Tag: mobile application

Manila, Philippines – In response to the steady recovery of the Philippine banking industry and to provide better funding opportunities for small businesses, UnionBank has announced the launch of its new UnionBank SME Banking app, aimed at the country’s growing small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Through the new banking app, UnionBank’s newest innovation aims to continue empowering SMEs to embrace digital transformation and unlock more opportunities for them to pivot, grow, and thrive in the now digital normal. 

Furthermore, It also underscores UnionBank’s primary goal of using its digital expertise to extend more financial services to all Filipinos, including the strategically-vital SMEs who comprise about 99% of the country’s registered businesses. 

“Specific segments of the sector’s market continue to be in increasingly vulnerable positions. Some customers face temporary financial strain. Individual and corporate borrowers may lack sufficient money. Those with special servicing needs, such as the elderly, require customized assistance, especially with the transition to digital banking. SME owners are focusing on keeping their business afloat by seeking efficient and accessible banking solutions,” the bank said in a press statement.

Through the UnionBank SME banking app, any business owner can open their own checking account online with ease and convenience. There is no fuss as the account will be available and ready to use within the same day and there is no need to fill out any forms or visit a branch. The app also helps SMEs manage all their financial operations with just a few clicks. 

“At the end of the day, we’re all in this together and we want to help all Filipinos be financially inclusive. We are a digital partner that Pinoy SMEs can trust and rely on amid any challenge,” said Jaypee Soliman, vice president of the SME Segment at UnionBank.

UnionBank also offers other SME-related services including their online lending marketplace SeekCap that allows easier lending for SMEs, and business digital platform hub UnionBank GlobalLinker which integrates their business inventory, team and knowledge on the local SME scene all in one platform.

Singapore – Philippine-based financial services Cebuana Lhuillier and Singapore-based fintech Nium have announced a new partnership in launching the remittance app Quikz in Singapore to increase the remittance reach of Filipinos residing in Singapore. 

The Quikz app will be powered by Nium’s Remittance-as-a-service (RaaS) solution and Cebuana Lhuillier’s huge network of pay-out locations in the Philippines, allowing   Filipinos based in Singapore to enjoy improved convenience, security, and real-time global transactions in sending money to the Philippines. 

Yogesh Sangle, executive vice president and global head of consumer and SME business at Nium, said, “With millions of Filipinos living and working overseas for their loved ones back home, the convenience and transparency in remittance processes play such an essential role – especially with continued social distancing measures and lockdowns in place.”

He added, “We are extremely excited that Cebuana Lhuillier, a home-grown Filipino brand, shares a common goal with Nium, and we are proud to co-establish and power this new platform through our enhanced remittance capabilities.”

Meanwhile, Jean Henri Lhuillier, Cebuana Lhuillier’s president and CEO, commented, “Cebuana Lhuillier’s core of Financial Inclusion always pushes us to provide better micro-financial services to Filipinos, wherever they may be. This new partnership with Nium strengthens our remittance services to ensure that Filipinos around the world have access to fast, reliable, and safe transactions.”

Cebuana Lhuillier currently has more than 2,500 branches in the Philippines. Besides Nium, a partnership with technology provider Ripple has also been forged in order to facilitate low-cost payments. 

Singapore – The first-ever home and cleaning  services in Singapore HomeHelpy has launched its mobile app to make bookings of their services more accessible to their customers.

Through the app, clients can book their desired cleaning service  and manage their booking. HomeHelpy’s cleaning services include a wide range of cleaning methods such as office cleaning, which covers general office areas, pantry/lounging areas, meeting rooms, reception counters, reception rooms, exhibition rooms, and toilets. 

Other services that may be also booked include clothes ironing, bedsheet changing, cooker hood cleaning, refrigerator cleaning, microwave oven cleaning, oven cleaning, and air purification, as well as upholstery cleaning and marble polishing.

“Our HomeHelpers are well-mannered and highly-trained to produce high service quality, giving us an edge over the market,” a statement from their press release stated.

Included in the course of their app launch, is HomeHelpy’s  ‘Get What You Give’ referral promo package where participants can win various cash vouchers and an iPhone 12 Pro Max, as well as 10% earnings of the participant or its referrals to their availed HomeHelpy services.

For its CEO Vernon Kwek, the company’s values are based on being: ‘Trustable’, ‘Quality Guaranteed’, ‘Friendly’, and ‘Legal’.

“HomeHelpy ensures their clients feel [that] their chores are being taken care of, and their wide range of services are backed by highly-trained HomeHelpers who go through stringent screening processes and training programs that require a theory and practical exam at the end. HomeHelpy sets the standards to provide and cover all corners that require cleaning, whether it’s in the home or office,” the press statement added.

The HomeHelpy app is available for download on the App Store and Google Play.

Hong Kong – Insurance company FWD has made claim payments easier to receive by launching its instant claim service through its eService app.

Infographic_eServices App Instant Claims
Claim applications submitted to FWD’s eServices app

With the new platform launch, users can now process claims payment faster from days to within a day. Claim applications submitted to the eServices app are processed by its AI assessment engine, and customers can receive claims approvals and get paid through their selected means instantly via the platform’s Faster Payment System (FPS), at any 7-Eleven convenience stores, or by direct transfer to their bank accounts.

Infographic_AI Approves Instant Claims Application
Applications processed and approved instantly by eServices app’s AI assessment engine

“Elevating the customer experience is always our top priority, and every claim is a ‘moment of truth’. We’ve been continuously developing customer-led innovations and working closely with our partners to make claims more straightforward and effortless. FWD will continue to invest in improving the claims experience and enhancing overall insurance solutions to keep changing the way people feel about insurance, and truly ‘celebrate living’ together,” said Ken Lau, FWD’s managing director for Greater China and Hong Kong CEO.

