We are delighted to announce that Sinar Mas Land has joined as a supporting sponsor for Echelon X . Renowned for pioneering advancements, they are the visionary force behind Digital Hub – a cutting-edge smart city built with advanced Information and Communication Technology (ICT). This transformative development utilises fiber optics to deliver high-speed data connections and digital services.

At this year’s Echelon, Sinar Mas Land will showcase its visionary approach at an exhibition booth, engaging attendees in insightful discussions about reinventing the workplace in Southeast Asia and opportunities across Indonesia. The exhibition will be a unique opportunity for conference participants to explore the dynamic possibilities that Sinar Mas Land envisions for the future of work and urban living.

Get Echelon X  tickets: Check today’s discounted rates

Digital Hub, serving as a testament to their commitment to technological advancement and sustainability, embodies the essence of an intelligently designed and connected urban space.

As we welcome Sinar Mas Land to Echelon X, we invite attendees to visit their exhibition booth, delve into the intricacies of Digital Hub, and gain valuable insights into the future of smart cities and workplace reinvention in Southeast Asia. Engage with the experts, explore the possibilities, and witness firsthand the innovative solutions that Sinar Mas Land brings to the forefront of urban development.

Also read: Embracing workplace flexibility: The new era begins

Echelon X  promises to be a convergence of visionary ideas, and with Sinar Mas Land on board, the conference becomes a platform for exploring the future of urban living and technological integration. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of the dialogue, meet the minds behind Digital Hub, and contribute to the evolution of smart cities in Southeast Asia.

Join us at Echelon X, where innovation, collaboration, and groundbreaking ideas come together.  Get your tickets here.

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Recently, hospitality tech company RedDoorz announced that in Q4 2023, the company experienced a group revenue growth of 30 per cent year-on-year (YOY). It also stated that, since 2019, RedDoorz has recorded a group profit of over 90 per cent.

In a press statement, RedDoorz CEO Amit Saberwal said that the positive growth achieved throughout 2023 is the outcome of implementing the “Mission Freedom” strategy.

“We optimised the operational and financial aspects of the company to attain independence and maximise profit growth. We are also optimising the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for service automation and focus on developing businesses in our core markets, Indonesia and the Philippines, to increase the loyalty of domestic tourists in each country,” he said.

But how did the company survive the most challenging time for the travel and tourism industry in the last decade? In this email interview with e27, Mohit Gandas, Country Director, RedDoorz Indonesia, shares all the details.

Also Read: Government support and industry initiatives propel hospitality toward sustainability

The following is an edited excerpt of the interview:

What kind of changes in user behaviour have you noticed in Indonesia in the post-COVID-19 lockdown era?

We have observed changes in user behaviour mainly revolve around travel preferences and increased digital adoption. As lockdowns eased and pandemic restrictions gradually relaxed, people began to travel again.

At the same time, we noticed a trend among consumers to prioritise saving their budgets and allocate more spending
for holiday seasons. Regarding digital adoption, our users have become more proficient in using technology and have started to book directly through our app rather than make reservations at the hotel.

Is there any change in your user acquisition strategy once Indonesia has opened up again?

During and after the pandemic, we continued to expand our portfolio of property businesses, targeting other market segments. On top of our main brand, RedDoorz, which focused on budget hotels and targeting the middle to low segment, we seized the opportunity to establish multiple brands to target more premium segments, including SANS, UrbanView, and Sunnera, two- to three-star hotels.

We are focusing on attracting domestic travellers and we are confident that the movement of domestic travellers will continue to increase. According to data released by Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency, the recovery rate of starred hotels from August 2022 – 2023 was only around three to four per cent. However, it is a different story with RedDoorz, which showed a more than threefold increase in room sales during the same period.

Also Read: The days of the ZIRP raise-cash-burn-cash model are gone: ZUZU Hospitality CEO

Through #OpenAllDoors campaign, we also communicate that RedDoorz is not only for holidays but also for workcation, staycation, visiting family and relatives, accommodation after attending concerts, graduation, etc.

Can you tell us more about the use of AI in your operations? How does it make a difference?

