Tag: GoTyme Bank

In today’s global economy, the ability to communicate effectively across cultures has evolved from a competitive edge into a fundamental business necessity. As brands extend their presence across borders, the real challenge lies not just in crafting messages that work internationally – but in making those messages genuinely resonate within each local market.

For marketers, this means moving beyond basic translation to embrace strategic localisation – a practice rooted in cultural intelligence, deep audience insight, and the agility to adapt messaging without losing brand integrity. It’s a delicate balance: maintaining global consistency while responding to regional behaviours, values, and platform preferences.

As consumer expectations shift and digital touchpoints multiply, the brands that win will be those that speak the local language – not just in words, but in meaning. These expectations–and more–are what have been discussed in the recently concluded Global Conversations, Local Impact: Mastering Regional Communication Strategies, held on 17 June 2025.

Leveraging conversation channels to scale customer communication

In the webinar’s keynote presentation from Hugh Haley, Head of Partners for APAC at Sinch, he outlines the dramatic shift in global communication trends, where nowadays, communication towards customers has evolved into two-way, real-time conversations driven largely by the proliferation of mobile devices and social messaging platforms.

In addition, as mobile usage has grown, so has the richness of the messaging experience, with brands moving away from static SMS into dynamic, media-rich formats such as RCS (Rich Communication Services), which allows for verified sender information, branded UI, multimedia sharing, and interactive chatbot experiences.

Hugh also emphasises that the future of customer experience hinges on successfully combining AI with messaging platforms, adding that successful businesses will build systems that enable seamless AI-human collaboration in customer support and engagement.

“For brands to really achieve success, they’re going to need to address both AI and agentic experiences and those conversational channels at scale. Customer experience is where we believe the battle is going to be won and lost. And the businesses that adopt both AI and conversational channels are the ones that will really win in the long term,” he said.

Moreover, he puts focus on how chatbots are becoming the new “front desk” of a brand, acting as always-on concierges for customers. However, he cautioned that deploying a chatbot isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it task – it requires constant training, language and slang adaptation, monitoring for errors or AI hallucinations, and alignment with the brand voice.

“Your chatbot is the new front desk of your brand. It’s not a set-and-forget play – it’s a constant train, iterate, and improve loop. You need to monitor how the bot behaves, make sure it doesn’t hallucinate or go off-script. This is where your brand voice lives now, and you need to treat it with the same care as any customer-facing channel,” he added.

What lies ahead for the future of communication strategies in APAC

Next up on the webinar was a panel discussion featuring industry leaders May Ling Chan, Head of Brand & Marketing Services at CelcomDigi Bhd; Angeline Angeles, Marketing Director at GoTyme Bank; Hugh Haley, Head of Partners for APAC at Sinch; and Alyaa Ramlan, Head of Social at Unifi, as they discussed the future of customer communications in Asia, including the rise of super apps and their profound impact on how brands connect with consumers, and how to delve into the role of AI and automation in enhancing and streamlining customer interactions.

In the discussion, the industry leaders have noted that as super apps continue to dominate how customers interact with brands across Southeast Asia, companies are rethinking how to blend personalisation, platform strategy, and real-time service to meet rising expectations.

For Angeline, the journey always begins with trust.

“At GoTyme, nobody cares about a cashback promo if their salary didn’t go through,” she said. “So we focus on what we call ‘beautiful basics’– that’s a seamless digital onboarding, fraud protection, goal-based savings, and instant transfers. Trust comes before anything else.”

Meanwhile, May Ling emphasised the power of data-driven prediction in building what she calls a “digital concierge” brand experience.

“In today’s world – especially post-pandemic – apps are built to serve customers in their own customised view. We sit on a 20 million customer base, and we know their online behaviours, what they watch, when they browse. Using that data responsibly lets us act like a concierge – serving the right offer at the right time, predicting when something might go wrong and fixing it before the customer even notices,” she said.

She also added that hyper-personalisation has become a strategic advantage for telcos, allowing them to retain relevance even as digital ecosystems become more crowded.

From a social engagement perspective, Alyaa made it clear that social media isn’t being replaced by apps – it’s becoming their strategic partner.

