Entrepreneur First (EF), an investor supporting individuals building technology companies, announced today that it will discontinue its Singapore programme after the graduation of its ongoing twelfth cohort in 2023.

This is part of its plans to focus its future growth in Europe, North America and India.

“Entrepreneur First’s expansion to Singapore was a crucial milestone in our history; our first site outside London. The EF Singapore team has worked tirelessly to find and serve the entrepreneurs in our community. We’ll be seeing the legacy of their work for years to come with the growth of the EF Singapore portfolio,” said Co-Founder and CEO Matt Clifford.

Per a statement, Entrepreneur First will also cease to run new programmes in Toronto and will instead roll its activity in Canada into a broader North American strategy.

Also Read: ‘Don’t chase titles; chase curiosity and let it lead you’: Bernadette Cho of Entrepreneur First

This is the result of a strategic shift in its growth strategy. Entrepreneur First will now focus on a smaller number of hubs where the size of the local talent pool positions them to scale to running multiple vertical programmes concurrently.

This strategy is now rolling out first in London, where it has expanded beyond the core programme and added web3 and climate change cohorts.

Founded in 2011 by Matt Clifford and Alice Bentinck in London, EF operates as an early-stage investor, helping talented people find co-founders to partner with before launching startups.

Its Singapore portfolio companies include Transcelestial, Seppure, Allozymes, SunGreen H2, and Green Li-ion.

Entrepreneur First will continue to support its Singapore portfolio through its global team and funding network.

In June this year, Entrepreneur First secured a US$158 million Series C funding round from a group of veteran technology founders. The investors include John and Patrick Collison (Co-Founders of Stripe), Taavet Hinrikus (Co-Founder of Wise), Reid Hoffman (Co-Founder of LinkedIn), Matt Mullenweg (Co-Founder of WordPress), Tom Blomfield (Co-Founder of Monzo and GoCardless), Nat Friedman (former CEO of Github), Sara Clemens (former COO of Twitch and Pandora), Matt Robinson (Co-Founder of Nested and GoCardless), Patrick O’Shaughnessy (Positive Sum), Demis Hassabis and Mustafa Suleyman (Co-Founders of Deepmind), Sten Tamkivi, Elad Gil, and Lachy Groom.

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I joined Accredify in 2020 as the founding member of the Marketing and Communications departments.

Apart from the daunting task of building the firm’s marketing and communications department with limited resources and budget, as well as performing both strategic and executive duties to get the department running, there was another huge challenge that stood in my way: consumers at that time were distrustful of the blockchain.

As Forbes remarked in 2018, the complexity behind blockchain technology “meant end users found it hard to appreciate its benefits”. At a time when deeptech such as the blockchain, was met with limited understanding, I had to educate and connect with potential clients on how our solution worked in a simplified manner.

So, the big question mark was how do I build trust in the company during a time when the public’s understanding of the benefits of deeptech was relatively unknown?

In addition, Accredify is a SaaS solution, a service with a level of intangibility. How can I ensure that clients will want to invest their time and money into a service that they cannot see beyond a sales demo?

Today, Accredify’s brand has become prominent in the market of decentralised verification and identity tools: researchers from around the world have featured us in peer-reviewed research papers and white papers.

We have secured over 100 organic media features within twenty months in the likes of Forbes, CNBC, and The Business Times.

In 2022 alone, our spokespersons have been invited as guest speakers at more than 30 regional events and roundtables with government ministers to discuss the digital transformation of the public sector.

In this article, I will pen down my marketing journey, detailing how I developed a strategy to position Accredify as a thought leader and trusted brand in the decentralised verification solutions space, as well as share some personal lessons I have learned along the way.

Create a master goal

The first and most crucial step: identify a vision for your department.

What should your department be achieving? The purpose I identified for Accredify’s marketing and communications department was to build trust.

Also Read: Echelon 2022: A peek at the future of marketing measurement

Understanding that our main challenge was trying to connect with clients who did not have a deep understanding of our tech stack, I realised the fastest way to win the hearts and minds of our potential clients was to convince potential clients that Accredify can deliver on our promises and solve their needs, and the fastest way to do that was through establishing brand trust.

After identifying your master goal, create a list of your department’s responsibilities, and break them down into initiatives that will help you achieve your master goal whilst remaining within budget.

For example, Corporate Communications’ priorities will oversee pitching press releases, obtaining media coverage, and arranging speaker opportunities for company spokespersons to build credibility in our management. The Marketing department must build social media presence by using it as a free and powerful communication tool to reach your target audience.

Often, decisions will have to be made quickly, and you won’t have the privilege of time to weigh your options thoroughly. Your vision will act as your north star and will help guide your decision-making between multiple options or dilemmas to ensure that the initiative you have selected will bring you closer to the master goal.

Public relations is a CMO’s most valuable tool

Public relations is the fastest way to raise brand awareness and educate potential clients on your product.