We use AI technology to do strategic pricing. In emerging markets such as Indonesia, customers tend to make reservations at the last minute, unlike in advanced ones where people book many months in advance. They will suffer competitively if hotel owners know how and when to price.

Our system for strategic pricing, however, picks up demand signals including surges in traffic in real time, which help to establish optimal room rates for our property partners, enabling them to capitalise on economies of scale. The need for a real-time solution is more important in emerging economies.

How do you maintain profitability with your strategy to acquire more properties?

We will continue to focus on our core business and core markets: Indonesia and the Philippines. We also focused on quality vs quantity of property portfolio as well as a lot more on bigger and more premium properties. We should have roughly 300 properties under our premium brands, SANS, UrbanView and The Lavana. Every property now contributes more money at a per unit level, and we want to grow another 30-50 per cent this year.

What opportunities do you plan to focus on in 2024? What is your major plan?

Our focus in 2024 is to maintain profitability. We aim to have 8,000 property partners in three to four years.

Also Read: How a hospitality career helped me jump into tech

As for Indonesia, we see promise for growth led by the increasing number of young travellers, which is more than 270 million people, the world’s fourth largest. Especially for Gen-Z, we observed a shift in behaviour among Gen-Z travellers post-pandemic, particularly those who are digitally adept and active on social media, that they tend to travel based on influencer recommendations, which are more various destinations and “Instagrammable” hotel designs.

This demographic is becoming increasingly discerning in selecting budget-friendly accommodations as well. So, we will continue to focus on the Gen-Z tourist group.

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Image Credit: RedDoorz

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Fundraising has always been a daunting task for founders, with many describing it as almost a full-time job and one of the most difficult aspects of their many roles.

It doesn’t help that the power dynamic has always been with the investors — that someone decided to come up with Glasswall, which is sort of Glassdoor to allow founders to review VCs, perhaps in a bid to stem some of the unsavoury behaviour they display and steal some of the power back to founders.

I would like to share a concept that I learned during the early part of my career in the hope that it would help founders do a post-mortem of their conversation, wondering or even blaming themselves for what has gone wrong, to move on slightly easier.

Objection or rejection

An objection, simply put, is a concern that, if successfully addressed, would mean a yes or a sale or at least one step closer. Rejection is a state of mind held by the person that no matter what you say, nothing matters.

Let me give you a scenario. Imagine you are a car salesman. A serious buyer walks in and, after the test drive, remarks on the price. This could suggest he or she is seriously considering buying the car but has some reservations about the price.

Being able to recognise that would allow a good salesman to say something along the lines of, for example, the aftersale service is more, the warranty is longer, actually cars with similar specs and build are higher priced, and that may allay the buyer’s concern.

Also Read: Navigating the capital winter: Strategies for successful fundraising in a slow market

Now imagine a wife who wants to buy a car and asks her husband, who agrees to it begrudgingly and is not prepared to buy a car at all, to come along. In such instances, no matter how much your best effort is, there is almost nothing you could have done.

You can give the same rationale for a longer warranty, and he will quote you another one that is even longer. You recommend a cheaper car, and he would start criticising its build and specs. It is like playing whack-a-mole with him, and no matter what you say, a mole will just pop up.

Such conversations can be soul-crushing.

It is something I made a point of training my salesforce back then so that they could recognise it happening and concentrate on talking to the wife. Or move on and concentrate on greener pastures instead of getting themselves bogged down mentally by it.

That said, while we can do more cold calls to generate more customers to talk to, a chance to present to an investor is hard to come by, and it is only natural to feel dejected afterwards. But I hope being able to tell the difference between Objection and rejection and knowing when you never stood a chance when it is a rejection could spare you those days of ruminating in your head, pondering about what went wrong, what you could have done better.

But why would they do that, you might ask? If they are willing to speak to me, surely they cannot be that begrudgingly husband and should be seriously hunting for a good startup to be so dismissive, you say. 

