Commentary

One would assume that a business would aim to impress their customers, and in times of dissatisfaction, find a way to ensure their customers are not aggrieved, in order to maintain customer loyalty. However, despite the rise in competition and the evolving psychology of buying behaviour today , little is being done to remedy the global problem of ‘mediocre customer service’.

Career progression is important to all Singaporean professionals as it offers them the opportunity to develop their skills and broaden their experience. You can achieve this through an internal promotion with your current employer or by seeking external job opportunities.

“The secret of success is to understand the point of view of others,” said the US carmaker Henry Ford, a man who knew a few things about corporate growth. Ford’s advice is especially worth remembering at a time when businesses of all sizes are looking for growth opportunities overseas.

Why outsourcing strategies need to be underpinned by human resource planning. It is said that Henry Ford invented modern capitalist society when he raised his worker's wages to an unprecedented US$5 a day.

Happiness is the key to productivity and learning is the key to happiness.

International Women’s Day is an annual global celebration of women in the world today. Amid the celebrations, we also take time to reflect on what we women have achieved and what more we can do.

Brand pages are changing forever: On 30th March 2012 our Facebook Pages are converted to Timeline, whether we like it or not. What this all boils down to for you is; risks if you are not ready, but great opportunities if you plan ahead. This is a new era for brands on Facebook. We have mapped it out carefully in this guide. Use this as a starting point for a conversation on how to respond. 1. The Big Splash: Cover Photo The cover photo is the first thing people will see when they visit your page, the big chance to make an impact. There are strict guidelines on how it can be used so do check Facebook’s guidelines. Opportunities: The new larger, striking visual can create an impressive impact. The cover photo should be updated regularly to showcase new products and services. Risks: On the 30th March 2012, the page will switch to the new format immediately. If the cover photo isn’t uploaded and activated before then it will leave the page looking somewhat neglected. 2. Old vs. New: Tabs and Apps The format for tabs and apps has changed considerably. You may only display a maximum of three apps/tabs on the front page at any one time. Crucially, default landing tabs (commonly referred to as Fan-Gates) no longer work.

Eco-friendly workplaces in Singapore have happier and productive employees when they perceive their companies as environmentally responsible.

Singapore’s economy is often cited as Asia’s “coal mine pigeon”; although Singapore is a smaller and newer economy than its counterparts (China, Japan, and India), its progressive financial and trade policies has allowed it to become the most dynamic member of the region.

Entrepreneurs residing in Singapore and Hong Kong experience no burdensome taxes, according to a paper published by Grant Thornton.

Even in Singapore, far from the mountains of Uganda and the San Diego headquarters of the Invisible Children nonprofit, the #kony2012 viral campaign has spread like wildfire. Despite debate over the movie and nonprofit’s merit, one thing is clear: they “did produce a hell of a video.”

Singapore is renowned not only as a trading hub but also becoming a luxury shopper paradise. Currently, ranked 7th worldwide, Singapore swiss watch imports grew by more than 33.9% from 2010 same period. The Singapore swiss watch market was valued at 98.7 million CHF.

There are now more millionaires in Asia-Pacific than in Europe and their numbers are nearing that of North America. According to the latest Capgemini Asia-Pacific Wealth Report there are 3.3 million high net worth individuals (HNWI’s) in Asia Pacific with a combined wealth of US$10.8 trillion and these numbers continue to grow faster than in any other region.

Mixed Signals in Sales Activity 2011 ended with December having the least monthly number of private residential units that were sold by developers in the past 2 years. Only 937 units were launched by developers in December, and only 632 units were sold.

Once a catchphrase for techies looked at as delusional, and two words that have been thoroughly misunderstood- ‘Social Media’ looks like it is finally getting the recognition it deserves in Singapore and in the whole of Asia.

Singapore is a bustling nest of small businesses and new up and coming enterprises waiting to tell the world who they are and what they do (or what they sell). I often walk into meetings with small business owners and start-ups with a ton on things to introduce my company but when it’s my turn to ask them for information, most can only speak their ideas and plans without anything to show for. Although the amount of work to be done to make their dream into reality can be a real put off, creative briefs are essential to start off any projects big or small. That way, everyone is heading for the same goal and start of on the mission together in tandem. Waking up one day, I received a call from an old friend whom I have not met for over 10 years. He had found out what I do through Linkedin and Facebook and decided to give me a holler for old times sake. Johnson was seeking to start out on his own after years of toiling for other people. He had saved enough to incorporate his company and now needed to have an online front to help his marketing. He had no clue what’s needed to be done on that end and felt that he needed someone to “trust” to help him tell the world about his company. “You know, dude” he said when we met at my favorite coffeeshop in the north. “I have this big vision of BRANDING my company. I want many people to see my products and services and also read my blog. I want the company to be in everybody’s minds and they will surely look for my products when the need arises. This branding will help me make back my money in one year.” “I want this…this, this, this, this…” Johnson went on and on. “Since you are in this business, can do or not?” I told him it was an ambitious idea and it will take a lot of planning before it could take flight with proper RESEARCH and DATA collection in order to achieve optimal results in his marketing and branding your online campaign. A CREATIVE BRIEF will also go a long way in achieving success. Johnson scratched his head. “Research? Data collection? Creative Brief? What for?” 1. Research No deep space scientific sort of method needed here. You can just use the web, find out what your competition is like or what they are doing. In fact, find out WHO your competitors are! Go to the library, get some reading done on branding and how successful companies achieve that. It may be Apple, Microsoft, Chanel or Borat, they each have their success story to tell on how they reached the top. No two campaigns are exactly the same and reading up on it let’s you know the upside of their methods as well as the pitfalls you might encounter. Read and research away! 2. Data Collection Collect your own data. This is essential when you are coming up with your own creative brief for the campaign. It helps the designer help you come up with the best approach towards your target audience. These days, designers don’t just create graphics anymore, they are often tasked to double as copywriters to come up with zany and catchy quotes that goes along with the graphics. Data is also key in getting your marketing right by reducing wastage in selling to the wrong crowd. 3. Creative Brief This is probably the hardest to come out with despite it needing to be brief. You’ll need to gather points 2 and 3 and then come up with what I call blueprint to your company’s success. There is no wrong or right way to come up with a creative brief, but as long as it shows the following: a) Background of company / project b) An objective you want to achieve c) Audience – this is where your data collection comes important d) Any form of tagline to work with e) COLORS to use f) FLEXIBILITY – yes, it is important to include this in invisible writing for your marketers and designers so that you get the best out of them. Remember, you paid for their ideas too! “Oh.” Johnson said in a less enthusiastic tone and goes into a pause. “That’s great information. Without all these, my plans could be going into any directions. I know mine is a small business, but it makes sense to sit down and do all you have told me to so that I also will save both time and money.” So, however big or small you might think your next branding exercise or marketing campaign is, do take time to research for it, collect as much data as possible (better to have overflow of data than not enough data), and a creative brief to kick start that successful campaign. American designer Charles Eames once said, “Design is a plan for arranging elements in such a way as best to accomplish a particular purpose”.