However, it’s imperative to note that PR is not just blasting new products and achievements left-right and centre – it’s a strategic tool to build trust-based relationships with your clients.

With every initiative or new product feature your company develops, don’t shout out about how the product works. Instead, tell a story about how your product solves problems and, most importantly, helps people.

Establishing your spokespersons as experts and thought leaders is a crucial goal for PR as well. As Edelman’s 2020 Trust Barometer Special Report indicated, 63 per cent of respondents were more inclined to trust a brand if it was seen as a protector or innovator. The same report revealed that people also preferred to hear directly from experts in a certain field.

As such, establishing your company as an innovator and your spokespersons as thought leaders is imperative in the early stages of your company to set up your brand.

For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Accredify created a first-of-its-kind product called Accredify START to help HR staff ensure that their workplace is safe by providing their employees with a Digital Health Passport to contain their verifiable COVID-19 test results. This reduced manual data entry of an employee’s COVID-19 status reassured the workforce that their office was safe for re-entry.

I pitched this story to revolve around one of the top-of-mind feelings that the public was experiencing at that time – safety. Through our earned media and spokesperson interviews from this product press release, we obtained incredible leads from companies we had no initial relationship with, such as KPMG, Blackrock, and DHL.

Zig Ziglar once said, “People buy on emotion and justify with logic.” Create a bond with your clients, and they’ll start to trust you – the first step in the sales process.

That’s why it is just as important to add a personal touch to your communications. Adding a face behind the brand humanises your business and makes your company more approachable. Along with establishing your spokespersons as thought leaders, it makes people feel like they are in capable hands.

Also Read: Keep your customers around with stellar retention strategies

Aside from traditional PR channels such as news websites or hardcopy newspapers, don’t forget to utilise other modern communication channels your company owns to connect with potential clients.

That’s why I introduced social media content verticals that introduced the faces of our employees and their responsibilities in creating the product and consistently shared announcements of speaker panels and behind-the-scenes shots of interviews with our founders. The result was a 120x increase in social media followers in eight months.

Trash the jargon

Remember that even if you’re working for a tech company, it doesn’t mean you have to add technical terms in every message to prove that you know what you’re talking about.

In fact, I’m a firm believer in the buyer collective, where everyone can be an advocate for your business, from an end-user, and project manager, to a C-suite. So, keep your message simple and easy to understand by everyone. Be aware of the words you use to erase the possibility of confusion or doubt for individuals.

For example, in the beginning, when I knew that the blockchain and its abilities were not well-known, it was an active decision to refrain from mentioning the word ‘blockchain’ on our website or other communications – even in sales pitches to prevent technical confusion.

However, since the beginning of 2022, there has been a wave of Web3 coverage, boosting awareness and education of deeptech amongst the general public. We then knew that this was the right time to start marketing the blockchain aspect of our business more, which led us to include more mentions of our Web3 stack in communications.

Remember that this communications strategy has to be applied to all brand touchpoints, from the website to social media, onboarding emails, speaker presentations, press releases, and offline collaterals like sales brochures and banners.

Trust your intuition and do anything

A phrase that I love and stick by is from the book Selling the Invisible by Harry Beckwith. He advised a consultant who was contemplating between different marketing projects. He printed a badge with two words: Do Anything.

Never forget about the butterfly effect: small efforts will accumulate and have distant, huge effects on your brand and product. That’s why you should not turn down any speaker invitations your spokespersons are invited to.

Also Read: Web3 marketing: Building a cult-like community

We started with university sharings, and now our spokespersons have been guest speakers or contributors for reports from the European Chamber of Commerce and some of the largest tech events in Singapore and Asia.

Turn these panels into content pieces and repurpose them as opinion articles to be pitched to the media. Publish any media coverage you’ve obtained on your website to assist with SEO. Shout out about notable partners and clients and push for joint press releases with key partners and clients and pitch them to the media.

Do anything which you think will contribute to your master goal, but never at the expense of your brand’s reputation. Marketing is both an art and a science, a role that comprises intuition, creativity, and analytics. Examine your data and continue reiterating your initiatives to create the best tactics for your business.

Final thoughts

Remember that clients don’t remember what your product’s functions are, but rather, what problems it solves for them and how your product makes them feel.

Brand trust is the ultimate currency. Understand your goal, strategise, and execute your initiatives, but most important of all, remain personal in your communications.

Don’t be afraid to try and fail – it’s important to be an adventurer and risk-taker in the early stages of your company’s journey.

That’s the beauty of marketing – you will always learn something new each day, so take that opportunity to build your brand into an ownable asset for your company.

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Join us at the Jakarta stop of the Big Leap roadshow

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Electric vehicles (EV) are more than just trendier and sleeker cars. It constitutes a new era of sustainability in mobility and transportation. The transportation sector generates the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions, being 27 per cent in 2020 alone. With sustainable practises being the focus of the new age of living, the future of the mobility industry is 100 per cent electric. 

