Mobile devices have become an integral part of our lives. Not only do we use them for social interactions and leisure, but we’ve also begun taking advantage of them in the workplace. Companies are leveraging the power they bring to optimize processes and to streamline efficiency.

The shift from desktop to mobile is now a fact. Companies steadily realize the necessity of developing an experience that functions just as well on mobile platforms. We saw that the first step in this direction was the creation of optimized websites. However, given the restrictions they imposed on mobile users, they were quickly proven to be less efficient. 

This is where enterprise apps stepped into the picture. With complex structures and numerous capabilities, apps of this kind quickly turned out to be the standard that companies of all sizes were aiming for. Naturally, with the growth of the impact of mobile devices, a mobile-first approach has become paramount for enhancing mobile app user experience. 

Mobile is the new normal

Think about it this way: when desktop browsing was normal, it made perfect sense to design for desktop first. It was the primary source of traffic, and most sales were generated there. 

Mobile used to be an option or an extra step for pioneer companies. It was assumed that people wouldn’t like to perform complex tasks on their mobile devices. However, with the latest technological advancements, these devices can now be used for just about anything. 

Now consumers use mobiles for all kinds of things, from booking a flight to purchasing luxury items. 63 per cent of all Google searches were made via mobile in 2019, accounting for 48.7 per cent of the overall website traffic.

The numbers speak to the fact that mobile is the new routine and enterprise needs to consider the mobile-first approach when planning a mobile app development.

Ensuring scalability

When it comes to designing for mobile, you need to work with minimal space. Scaling a desktop page down to function on a smaller device is not always the best idea. 

If you can’t scale down something to work on mobile, you can make it mobile-first. Adjusting it upwards, later on, would be way more comfortable and wouldn’t affect functionality. You can always add more features and make it work for desktop, but scaling down would most likely affect the core of the website and its purpose.

Don’t forget the back-end systems

When you consider the mobile-first approach, there’s more than just apps you need to take care of. Just like they have unique development requirements, the back-end systems to which mobile apps connect also do. Their usage patterns are entirely different for websites and web-based applications.

The mobile apps functionality should also be added to the back-end system to enable background syncing. This means, every time the app wants to sync data, connected back-end systems have to be ready to receive it.

Here comes the mobile-first approach again. The traffic patterns of mobile apps are much tenser. People like them because they can be used whenever and wherever they wish. Sometimes, mobile apps may experience vast waves of traffic when users share a content piece on social media.

All this means that specialized back-end systems are required. Usually, mobile app developers break up these large systems into multiple pieces, which operate independently. It allows good user response times even under a heavy load. The practice is called microservices and is now widely preferred. 

These separate back-end systems could be beneficial for enterprise as well, for securing employee work and avoiding significant data leaks in case of an emergency. It’s one of the reasons why the enterprise mobility management market is expected to generate revenues of USD$2,9 billion (more than a 150% increase from 2014).

Mobile-first requires focus

Enterprise mobile app development is challenging itself. Designing with a mobile-first approach could be even harder. Many development companies are now used to taking a desktop experience and finding the best ways to make it suitable for mobile. Beginning with the smaller screen is an entirely different process.

The main thing needed for taking the mobile-first approach is focusing on the needs of the user. The company needs to figure out the essence of its message and product so that it’s effectively presented in a mobile app. No additional flashy widgets should be used to grab user attention. 

If you look at it the other way around, a mobile-first approach allows businesses to focus on what matters and get rid of any distractions that aren’t that connected with their primary purpose.

A whole new mentality

Today, businesses start to consider the importance of investing in a mobile app for their website. As mobile affects all aspects of our lives, the enterprise can’t ignore all the advantages this comes with. For instance, companies gain 240 hours of work per year from the employees using mobile enterprise apps.

Also Read: How to raise funds for your mobile app startup?

Such are mainly used for higher engagement of people with their jobs, as we’re engaged in our mobile devices daily. This has made businesses invest not only in making their websites mobile-friendly but in a whole new mobile-first approach. It’s a solution that meets the increasing user demands, making it preferred by the enterprise.

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Image Credit:  Adrien

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PointStar, in collaboration with e27, spearheaded the event to help contribute to the conversation on the importance of going digital

On 5 November 2019, startup founders, SME owners, and business leaders in Malaysia gathered at WeWork Equatorial Plaza in Kuala Lumpur for a panel briefing co-organised by ecosystem builders: e27 and PointStar.