Well, for starters, there is the Goodhart Law.  Most would instinctively feel like picking one out of 100 vs. one out of 1000. The latter 1 is better than the former one. That is why competitions always feel the need to announce the winner along with the fact of how many have taken part, but at times, it may mean not being able to take the time to hear everyone thoroughly and being overly assumptive. 

Understand that bias (which I also shared more on in this article) also plays a part in any conversation, and at times, nothing you had a role to play in would allow you to walk away undaunted and to keep on trying your fellow founders. 

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Image credit: Canva

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We are thrilled to announce that iScale Solutions has joined Echelon X as supporting sponsor. A managed outsourcing and staff augmentation provider, iScale Solutions is dedicated to delivering customised solutions that seamlessly integrate with their clients’ business processes. This strategic partnership marks a significant step towards fostering sustainable growth and addressing the talent challenges faced by companies across the region.

Get Echelon X  tickets: Check today’s discounted rates

At the heart of iScale Solutions’ commitment lies the mission to provide businesses with services that allow them to focus on core operations while ensuring access to the best talent pool. With a keen understanding of the dynamic business landscape, they offer a comprehensive suite of services that transcends traditional outsourcing models.

 

This year at Echelon X, iScale Solutions is set to make a lasting impression with a dedicated exhibition booth. The booth will serve as a hub of knowledge, where discussions will revolve around how they can be the catalyst for sustainable growth, relieving companies of the complexities of talent recruitment and management.

As the global business landscape evolves, the need for strategic partners like iScale Solutions becomes increasingly critical. This sponsorship underscores Echelon X’s commitment to bringing together innovative solutions that shape the future of business.

Also read: Future-proofing businesses and talent through technology

Echelon X 2024 is not just a conference; it’s a convergence of ideas, solutions, and opportunities. Join us in welcoming iScale Solutions to the Echelon community. Come meet them at Echelon X, and together, let’s explore the potential for transformative growth in the ever-evolving business landscape.

Don’t miss out on this chance to connect, learn, and pave the way for a future where businesses thrive. Get your tickets here.

 

Image Credit: iScale Solutions

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We are delighted to announce that Antler has joined forces with Echelon X as a supporting sponsor. As a global investor committed to supporting the world’s most ambitious founders from day zero to greatness, Antler brings a wealth of expertise and a track record of fostering innovation across diverse industries.

Get Echelon X  tickets: Check today’s discounted rates

With a presence in 27 cities spanning six continents, Antler operates as a global community that rallies behind founders from the very inception of their entrepreneurial journey—whether they are pre-team or even pre-idea. Since 2018, Antler has played a significant role in creating and investing in over 1,000 startups globally, spanning a wide spectrum of industries and technologies. Their ambitious goal is to back more than 6,000 startups by the year 2030, setting the stage for a transformative decade of innovation and growth.

 

At this year’s Echelon X, Antler is set to make a profound impact by bringing 20 startups to the Pitch stage—a testament to their commitment to supporting and showcasing cutting-edge entrepreneurial talent. These startups, nurtured and empowered by Antler, represent a diverse array of industries and embody the spirit of innovation that defines the global startup ecosystem.

Antler’s unique approach involves identifying, investing in, and supporting exceptional founders at the earliest stages of their entrepreneurial journey. By providing strategic guidance, resources, and access to a global network of investors and industry experts, Antler serves as a catalyst for turning bold ideas into successful, scalable businesses.

Also read: Pioneering success: The path for early-stage startups

Echelon X attendees are invited to seize the opportunity to engage with Antler and the 20 startups they are showcasing. This is a rare chance to witness firsthand the transformative power of visionary ideas and the impact of strategic support on the trajectory of early-stage startups.

 

Antler’s involvement in Echelon X  signifies a shared commitment to fostering innovation, driving entrepreneurship, and creating meaningful connections within the global startup community. As we embark on this journey together, we invite all attendees to meet the dynamic team behind the success stories, and explore the future of startup innovation.

Echelon X  is more than a conference; it’s a convergence of visionaries, builders, and game-changers. Come, connect, and be inspired by the startups shaping the future. Get your tickets here.

 

Image credit: Antler

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