Imagine a future where everything becomes powered by electricity, and from cars to planes, your way of living is rebuilt on a cleaner, safer, and more productive structure. Modes of transportation are smarter, allowing you to work faster and easier.

With an electric vehicle, apart from being environmentally friendlier and having better performance, you are more in control despite the rising gas prices. With electric planes, global travel is more efficient with its otherwise inevitable carbon footprint. While still at the nascent stages of its predicted impact, it’s a big step towards lessening carbon emissions while serving your transportation needs regularly.

Also Read: How electric mobility startups are tackling climate change in Asia

The ecosystem is at the cusp of a revolution in this future technology, and both public and private organisations are taking notice of the opportunities in this landscape.

MIH initiatives to outreach startups in the space

As the leading and largest electronics company in the world, Foxconn is known as the powerhouse that assembles and builds the device we cannot live without- the iPhone. With vehicles the foremost technology consumers need to move from point A to point B, Foxconn is in the best position to enable the future of mobility with EVs.

MIH Consortium, initiated by Foxconn, is one of the leading pioneers in developing relationships with startups and tech innovators. The team at MIH is creating an open electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem that promotes collaboration in the mobility industry. Its mission is to realise key technologies and develop reference designs and standards while bridging the gap for alliance members resulting in a lower barrier to entry, accelerated innovation, and shorter development cycles. 

This marks the start of MIH’s initiative to create synergies with startups in the EV space in Southeast Asia. Recently, MIH launched MIH for startups, a programme for startups working on EV-related areas – Electric Powertrain Systems, Battery and Energy Management, Light-weighting Technologies, Automotive Semiconductor, Automotive System Software, and Digital Twin Autonomous Driving and SmartCockpit. The programme allows startups across the globe access to mentorship, pilot, funding, and co-branding opportunities together with Foxconn.

Techstars’ mandate of public-private collaboration to spearhead the expansion of EV

To further enable this transition, MIH is excited to be working with Techstars, the worldwide network that helps entrepreneurs succeed, to drive innovation with EV-related startups worldwide. 

“This is just the beginning of a very exciting and impactful partnership between Techstars and MIH. Today we are driving deep engagement with startups in the EV ecosystem through the MIH x Techstars Startup Catalyst programme. Tomorrow, my personal hope is to launch Accelerator programmes together in multiple markets to accelerate EV adoption and invest in the next big technologies across electrification,” mentions Tricia Martínez, Managing Director of Techstars Industries of the Future Accelerator

Techstars’ mission is to enable everyone on the planet to contribute to and benefit from entrepreneurs’ success. In addition to operating accelerators and venture funds, Techstars connects startups, investors, corporations, and cities to help build thriving startup communities. This means bringing together key ecosystem players to drive more innovation, create impact, and support incredible startups. And within the EV ecosystem, all hands on deck are required to move the needle forward.

Tricia adds, “Both private and public sectors are pushing to reach carbon emission targets over the next few years, and we view electrification as one part of the equation in making that happen. Investors are taking note and pouring billions of dollars into emerging and promising technologies.”

Also Read: Techstars, Crestone VC join Filipino HR-tech startup Betterteem’s financing round

“It’s time for startups, private industry, and government entities to work together more strategically to eliminate roadblocks and usher in an EV future. Techstars is the glue that can bring these assets together, build thriving ecosystems, and scale market disruption.”

To solidify this partnership, Tricia is joining as an Advisor to the Board at MIH. Tricia asserts her excitement over this collaboration “because building a coalition and mobilising is the only way we can create a thriving ecosystem. This is just the beginning of the EV ecosystem. There is a lot to build, people to mobilise, behaviours to change, and no one person or group can do it alone.” Techstars will again stay at the forefront of engaging different stakeholders that drive the global adoption of new technologies.

Conclusion

Electrification is the future of the transportation industry. It’s no longer a dream or a faraway possibility. 

Tricia iterates that “We must come together as an ecosystem quickly to make it a reality. We’re running out of time to make a lasting difference in the environment around us – the urgency is real, and we must come together to act.”

Join us at MIH Demo Day on November 8, 2022 in Taipei to see what is to come in the EV startup world with Techstars + MIH. Visit the MIH website for more info. 

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With the increasingly unpredictable state of climate change and the vast impact it has on the material conditions of many people, there seems to be very little attention being placed on it within the startup ecosystem. In Southeast Asia, startups that operate within this vertical are relatively few and far between.

While there are lots of great initiatives being spearheaded by various institutions, especially in terms of funding being funnelled towards climate tech, more can still be done to educate entrepreneurs and investors on the opportunities in the sector.