The discussion dwelt on the underlying issues and challenges faced by an organization in its day-to-day operations and processes in terms of data flow, and how digitalisation can help improve efficiency across these business functions.

Among the esteemed panelists of this event were Wing Lee (CEO of YTL Communications), Aaron Sarma (General Partner of ScaleUp Malaysia), and Sara Lua (Regional Sales Director – Malaysia and Philippines, Oracle NetSuite). The issues tackled were relevant and salient: from an outlook on Malaysia’s entrepreneurship scene, to the rapidly shifting tech ecosystem, to eventually on digitalisation. It is also interesting to note that despite casting their different perspectives on transformation, all agree that implementing one or all of the 3As – automation, analytics, and AI – in their businesses has played a big role in thriving, growing, and taking their businesses to the next level.

ERP, an indispensable solution to haphazard data and workflow

A cross-functional information system undeniably provides organisation-wide coordination and integration of the critical business processes holds an integral part of a business to thrive and grow. This naturally points to ERP Systems (Enterprise Resource Planning), a software that helps manage business processes and organisational data and workflow. 

The advantage of organised business units through ERP system is having different functions within an organisation maintain smooth and conducive communication that helps get the job done more swiftly and efficiently.

These software modules aid the primary business processes within various functional areas, and all the data collected is stored in a data form that feeds the information to the other applications aiding that particular process.

Also read: Solving common business problems through the power of digitalisation

Embracing digitalisation and its challenges

As businesses and organizations try to cope with the clamour of embracing digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and automation, ERP makes this a lot easier by making real-time information sharing more smoothly and thus, helping the employees and the business itself process information quicker and make more accurate decisions, eliminating repetitive jobs and so employees can focus more tasks that are of value and will require more attention, time, and critical thinking.

To such degree, small and medium businesses that are scaling should look for opportunities to digitalise and automate to increase company’s productivity that results to business owners to focus on scaling the company. 

Some of the challenges faced by business owners to automate their business can be overcome by having the right guidance on tools to use, grants to help with the cost of digitalisation, and education to the younger generation for the future.

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Established in 2008, PointStar is a leading cloud technology consultant in the Asia Pacific with a strong track record in moving thousands of organisations and institutions to the Cloud by transforming businesses with automation, analytics, and artificial intelligence to help create a smart workplace.

PointStar, Oracle NetSuite’s partner in Singapore has partnered with e27 for this event, in line with the official launch of their 4th regional office located in Kuala Lumpur. This move is a response to the increasing number of Malaysian tech companies collaborating with PointStar to help businesses understand the benefits of embracing digitalisation for their organisation.

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Southeast Asia is brimming with action. And I am not the only one saying it. The recently launched Asia Partners Report 2019 has made some positive comments on how and why this region looks promising. Their first publication on the development of the technology sector in Southeast Asia the analysis benchmarks Southeast Asia against other markets.

I studied the report in detail to draw out some of the highlights as a credible roadmap for advancement in the technology sector in Southeast Asia.

• Southeast Asia is entering a “golden age of rising affluence” fueled by large tech company formations in China, Korea, and Japan in the past
• Its’ opportunities and complexity creates “a true home-court advantage” for local platforms
• The report predicted 20+ more billion-dollar value tech companies from Southeast Asia by 2029 and 20 companies will pursue IPOs over the next decade
• 70% win for regional tech startups
• In addition to the rise in Series A/B ecosystem has strengthened, there is an acute Series C/D gap in the market for $20-100 million checks making Southeast Asia is ready for growth equity

Why SEA and why now?

The report quotes various World Bank statistics and said that Southeast Asia has relatively fared better than others during the recession and the growing population and youth will lend a major boom to consumerism and economic growth on the whole.

Also read: A better me – the future of tech startups

As the region is hungry and able to grow governments are also tuning in with favorable policies and governance to stimulate the environment. Especially with large nations like Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines that are mirroring China in governance.

Multi-country market

Second to Europe and booming faster than the latter in this decade, SEA is a unique mix of highly populated countries. And the report suggests the success of the region lies in their diverse population but united business and tech.

 

With a higher number of smartphone and technology users, there is a strong growth opportunity in the region. With a better Series C/D in the ecosystem, some of the single players can be accelerated for growth as a multiregional organisation ushering a new era of unicorns and IPOs suggested the report.

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Image credit: Pixabay

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Singapore-headquartered shared e-scooter startup Neuron Mobility has raised US$18.5 million in a new funding round led by California-based cross-border fund GSR Ventures and Australian VC firm Square Peg Capital.