Using their telco’s app as an example, she shared, “Our app handles transactional tasks like bill payments. But when the internet’s down, people don’t go to the app – they run to Twitter. That’s our feedback loop. We take those complaints and feed them into the product team. Then if we need to educate customers – how to reset a router, how to use a feature – we push that from social. It’s one engine. Both parts need to run in sync.”

Alyaa also praised how AI has transformed her social listening operation – from a manual three-person task into a one-person job powered by intelligent tools that spot crises and sentiment trends in real time.

And when it comes to the AI revolution itself, Hugh urged brands to future-proof their customer strategies with conversational platforms.

“We’ve gone from dumb bots that couldn’t understand a basic question to conversational AI that understands 125 languages. If your app goes down, do you still know how to reach your customer? That’s the question. You need to own your first-party data,” he said.

A total of 164 marketers attended the webinar, representing brands such as 2GO Group Inc, AIA, AirAsia MOVE, Alfamart Trading Phils. Inc., AXA Philippines, Bata Group, City Savings Bank, ComfortDelGro Corporation Australia, Cushman and Wakefield, Decathlon Philippines, GetGo Carsharing, Hong Leong Bank Berhad, Malayan Insurance, Metropolitan Bank, PBCOM, Photobook Worldwide, Puregold Price Club, Shopee Malaysia, SSI Group, Tonik Digital Bank, ZALORA, amongst others.

If you missed attending it, you can catch the on-demand access to the webinar, where brands explore strategies to boost customer engagement. Register HERE for free.

Manila, Philippines – GoTyme Bank has entered a three-year partnership with the Philippine Football Federation (PFF), becoming the official bank partner of the country’s football governing body. The agreement is aimed at supporting the development of football across various levels in the Philippines, from grassroots initiatives to elite competitions.

Under the partnership, GoTyme Bank and the PFF plan to launch several joint initiatives. One of the key highlights is the GoTyme Bank Cup 2025, a regional tournament that will feature men’s and women’s national teams from the Philippines, South Africa, Vietnam, and Singapore. The event is positioned to promote high-level competition and enhance the visibility of Philippine football on the regional stage.

The agreement also includes support for national teams, with players and coaches serving as brand ambassadors for GoTyme Bank. The bank’s financial products will be integrated into the teams’ operations, including services for international travel and overseas allowances.

Efforts to engage fans are also part of the collaboration, with planned activities such as merchandise campaigns, ticket promotions, player meet-and-greet events, and community watch parties during major matches.

At the grassroots level, GoTyme Bank will work with the PFF on youth programs that combine football training with financial literacy education. These initiatives aim to promote holistic development for young athletes while encouraging financial inclusion.

The bank will maintain a visible presence through branding on team jerseys, stadium signage, and interactive fan zones. On-site services will allow fans to open accounts and use GoTyme Bank offerings during events.

According to both parties, the partnership reflects shared goals of promoting sports development and providing greater access to services for Filipino communities.

Nate Clarke, CEO at GoTyme Bank, said, “There is an undeniable love for football in the country, and it’s only continuing to grow. Our partnership with the PFF allows us to be there for athletes and fans alike. We want to be part of the story of bringing Philippine football onto the global stage.”We understand that success isn’t a straight path—it’s full of hurdles. That’s something we see in sports every day. 

Meanwhile, Freddy Gonzalez, director of senior National Football Teams, commented, “This is the first time we are partnering with a bank, and we couldn’t have found a better ally than GoTyme Bank. We both share the goal of bringing Philippine football further, not only by supporting our national teams but also by developing training camps for young kids. This is a shared vision that shows GoTyme Bank is the right partner to help us build the future of Filipino football.”

Philippines – In an effort to catalyse SME finance, GoTyme Bank and PayMongo Philippines, Inc. recently forged a strategic partnership to advance financial accessibility among small and medium-sized enterprises within the PayMongo merchant ecosystem.

This latest initiative laid the foundations for PayMongo Capital, a fully digital financial program that streamlines the loan application process among businesses, eliminating the traditional paperwork through a seamless, two-minute, two-screen journey. 

Under PayMongo Capital, a flexible loan term also tailors financing alternatives to a particular preference of enterprises. Unlike typical loans, which have hidden costs and penalties, this programme introduces transparent pricing, which requires businesses to pay a competitive flat rate.