Also read: How startups should approach ESG opportunities

Echelon 2022: a panel discussion on opportunities for climate tech

In order to shed light on the important topic of climate and the role startups play in helping usher green recovery, particularly in Southeast Asia, Echelon Asia Summit 2022 will feature a panel discussion on the matter to be moderated by Robyn Tan of KrASIA. Entitled “The state of climate tech in 2022: How can we create new urgency for a green recovery?” the programme will also feature a diverse panel of industry insiders that include Grace Sai of Unravel Carbon, Steve Melhuish of Wavemaker Impact, James Chan of Ion Mobility, and Angela Noronha of Second Muse.

Also read: The evolving role of digital infrastructure

The event aims to flesh out and provide answers for the following key points:

• What are the biggest opportunities in the sector now and where are the investments going to?
• Is the government the primary backer/supporter? Are corporates stepping up to the plate?
• What are the future trends on the investment fund? Will there be more climate tech dedicated funds?
• What will be the exit landscape for climate tech companies?
• What are the key challenges climate tech companies face?
• Is there currently enough deal flow for climate tech

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Echelon Asia Summit 2022 (October 27-28) returns after a three-year hiatus. It aims to gather the most influential decision-makers and industry leaders from the Southeast Asia tech and startup ecosystem.

Register for Echelon Asia Summit 2022 now!

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Photo by Markus Spiske via Pexels

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Global supply chains are in desperate need of building agile and resilient operations. A series of disruptions during the last two years reveals many shortcomings of complicated and archaic systems. However, erratic weather patterns and rising mercury levels bring our attention to a critical issue.

Climate crisis and the need for green logistics

Climate impact has put many countries at risk, especially Southeast Asia, with most of its area lying in coastal regions and lowlands. The Philippines and Indonesia are especially vulnerable to tropical storms and rising sea levels.

As per Statista, the APAC region produced 17.74 billion metric tons of CO₂ in 2021, more than the combined emissions of all regions. But there’s more to it than just ecological risk. Southeast Asia’s historical lag in climate action and policy-making could shrink its economy by 11 per cent by the end of the century.

Transportation accounts for 24 per cent of global CO₂ emissions, and 30 per cent comes from trucks carrying freight. Much needs to be done by each Southeast Asian country to offset climate change and take collective steps toward a more sustainable supply chain.

While there is consensus to make supply chains more green, as 78.7 per cent of Southeast Asian countries believe this can help reduce carbon emissions, the proactive action has not quite materialised.

Walking the talk: Enabling green logistics through digitisation

Green logistics facilitates sustainable logistics operations by reducing energy consumption or using alternative energy sources for logistics processes across various logistics legs. For instance, using an electric fleet for deliveries could significantly curb carbon footprint.

Also Read: Wavemaker Impact, Bill Gates’s VC arm, Temasek launch startup to decarbonise rice cultivation in Asia

Order consolidation is another way to reduce emissions by bundling multiple orders from the same customer into one carton so they can be delivered on a single trip. This also lowers the consumption of cardboard, bubble wrap, foam peanuts, air pillows, and other packaging materials.

So what else can logistics-powered businesses do to execute green deliveries?

Well, embedding climate-conscious practices while building digital tools can reduce environmental impact and raise business efficiency.

Here’s how smart logistics management platforms can help:

Optimising routes to curb carbon footprint

A smart logistics management platform digitises product journeys, allowing businesses to gauge areas where logistical inefficiencies can be tamed. Digital documentation eliminates paper trails. AI and ML-powered route planning and optimisation engines chalk the most efficient travel route across multiple touchpoints throughout logistics operations.

Efficient routes result in lesser time spent on the road. This is critical to curbing the last mile inefficiencies, a pain point of 61 per cent of transportation and logistics organisations globally. Dynamic route optimisers help eliminate empty miles, reduce the distance travelled by five per cent, prevent vehicle idling, and lower trip volumes by six per cent.

By extending predictive visibility in terms of ETAs, real-time tracking of delivery progress, and flexible deliveries that allow customers to reschedule the delivery to their preferred time slots, logistics stakeholders will maximise the success rate of the first attempt delivery and reduce multiple attempts, trip volumes and CO2 emissions.

Intelligent logistics solutions also allow delivery managers to configure and prioritise eco-friendly modes of transportation for short-distance deliveries. Leveraging this pre-fed logic, the system auto-allocates bicycles, EVs, or autonomous vehicles to execute deliveries within a small radius.

Enhancing address quality to reduce returns

Poor quality addresses or drivers’ inability to navigate to the customer location on time is a big concern for businesses. This is because it leads to greater fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Moreover, 51 per cent of shoppers go for returns if their order doesn’t arrive on time, which puts all the logistical efforts to waste.

Also Read: As the demand for energy soars, climate tech is here to save the day

Geocoding helps convert poor-quality addresses into exact coordinates. This shows up as a clear polyline on the driver’s mobile app leading them to the exact customer location.