Existing investors SeedPlus and SEEDS Capital (by Enterprise Singapore) also participated in the round.

The investment followed a US$3.8 million seed round in December 2018.

The company will use the fresh capital to accelerate its Australian and New Zealand roadmap, its foray into other Asia Pacific markets, and further development of its technology.

Founded in 2016 by Zachary Wang and Harry Yu, Neuron operates e-scooter sharing services across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Australia. Neuron also develops proprietary hardware which it claims improves rider safety and provides oversight and control to the cities in terms of speed, parking, and geofencing technologies.

In June, the startup ventured into the Australian market after winning the permit to operate 60 per cent of the scooter fleet allocation in Brisbane City, the capital of Queensland.

Also Read: E-scooter startup Neuron Mobility introduces its new e-scooter design focusing on rider’s safety

It has also secured a license to operate the shared e-scooter programme in Darwin City in the Northern Territory of Australia, as well as a trade license to operate in Auckland, New Zealand.

Both are slated to launch early in 2020.

The company employs a team of data scientists, urban planners, and engineers who translate raw data into actionable insights for both its operations and the city’s transport planning. This includes working on real-time data integration, asset location reports, incident management, and the co-creation of preferred riding zones with cities.

CEO Wang said, “The world is on an irreversible trend to adopt micro-mobility services into cities of all kinds and sizes in the coming years. But it is not a standalone solution to transportation gaps. Successful implementation of scooter-sharing programs can only happen when there is a strong partnership between local governments and technology providers.”

“It’s exciting to see the product iteration cycle becoming shorter in the micro-mobility space. We are committed to continuing our effort in developing new technologies that make this service a seamless integration with cities around APAC,” said CTO Yu.

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Carsome, a used-car trading platform in Malaysia with a presence in several other markets in Southeast Asia, has completed its US$50 million Series C round in a combination of equity and debt investments.

Investors include MUFG Innovation Partners, the corporate VC arm of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, and Daiwa PI Partners, the PE arm of Japan’s Daiwa Securities, besides Endeavor Catalyst and Ondine Capital.

The round also saw participation from existing investors, including Gobi Partners and Convergence Ventures.

The capital will help “consolidate Carsome’s market leadership in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, with expansion into more cities in Southeast Asia”, and to accelerate financing product offerings for dealers and consumers with multi-country roll-outs over the next 12 months.

As part of the strategic investment, Carsome will collaborate with MUFG and its subsidiaries in Southeast Asia to provide integrated financing access for dealers and consumers via its platform. MUFG owns both Danamon (a bank and automotive financing company in Indonesia), and Krungsri (Thailand’s fifth-largest bank in terms of loans and deposits).

Also Read: [Exclusive] Online invoice exchange platform Incomlend close to securing Series A funding from global investors

Through this collaboration, MUFG and its subsidiaries will have the ability to provide B2B and B2C financing on Carsome’s platform.

Carsome is a one-stop-shop for car sellers, providing a full-stack selling solution from inspection to ownership transfer. Currently, the platform claims to be transacting more than 40,000 cars annually, totalling more than US$300 million in transacted value.

To date, Carsome has a coverage of more than 6,000 dealers across over 50 cities in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore on its platform.

The firm is operationally profitable in Malaysia and targets profitability in the remaining markets by end-2020.

Carsome has over 700 employees across its Southeast Asia offices.

Eric Cheng, Co-founder and CEO of Carsome, said: “With over 4 million used car transactions annually in Southeast Asia, Carsome transacts 1 per cent of annual second-hand car sales in the region. We have helped over 6,000 dealers in growing their businesses and have become their closest working partners. We have also served over a million customers with a whole new experience in car trading – transparent, convenient and the fastest of its kind.”

“We aspire to be the Visa/Master network of auto transactions, and build a collaborative ecosystem of partners to provide the best experience to consumers in Southeast Asia,” he added.

In March 2018, Carsome raised US$19 million in Series B funding led by Burda Principal Investments, alongside Gobi Partners, Convergence Ventures, Indogen Capital, InnoVen Capital and Lumia Capital. It then followed with a US$8 million extension round in August 2018, led by the family office of Joe Hirao, Founder of Tokyo-headquartered ZIGExN.

Carsome also recently announced key strategic senior hires with Danny Chin, former CMO of redONE, coming on board as CMO, and Chet Sin, FWD Insurance’s former Head of IT and Digital Commerce, joining as CTO.

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