The absence of hidden charges, on the other hand, simplifies the financial landscape for borrowers, boosting trust and clarity.

Furthermore, this new app also allows businesses to easily manage repayments, automatically deducting a portion from their sales. It further aligns payments with their daily sales and ensures that merchants can focus on their operations without the constant worry of rigid repayment structures.

Meanwhile, qualifying merchants benefit from this hassle-free disbursement process, with the lent amount reaching their accounts within one banking day, subject to the processing time of the receiving bank.

Talking about the launch, Nate Clarke, CEO at GoTyme Bank, shared, “As GoTyme Bank expands to offer more banking products to our customers, we also continue to build meaningful relationships and foster financial inclusion. Through PayMongo Capital, powered by GoTyme Bank, we hope to make loans and banking in general more accessible to SMEs and give them the preferred banking experience they deserve.”

Jojo Malolos, CEO at PayMongo, also supported this statement, saying, “At PayMongo, our unwavering commitment to support the growth of small and medium-sized businesses takes a groundbreaking leap with our partnership with GoTyme Bank. This collaboration is a game-changer for PayMongo merchants, unlocking additional capital to propel their online enterprises towards unparalleled success.”

Following this strategic alliance, the two are set to embark on empowering thousands of businesses within PayMongo’s merchant ecosystem, providing ease of access to business loans using GoTyme’s innovative banking service.

Manila, Philippines – In a world where businesses always think of going ‘digital’ is the best way to move forward, how do customers even know if the person they are talking to has the human touch? This was the overarching question GoTyme Bank aims to answer in its latest campaign film titled ‘The Lonely Bot’, conceptualised alongside Iris Singapore.

The campaign film, produced by Directors Think Tank and directed by Rajay Singh, features an emotional story that underscores the value of human connection, especially in a world of relentless technological advancement. 

For GoTyme Bank, the campaign shines a spotlight on its own brand of customer service, which unlike competitors, does not use automated responses and chatbots. When users ask for help, they can expect to speak to a real person, who will cater to their needs with human intuition and empathy.

Raymund Villanueva, chief marketing officer at GoTyme Bank, said, “The integrated brand campaign launched GoTyme Bank’s proposition as a human digital bank which will allows to deliver the best customer service in the country. Through the insight of Iris Singapore, we were able to communicate to Filipinos that GoTyme is a bank that brings warmth, empathy, and understanding of human interaction into the digital realm.”

He added, “That in a world of automation and digitalization, our customers can call, chat with, or email human personal bankers who are available to assist them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”

Meanwhile, Cristina ‘Tin’ Sanchez, executive creative director at Iris Singapore, commented, “One of the ways that humans connect with each other is through a love for stories. Stories have the power to link minds and tribes. So, we created a series of stories rich in humanity, truth and emotion, to highlight not only the offers, but the main promise of GoTyme Bank: its human-centredness. Something that is even more precious in the midst of constant AI evolution.”

‘The Lonely Bot’ is flanked by four individual 20-second short films: Gimme Five, Cupcake, Promotion, and Bot World, which will be released over the next few weeks. Each focus on a value proposition or product of GoTyme Bank. 

Singapore – Iris Singapore secured the contract to serve as GoTyme Bank‘s agency of record (AOR) for all creative and customer relationship management (CRM) duties. GoTyme Bank seeks to transform the banking experience for Filipinos by placing an emphasis on customer service and accessibility.

Iris Singapore will introduce the brand positioning in the coming months, brand, and then the bank’s initial multi-touchpoint integrated campaign in Philippine Islands.

GoTyme Bank started a multi-agency pitch earlier this year to recruit potential partners. Amongst the competitors, Iris Singapore demonstrated its dedication to assisting GoTyme Bank in maximising Filipinos’ financial potential. In order to define and actualize the bank’s brand positioning and bring it to life in a compelling way, Iris Singapore has been given this task.

Priya Kalidas, head of growth at Iris Singapore, commented, “We are thrilled by this new partnership. It was great chemistry from the get-go. We are really looking forward to helping the bank unlock its enormous potential and charting the next chapter of success for GoTyme. Full credit to the Iris Singapore team who worked on this pitch with so much passion and conviction.”