Improving capacity utilisation

Another method to enhance delivery performance is automating capacity planning. AI-powered logistics management tools leverage intelligent algorithms that seamlessly club consignment and vehicle data.

They can optimise a vehicle’s capacity by considering parameters such as delivery location, weight, volume, time SLAs, storage type, etc., which helps improve fleet capacity without hampering mileage or vehicle life as it runs on optimum load. It thereby increases vehicle capacity utilisation by 31 per cent.

Clubbing orders to reduce trip volumes

AI-driven logistics management platforms improve delivery productivity by enabling multi-stop pickups and deliveries for drivers on a single trip. En route order clubbing smartly combines pickups and drops to reduce trip frequencies and improve driver productivity by 14 per cent.

Drive sustainable cross-border logistics

Smart logistics management platforms help cross-border logistics stakeholders gain visibility of a shipment’s carbon emissions even before it commences its shipping journey by gaining critical knowledge of tank-to-wheel and well-to-wheel CO2 emissions. Intuitive sustainability dashboards help logistics stakeholders monitor emissions across a shipment’s lifecycle and unearth areas that need immediate attention.

Such platforms empower businesses to reduce miles travelled, shrink returns, eliminate empty miles and vehicle idling, and enable greater rider productivity. By using technology-powered logistics strategies, businesses can reduce shipment returns by 18 per cent.

Three factors will drive businesses in SEA to channel greater focus on sustainability, global and UN regulations around emissions, cost optimisation, and a push from customers.

By embracing smart technologies, businesses can also play a vital role in making a positive long-term ecological impact. Simultaneously, it also ensures customer expectations are met and business costs are lower while saving the planet, one delivery at a time.

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Early this month, PropertyGuru announced the acquisition of Sendhelper, a Singapore home services technology company.

The acquisition aligns with the proptech group’s growth strategy of expanding into adjacencies of fintech and data while investing in its core marketplaces business towards creating a digital property ecosystem for property seekers, sellers, agents, developers, banks, and valuers.

Over the coming months, PropertyGuru plans to develop Sendhelper solutions, according to Shyn Yee Ho-Strangas, MD (Data and Software Solutions) at PropertyGuru.

Soon after the announcement, e27 spoke with Ho-Strangas and Sendhelper Co-Founder and GM Rupam Biswas to know more about the deal.

Below are the edited excerpts from the interview:

How long has this deal been in the works?

Ho-Strangas: For about six months. We (PropertyGuru) began our due diligence after getting listed on NYSE.

Can you share the transaction details of this deal? Will it be run as a separate entity or be integrated with PropertyGuru?

Ho-Strangas: Sendhelper is a strategic addition with long-term growth opportunities for PropertyGuru Group. PropertyGuru has fully acquired Sendhelper and bought out all shareholders’ shares. However, we cannot share specific details of this acquisition.

Given our shared vision of harnessing data and technology to improve our customers’ experience, we aim to be a force for innovative and game-changing solutions that guide people to make confident property decisions.

Also Read: How iPrice Group navigates the seven SEAs

Over the coming months, the plan is to develop Sendhelper solutions and synergies for our partners. We are excited about the value that we can deliver together for our partners.

What will happen to the Sendhelper founders and staff? What will happen to its investor Captii Ventures?

Ho-Strangas: All founders and staff of Sendhelper have been absorbed into the PropertyGuru Group. The founders are aligned with the group’s goal of building this into a large business over the next five years. They will stay after the integration to grow and develop the business together.

How will this deal benefit Sendhelper? Does it have plans to foray into new verticals?

Biswas: Having established a solid product-market fit, Sendhelper is now well-placed to push for high growth. With this deal, we expect to significantly lower our customer acquisition costs by offering our services to existing users in Singapore. Direct access to real estate agents and developers will also be a significant advantage.

There are significant strategic synergies in tech and product as well. 

Sendhelper will continue to work on bringing new service categories, verticals, product packages and subscriptions to serve property seekers, agents, and developers better.

How is the overall home services industry growing in Singapore and the region?

Biswas: After relaxing rules related to COVID-19, we are experiencing good tailwinds. There is also a gap in the market, with very few established and trusted services platforms remaining in the market after failing to survive the pandemic. The story is the same across the region. This is the right time to invest in this space and capture market share.

Are there any tangible changes pre- and post-pandemic? Are there any significant changes to the market characteristics and consumer behaviours?

Biswas: One key change we have noticed is that consumers have moved to larger homes, and most are still able to work from home. This has led to demand smoothening away from weekend spikes to weekdays.

When there is no fear around COVID-19, more orders come in because people spend more time at home and are comfortable with home services. Consumers prefer known, established providers to black market operators for health, security and safety reasons.

Which market in the region is witnessing a boom in terms of home/maintenance/local services?

Biswas: Currently, Singapore is our focus for home services. An immense opportunity exists across SEA for us to solve the issues faced by customers and service providers in a meaningful way. The PropertyGuru group has a solid regional footprint, and we will leverage that at the right time.

