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong
Tan Hooi Ling, Co-Founder of Grab; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Mr Lawrence Wong and Anthony Tan, Co-Founder and Group CEO of Grab, officially launched Grab HQ @ Singapore on 11 August.
SINGAPORE, August 11, 2022 – Grab, Southeast Asia’s leading superapp, announced two new initiatives to drive inclusive growth in Southeast Asia today at the official opening of its Headquarters @ Singapore. The new initiatives include a US$1 million GrabScholar programme to disburse scholarships and bursaries to students across Southeast Asia, and a new GrabMerchant Centre to help small businesses grow online. Grab Headquarters @ Singapore was launched in the presence of Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong.
“As we celebrate Grab’s 10th anniversary this year, we hope that our announcements today will help small businesses and our future workforce upskill and maximise their opportunities, even in this challenging macro environment. Providing access to digital tools can be a powerful way to ensure all Southeast Asians can equally participate in – and benefit from – the rising digital economy, the same way 10 years ago when our driver-partners learned how to use their smartphones to earn incomes,” said Anthony Tan, Group CEO and Co-founder, Grab.
“Grab’s new headquarters in Singapore is a testament to Singapore’s growing vibrant digital ecosystem. As Grab grows to 3,000 employees working across corporate, business and tech functions, more exciting and innovative capabilities will be created for our digital economy. We look forward to Singapore’s continued partnership with Grab to create exciting job opportunities for Singaporeans, and to strengthen Singapore as the location for high-end R&D and innovation,” said Chan Ih-Ming, Senior Vice President, Digital Industry Singapore (DISG).
GrabScholar programme to provide US$1 million worth of scholarships and bursaries annually
Grab has committed an annual US$1 million from the GrabForGood Fund towards the GrabScholar programme, which will provide university scholarships and educational bursaries across all countries Grab operates in Southeast Asia.
GrabScholar programme plans to award over 2,000 scholarships and bursaries annually. It will cover tuition and study-related expenses for underprivileged children to attend primary, secondary or vocational schools as well as universities. Internship opportunities will also be offered to tertiary students to develop their professional aptitude and prepare them for full-time roles when they graduate.
GrabScholar was launched in Indonesia last month in partnership with Yayasan Benih Baik Indonesia[1]. This is in addition to existing scholarship and bursary initiatives that are offered to the children of Grab’s driver-, delivery- and merchant-partners in Singapore and Thailand. This has helped to open access to quality education and transform lives locally. The new region wide GrabScholar programme is an expanded effort to support the broader communities across Southeast Asia.
“We are pleased to partner with Grab to offer the scholarships and bursaries for underprivileged children in Indonesia. Clearly, creating a social impact is at the core of Grab’s mission — the tech company has invested in many different projects to support the local communities. With their strong support, we hope to contribute to the development of inclusive communities, improving the quality of life of their families in the long term,” said Andi F. Noya, Co-founder of BenihBaik.
GrabMerchant Centre to help small businesses thrive online
Grab has been helping small businesses come online in the past two years. As Southeast Asia leaves behind the worst of Covid-19 lockdowns and drives towards recovery, these SMEs have also stabilised their delivery business’ operations and are now ready to scale.
To facilitate this, Grab will soon launch its first-ever GrabMerchant Centre to provide 1-on-1 business consultation services for our SME merchant-partners. It will be located at Grab HQ @ Singapore. GrabMerchant Centre is a one-stop hub dedicated to helping small businesses optimise their online presence, maximise GrabFood, GrabMart, GrabFin and GrabAds services for their businesses, and learn to use digital tools to grow.
GrabMerchant Centre provides a suite of services:
1-on-1 business consultation with Grab Account Managers. Merchant-partners can tap on Grab’s Southeast Asia network, access to data insights and multi-vertical ecosystem. Account managers will provide dedicated consultations to advise on long-term growth plans and provide actionable business insights to help merchant-partners grow to the next level.Prioritised operational assistance. Merchants are able to subscribe to “Merchant Concierge Service”, a prioritised hotline to get direct assistance to solve any operational issues. This ensures their delivery business runs smoothly and reduces downtime.Workshops and networking. The GrabMerchant Centre will regularly organise upskilling workshops to help merchant-partners stay abreast of the latest industry trends and developments. These will also serve as networking sessions to facilitate business connections and a small business community for collective learning. It launched its first-ever GrabMerchant Open House on 5th August 2022 which was well-received by merchant-partners.
The 1-on-1 business consultations were piloted earlier this year, with success stories of how the data insights provided helped small businesses grow their online delivery business volume.
Shannon Lua, Founder of Butter Studio, a bakery chain with four outlets in Singapore, shared: “When COVID-19 hit, I thought I would no longer be able to pursue the big plans I had for Butter Studio. Thankfully there were platforms like Grab to help us maintain our accessibility to customers. We even reached a new customer segment through GrabFood – those who required super last-minute cake deliveries.