According to Cristina ‘Tin’ Sanchez, executive creative director at Iris Singapore, “In a growing digital landscape, what can set a brand apart? Sometimes, it’s the fundamentals, such as true human centeredness. A brand that seeks to uplift the lives of people is deeply inspiring to work on. We are delighted to be the new partners of GoTyme Bank in the Philippines.”

Meanwhile, Raymund Villanueva, chief marketing officer at GoTyme Bank, expressed, “We are excited to work with Iris Singapore. The agency really impressed us with their ideas during the pitching process. We are hopeful that when these ideas are executed, it would help us unlock the financial potential of every Filipino through a human-led campaign.”

Manila, Philippines – An online map website generator that lets users keep track of which provinces they have visited across the Philippines has recently been all over Filipinos’ social media feeds. Several local brands in the country were quick to jump onto the trend and chart their own proof of Philippine jet setting — or rather something else – a witty jab at the map visualisation if you will. 

The website, created by Singapore-based Filipino software developer Denz Del Villar, allows users to generate a map of the Philippines – a personal and colour-coded representation of the various provinces the user has either lived in, stayed, visited, passed, or alighted from. Using these metrics, the map also generates a numberical level determined by the nature of these visits. Each category selected – whether lived or passed on – carries a numerical score, and when added up, results into the travel level of the user.

Following its virality, audiences see local brands do their own trend jacking one after the other. A huge amount of these social media posts come from several banks in the country, both traditional and digital banks. Banks such as LandBank, MetroBank, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), and GoTyme Bank have posted their own take on the map.

Meanwhile, popular convenience store chain 7-Eleven also jumped into the bandwagon. 

In more wittier posts, fast food chain McDonald’s took on the trend, replacing the levels with what users can ‘expect’ from their chains in different provinces. Even local pharmaceutical company Katinko also posted a witty post using the map template, showing that all aunts and uncles across the country have used their products.

Katinko Social Media Post
McDonald’s Social Media Post

Meanwhile, entertainment entities have also joined in the fun. The popular public affairs show Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho from GMA Network shows that their team had already visited all of the provinces across the country to cover feature stories. Moreover, the local band Ben&Ben has also joined in the trend, showcasing which provinces they already performed in. 

Ben&Ben Social Media Post
Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho Social Media Post

However, not all brands that crafted their own take on the map were received in a positive light. A social media post by land developer Camella Homes, which used such template to showcase the provinces they have current land developments,has inadvertently caused a backlash. Many netizens pointed out that some of the lands being used by were formerly agricultural lands, more specifically rice fields. The social media post has been deleted since.

Manila, Philippines – GoTyme Bank has announced a partnership with airline Cebu Pacific for its loyalty program Go Rewards last February 9. To mark such partnership, the digital bank used an airplane outdoor activation during its launch event held at the Palacio de Memoria in Parañaque, Manila, Philippines.

For this outdoor activation, GoTyme Bank used an experimental technology called 3D mapping video, which maps video footage onto surfaces like buildings, runways, water, and airplanes, turning them into astonishing displays.

The new feature from GoTyme Bank allows Go Rewards members to earn points each time they book Cebu Pacific flights. When they use their GoTyme Bank Visa Debit Card or Virtual Card to book their flight, they get to earn even more Go Rewards points which they can use to book future flights.

“This new rewards program is a permanent feature and not just a promo so every Juan has all the time in the world to take advantage of this boosted rewards system from GoTyme Bank,” the company said in a press statement.

Manila, Philippines – GoTyme Bank, a local fintech funded by the Gokongwei Group, has recently received a go signal from the country’s central bank Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to set up a local digital bank for Filipinos.

GoTyme Bank received its certificate of authority from BSP on July 29 this year, following prior approval from the country’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Monetary Board (MB).

Through GoTyme, clients can open an account in under five minutes through digital kiosks and avail of banking products and services such as bank transfers, shopping rewards, interest savings, trading, investing and customer service.

In addition, it combines the ease of immediate account opening with a personalised debit card released through kiosks located in shopping malls throughout the Philippines, plus the power of self-serve financial solutions accessible through an intuitive ‘all in one’ banking app.

GoTyme Bank is a joint venture by multinational digital banking group Tyme, involving members of the Gokongwei Group namely Robinsons Bank, Robinsons Land Corporation, and Robinsons Retail Holdings.