Which among the umpteen home services categories does bring you more revenue?

Biswas: Recurring services like weekly home cleaning are always the top category. Recurring service models have been our focus in the past.

Also Read: Fundraising in time of crisis: Why SEA founders can remain hopeful

But now, we hope to innovate and bring more value to our customers in one-time services like deep cleaning and handyman. AC servicing is also another area of focus.

What does the future look like for the home services industry in Singapore and SEA? Where is it headed?

Biswas: Most previous vintage platforms from the 2015 era have suffered through COVID-19 and face the challenge of having a meaningful presence in their markets. The demand has only increased, and the service providers have always existed, albeit unorganised. There will be consolidation in the industry, and a significant proportion of offline, unorganised home services will go online and towards the organised quadrant. Only players who have a deep understanding of this business’s levers and critical success factors will be able to capitalise on this opportunity. We may also see some innovative new business models because pureplay Web2.0 platforms have not fulfilled their full potential in the past.

Given the new developments in the technology front, do you foresee the sector changing in the next few years?

Biswas: Hardware-related innovation will impact commercial property services sooner than home services. I think we are still decades away from replacing our average home cleaner, electrician, or handyman completely. There will be tangible innovation in business models, the discovery process, product, increasing trust, service delivery, and customer service, among other things, making customer experiences 10x better than what it is today. This is precisely what we are gearing towards with Sendhelper at PropertyGuru Group.

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Enhancing customer experience (CX) is a mission-critical mandate for modern businesses, especially since COVID-19 drove a huge spike in digital interactions. According to Adobe, 77 per cent of Asia Pacific (APAC) businesses experienced a surge in new customers through digital channels over the past 18 months.

This demand for digital interactions continues to accelerate across the region. However, less than one in five consumers encounter CX that exceeds expectations. In fact, 71 per cent would switch to a competitor after just one bad customer service experience. CX has clearly become key to business competitiveness and will imminently overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator.

Fortunately, APAC businesses recognise the urgency to advance their CX and are set to outstrip other global regions in CX investment this year.

Here are the top digital trends businesses should consider this year as they up their CX focus:

Trend one: AI-enhanced contact centres

In 2022, more businesses will leverage communications technologies enhanced by artificial intelligence (AI) that help customer support teams do more with less.

According to Frost & Sullivan, APAC’s contact centre applications market will reach US$966 million by 2026 and will be driven by increased migration from on-premises solutions to cloud-based services to provide outstanding CX.

Contact centres with enhanced AI capabilities will feature voice assistants and chatbots with natural language processing capabilities that improve over time.

Also Read: How to reduce churn: 5 essential customer retention strategies

These automated features will be able to provide customers with the required information or route them to human agents when necessary. Sophisticated AI will also help to detect frustration by analysing customer behaviour and transferring unhappy customers to human agents before the CX suffers.

Trend two: Human-first digital CX

While companies accelerate digital transformation, they should evaluate where and how to use technology to automate communications. Businesses should implement AI to supplement human interaction and not replace it. Voice assistants and chatbots can enhance CX, but human agents are still needed to maintain a personal touch.

Conversational commerce, a convergence of shopping and conversations, using messaging tools within the chat to create a seamless shopping and customer service experience, is becoming an increasingly popular channel for personalised customer communications.

Retailers can use 24/7 available AI-powered chatbots and voice assistants to respond to routine customer queries, make personalised recommendations and even place product orders instantly. Complex queries will be escalated to a live customer care representative to provide a speedy, personalised resolution.

Technology is essential today to facilitate scalable and cost-effective customer communications. Despite this, businesses must invest in human resources to work alongside the tech to deliver exceptional CX.

Trend three: Channel integration for more seamless omnichannel experiences

According to Vonage, APAC consumers significantly increased their use of digital channels to engage with businesses and service providers since the pandemic, 52 per cent (retail and e-commerce), 51 per cent (education), 49 per cent (banking and finance) and 46 per cent (healthcare services).

Although COVID-19 accelerated the digitisation of customer communications, many businesses fail to provide a seamless CX. Globally, consumers’ top frustration was repeating themselves to different people and calls going unanswered, with Asia accounting for the most frustrated consumers (37 per cent). About 30 per cent of consumers also reported being frustrated when they could not switch between different communication channels when communicating with a business.

In 2022, businesses will focus on addressing customer pain points and meeting expectations by providing a consistent CX across channels, allowing customers to switch seamlessly from one channel to another.

Forward-thinking technology executives will invest in cloud-based unified communications solutions that integrate all their communications channels into one platform and better leverage customer data.

Trend four: Using predictive analytics to provide personalised, proactive support

In 2022, businesses that are proactive instead of reactive to the needs and expectations of their customers will win customer loyalty. To achieve this, businesses need more visibility into customer journeys. They will need customer data and insights to have a complete picture of each customer’s buying journey, along with the ability to anticipate better and meet their needs.