Our online sales saw a spike and it motivated us to keep doing better. I decided to sign up for a few sessions with GrabMerchant Centre, which inspired me to make systematic improvements to our delivery offering, like enhancing our menu with better visuals and descriptions, and changing up our operational flow so that our staff could effectively manage walk-in and online orders. Since the first session, we have seen a 30% increase in GrabFood sales on average. I am glad to have kept all four Butter Studio outlets open and we’re back to exploring expansion plans for the business.”
Filzah Miranti Binte Mohd Dawood, Co-Owner, Gerak Nenek Obek, a Malay food stall, shared, “Trying to keep our small stall open during COVID-19 was not easy – we lost many of our regular walk-in customers. I knew it was important to start going online even though my mum was a bit apprehensive initially. I decided to just give it a try and registered our stall on GrabFood. Later, I also signed up for the GrabMerchant Centre service. Through it, I learnt how to use the Ad Manager tool on our merchant app to customise our own banners, and I was advised to sign up for the Islandwide Delivery service to expand my stall’s reach. We saw our GrabFood orders more than triple in three months and half of them come from Islandwide Delivery service. My mother is now a big fan of Grab, she will chide me whenever I forget to turn on the GrabFood Merchant app.”
More details about GrabMerchant Centre’s services and related charges can be found here.
Grab HQ @ Singapore is located at one-north business park. Spanning nine floors and more than 42,000 sqm, it brings about 3,000 Grabbers and a R&D Centre under one roof. Apart from the first GrabMerchant Centre, it will also be home to the digibank team. The headquarters is one of two headquarters Grab has in the region. The dual headquarter is based in Jakarta, Indonesia, and serves as Grab’s regional innovation hub for small businesses.
[1] Yayasan Benih Baik Indonesia is a foundation that is focused on helping people in need and vulnerable groups in improving quality of life in Indonesia.
by Ferry Bayu | Aug 21, 2023 | Business
CECIL hair,” an authentic hair salon located in Shimokitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, has started accepting reservations through WhatsApp(+81 80‑3012‑8859)!
CECIL hair (Cecil), a shop located in Shimokitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, will start accepting reservations through WhatsApp(+81 80‑3012‑8859) from September 1st, 2023.
CECIL hair (Cecil), a beauty salon that opened in February 2021, is located in Shimokitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo. It is conveniently accessible, just a 1-minute walk from Shimokitazawa Station’s east exit ticket gate on the Odakyu Line or the Inokashira Line’s central exit ticket gate. The salon’s concept focuses on personalized one-on-one customer service, from consultation by experienced stylists who have worked at renowned salons in Tokyo to the final styling. Despite being in the mid-price range, the salon aims to provide high value and an experience that clients can appreciate.
The salon features 6 styling seats, with a staff of 4 male stylists and 2 shampoo stations. Despite its compact layout, the salon strives to offer a relaxing environment for customers while delivering styles that meet the latest trends.
Here are some of the highlights of CECIL hair:
W Color High-Tone Color: Unveil your unique personality with colors that suit you.
CECIL offers various color options, including high-tone colors, clear beige colors, and blonde colors. Achieving these colors can be challenging due to the need for bleaching and the condition of the hair. With experienced hair colorists of over 10 years on board, CECIL guarantees high-quality high-tone color treatments.
Ultrasonic Iron Care Pro: Enhance treatment penetration with the ultrasonic iron care device.
Contrary to the traditional notion of irons being hot, these utilize infrared technology and remain cool to the touch. They can apply infrared treatment, enhancing the effects of hair treatment at the cellular level.
For Those Concerned About Curls and Frizz: Acid-based straightening or treatment-based hair improvement.
Hair improvement techniques, often referred to as “hair quality improvement,” come in two types: acid-based straightening and treatment-based improvement. The appropriate approach depends on concerns such as curls, hair texture, and damage. Whether it’s taming frizz caused by curls or improving the texture damaged by previous treatments, CECIL addresses clients’ specific concerns.
The staff is currently in the process of learning English.
【Store Information】
Store Name: CECIL hair
Address: SS Building 301, 2-12-10 Kitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
WhatsApp Number: +81 80‑3012‑8859
Phone Number: 03-6453-2648
Business Hours: Weekdays and Saturdays 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM, Sundays and Holidays 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Access: 1-minute walk from Shimokitazawa Station’s east exit ticket gate on the Odakyu Line or the Inokashira Line’s central exit ticket gate.
Store Name: CECIL hair
Address: SS Building 301, 2-12-10 Kitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
WhatsApp Number: +81 80‑3012‑8859
Phone Number: 03-6453-2648
Business Hours: Weekdays and Saturdays 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM, Sundays and Holidays 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Access: 1-minute walk from Shimokitazawa Station’s east exit ticket gate on the Odakyu Line or the Inokashira Line’s central exit ticket gate.
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