Also Read: Customer service agents are feeling burned out, how can we help them?

Integrating predictive analytics solutions into their communication channels will provide businesses with contextual insights that let them offer more personalised and proactive customer support.

Trend five: Greater focus on employee experience

To improve CX, businesses must also enhance their employee experience in 2022. Skilled and knowledgeable customer support agents are essential to a great customer experience.

Businesses will need to offer more flexibility and enable hybrid work models without compromising the quality of service to retain their customer support agents. This means customer support teams need technology that supports the work-from-anywhere arrangement and provides the same secure functionality regardless of location.

Way forward for 2022 and beyond

As digitisation continues to accelerate post-COVID-19, businesses should prioritise three key elements to provide a seamless omnichannel experience:

• Investing in contact centre solutions that can be integrated with customer relationship management (CRM) and key business systems
• Leveraging AI and human connections to build trust while improving efficiency
• Empowering hybrid workforces with cloud-based unified communications

Service providers need to reassess the current customer experiences they offer and ensure they have solutions and strategies in place to future-proof the business.

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To establish oneself as an independent and secure person, one must have a stable career and income. For the blind community, in particular, this is a much greater challenge than it needs to be.

Globally, at least 2.2 billion people have near or distant vision impairment, with Malaysia accounting for 1.2 per cent of the total. Despite having the required education and experience, many still have trouble landing jobs that are a good fit for their skillset due to their disability.

People who are blind or have low vision are just as capable as those who have normal vision, and they often outperform their sighted peers. These days, you can find blind engineers, blind chefs, and blind footballers. As a matter of fact, the Malaysian National Blind Football Team is ranked fifth in Asia and 20th in the world.

I am Faizul bin Ahmad Zuki. An unfortunate accident took my right eye, and now I am determined to end the exclusion I have faced because of it.

How I transform my limitations into an opportunity

I became disabled following a hit-and-run motorcycle accident in which a tree branch blinded my right eye. Since the accident, I have had trouble focusing and finishing work because the inner part of my right eye is still damaged. The stress of being a breadwinner and business owner finally got to me, and I had numerous nervous breakdowns as a result.

Also Read: 5 lessons from building a global tech platform in Malaysia

The incident has rendered me unable to fulfil my role as my family’s sole provider. I started a carpet-cleaning business out of my home in 2019, but I lack self-assurance in my business skills and have not been able to grow to a sustainable level.

Many felt that people with disabilities, like myself, simply needed financial aid when I initially started out on my entrepreneurial journey. In reality, however, we are more in need of additional assistance in terms of education and facilities for business and daily life.

After hearing about the Maybank Foundation’s RISE Programme (Reach Independence & Sustainable Entrepreneurship), I decided to sign up. Rather than just getting handouts, the Maybank Foundation and a multinational social enterprise called People Systems Consultancy (PSC) have teamed up to create a programme that helps people with disabilities (PWD) produce meaningful, measurable, and long-lasting economic outcomes.

When I completed the course, I had a new perspective. I made the decision to devote more time to my cleaning business to improve the quality of life for my family. Although my vision is getting worse, I am much more determined than ever to make some positive changes in my life. It gives me great pleasure to also share that I came in second place at the most recent Liga Usahawan OKU Selangor 2022 competition, which was organised by Raja Muda Selangor.

As a result of this life-altering shift, I now earn at least RM40,000 every month, which is four times what I was making before (RM10,000).

The defining moment of my life

Before participating in the RISE programme, I was emotionally unstable and slow to recover from setbacks in business. For as long as I can remember, I have had this frustrating feeling that I am not making the most of my opportunities to better my life.

Not only that, but my business acumen was lacking, especially in financial management. For this reason, I had no way of knowing whether or not the business was profitable, as I had no way of knowing how much money was coming in or going out.

Today, I have such a firm grasp of financial management that I can accurately assess my company’s profit and loss. In addition, I now understand how to allocate profits to the parts of a business that need development, like capital expenditures and promotion. This has given me great self-assurance as I run my business and interact with clients and customers.

After participating in the RISE programme and learning how to identify the most effective business strategy, I am now better able to restructure the requirements of my company and the steps that must be taken to meet them.

My emotional state, which has been the most difficult part of my life, has also improved, which is great news because it has been the least stable of my problems until now.

Overall, I am happier now that I do not have to stress as much about the future of my company or my bank account. This is so because I can monitor and manage my cash flow more effectively. It has helped me run my business with less stress and worry by allowing me to focus on what matters.

Also Read: Why Malaysia is the best choice for freelancers amidst the recession

In my opinion, the RISE coursework covers a wide range of topics that apply to the working world. There are a handful of the course’s modules that have proven especially useful to me as an entrepreneur. When it comes to assessing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats facing both myself and my organisation, the SWOT Analysis module has proven to be one of the most useful resources. The module has also prepared me for the potential benefits and drawbacks I may face in my future endeavours.

In addition, the Profile Strengths module has helped me zero in on the industry where I would thrive. Despite the fact that I had already started working on my carpet cleaning business before beginning this course, this module has reinforced the importance of making sure that all future and past business decisions will bring us joy.

Lastly, the Financial Management module has greatly aided in managing corporate finances when the themes examined truly reveal several fundamentals in revenue management.

My own personal note to you

In spite of my visual impairment, I am grateful that I can make regular contributions to our family’s income. It is also something I take great pride in that I am not the type of person to rely on charity for financial support; that is almost the universal stereotype in today’s society.

In the future, I hope to expand my carpet cleaning service business across Malaysia, open a carpet washing factory in every state (including Sabah and Sarawak), help those in need, and provide opportunities for the disabled and the unemployed.

To my fellow friends with disabilities, I would say that the first step toward making the most of our abilities is to educate ourselves about those abilities, the resources available to us, and the will and advantages we already possess.

We need to dispel myths and raise awareness within our own families that people with disabilities, too, can succeed. This is especially true when such people are given individualised care and attention.

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic

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Singapore-based Web3 company AWST officially launched today with US$1.7 million in funding from investors such as East Ventures, 500 Global, and Antler.

The company also partnered with online payment processing company Stripe to facilitate mainstream NFT transactions.

The company called the partnership “a big step” in making NFT transactions commercially viable for business. The joint effort is poised to position NFTs for mainstream adoption by binding functions and utility such as memberships, tickets, and expanded experiences through the technology.

“The Web3 space is evolving rapidly, and businesses are keen to connect with their existing customers in new ways and gain new customers from NFT communities. We believe we have the right tech infrastructure and the experience to guide our clients to expand their business and engagement capabilities through Web3 and NFTs,” said AWST CEO Arun Sugumaran.

Also Read: The future of blockchain technology goes beyond just cryptocurrency and NFTs

AWST was founded on October 2020 by Arun Sugumaran and Aleksandar Abu Samra. The company brings Web3 to brands by creating platforms for users to launch NFT collections across different blockchain protocols that are optimised for each project’s needs. AWST’s solutions can be integrated into existing technological frameworks seamlessly. Their expertise helps incorporate utility to these platforms, creating strong foundations for clients to leverage the growing Web3 ecosystem.

The company has previously set up an NFT vending machine at the National Gallery. According to them, the public’s response shows the general public’s growing reception towards Web3.

Moving forward, AWST wants to build tools and platforms that connect organisations with NFT projects to facilitate that exchange of value in the real world.

The company is a community partner for the Singapore Week of Innovation & Technology event, held in Singapore from October 25-28. AWST’s tech solutions will offer Proof of Attendance Protocol (POAP) NFTs that unlock unique rewards for event attendees.

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Image Credit: AWST

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In our recent podcast with Pinhome Founders Dayu Dara Permata and Ahmed Aljunied, Dara brought up that one of the things she had learned (or more precisely, unlearned) over the course of building Pinhome into Indonesia’s largest full-stack, end-to-end property transaction platform is “the art of letting go.”

And this “art of letting go” as a key learning or un-learning reflects a broader pattern we have picked up from the sharings of founders and founding team leaders as their businesses mature and organisations become more complex.

In this article, we lay out similar sharings from founders across our podcast and identify what exactly founders have to let go of in order to grow, leading to some ideas and practices that run counterintuitive to prevailing startup wisdom or notions of what hypergrowth looks like for a venture-backed startup. And this counterintuitive nature of the learnings from growth-stage founders is what makes this discussion of “letting go” all the more compelling.

Also Read: 7 drivers of Southeast Asia’s “golden hour of opportunity” for startup founders and investors

We enclose a TLDR list below, but you can read the full article here.

• Letting go of emotions with set processes and systems and a data-driven approach.
• Letting go of opportunities with relentless prioritisation, disciplined resource allocation, and having a strong team and pool of supporters aligned and bought in on their singular mission that has remained unchanged.
• Letting go of the work from product efficiency in the early stage as the company tries to unlock market value to capital efficiency as the company begins to rake in cash (both from the business and investors) and has to regulate and optimise its use for the growth of the business.
• Letting go of maximising headcount size by leveraging technology as expressed as much into the organisational structure as it is in the customer experience.
• Letting go of impatience as the company becomes more complex as an organisation and there is more at stake for the business.
• Letting go of presumptions about how to operate was crucial in unlocking the “blessing in disguise” that having a distributed team accustomed to operating efficiently remotely brought to the picture.
• Letting go of habits and biases by allowing leadership styles to be disrupted and leveraging technology to fill inefficiency gaps.

Listen to the full podcast episode here.

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