The instant claims service is available for life insurance’s personal accident claims of up to HK$3,000 covering treatment expenses, as FWD will extend service to support hospital income and hospital claims later this year.

Digital applications have been a key enabler in creating a connected digital life for consumers. With the COVID-19 pandemic accelerating the adoption of digital applications and placing more focus on online shopping channels and digital payments, holiday shopping and Christmas rush might be a little different this year. As the holiday season approaches, we are seeing a fundamental shift in social interactions, digital entertainment and shopping habits.

Online shopping continues to grow year-over-year. In 2019, Forrester estimates that 56 percent of shoppers in Southeast Asia (SEA) will make their purchases online.

With mobile as the main channel used by shoppers, the same study predicts that 62 percent of online retail sales in SEA will come from mobile purchases. This presents opportunities for brands to reach more than 150 million online shoppers from various markets across the region including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Online shopping statistics

When developing a marketing strategy for Christmas, it’s essential to check online Christmas shopping statistics and know how this will impact your overall strategy. For instance, due to the pandemic, the latest Retail Sales Index and Food & Beverage Index from the Department of Statistics in Singapore shows a – 5.7 percent decline on total retail sales compared to last year. However, items under Recreational Goods, Furniture and Household and Computer and Telecommunications category have a positive increase in sales this year.

 Digital payments for frictionless shopping

Online shopping is also gaining momentum in the region due to the rise of digital payments. According to Deloitte’s report, Indonesians and Singaporeans are amongst the highest proportions of people who shopped online and retail shops that prefer digital payments. Digital payments are fast and frictionless. As more merchants adopt digital payment channels, e-commerce apps must also ensure that they leverage digital payment channels to respond to the demands of the consumers.

Here are some of the best practices to keep in mind when developing your e-commerce marketing campaign for the holiday season. 

1. Free shipping
Adding unexpected costs at the final stages of the user journey may frustrate your customers and cause them to churn. This is why free shipping may be worth the expense. Entitling your users to free shipping during the holiday season is an effective gift to shoppers, and may give you the edge over your competitors.

2. Bundles and gift guides
Creating bundle offers is an effective way to autonomously upsell to your customers while also giving them a good deal on grouped purchases. Bundles are also a smart way to turn inexpensive items into a more significant gift recommendation for your users. Alternatively, you can include a ‘recently bought with’ function on your website or app to encourage multi-item sales.

You can also create curated gift guides to help shoppers with their search, combining best-selling items, surplus stock and discounted items.

3. Offer gift cards
Gift cards are a simple but effective way to generate revenue during the holiday season. For best results, gift cards should be purchasable and can be used digitally and in-store. This accounts for the preferences of all gift-givers and those who have received your gift vouchers.

4. Set up a themed landing page
Get your shoppers into the Christmas spirit by directing them to a Christmas-themed landing page – where you can share your curated gift guides and bundle options, and encourage customers to proceed with their purchases.

5. Branded hashtags
Using a branded, Christmas-themed hashtag across your social media channels is a smart way to raise brand awareness while also providing app users with a means to share their purchases on social media. Examples of Christmas-themed hashtags by brands include #SwishUponAStar (Lush cosmetics) and #BarbourChristmas (Barbour).

This also allows your social media team to gather user-generated content (USG), which can then be shared and retweeted.

 From a retailer’s point of view, Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. Despite the challenges of the year, the Christmas season is a great opportunity for e-commerce app marketers to boost sales, build their audience and reward loyal customers.

The author is April Tayson, Vice President for Adjust India and Southeast Asia. Adjust is an app marketing analysis platform, and provides services such as attribution and measurement, fraud prevention, cybersecurity, as well as automation tools for mobile apps.

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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Malaysian food recipes website and app Kuali has launched a new in-app game “It’s Raining Cheese”, in partnership with Anchor Food Professionals.

The in-app game’s premise features falling cheese within the game, reminiscent of what players would imagine to be their first experience of snowfall. Players then must catch as many as they can within a minute, giving them the chance to win voucher prizes from Anchor Food Professionals, and cash vouchers from Kuali.

“We wanted to end the year with a light hearted game so we could ‘shower’ Kuali users with Anchor’s products when everyone’s shopping for holiday dinners and kick start the New Year with a grand prize featuring cash vouchers when the game’s period ends,” said Jack Tan, food service director at Fonterra Brands.

Furthermore, the app’s game development is in retrospect with Kuali Anchor partnership back in May 2020, as they helped in building a community of small and micro enterprises in the baking industry, collectively known to be as Kuali Bakers. Through the partnership, Kuali Bakers have launched new activities such as sending out monthly newsletters to enhance knowledge for entrepreneurial bakers and patissiers, bi-monthly baking contests and challenges, quarterly FB Live streams of cooking demos by Anchor Professional Chefs and a half yearly entrepreneur workshop called ‘Bake and Make’, presented by industry experts and notable influencers.

“The partnership with Kuali Bakers unlocked multiple potentials. It helps drive aspiring home bakers whilst supporting the SME industry through skill enhancement and recipes sharing,” Tan added.

The Kuali app is available for download on Google Play, the Apple App Store and Huawei AppGallery.

Singapore – French bakery Maison Kayser in Singapore is now accepting island-wide delivery within a day for their local patrons through a newly-developed app, created with local-based tech company Kaddra.

Customers can now access the bakery’s menu assortment of French breads, pastries, sandwiches, salads, and others, to which Maison Kayser has around six branches across the island.

“As we continue to expand in Singapore, it was crucial to create a platform allowing our customers a convenient and fast access to our products. Kaddra did just that, and allowed us to maintain our brand aesthetics and values within our mobile app. The process could not have been easier, and we are anticipating fabulous growth and feedback from our customers,” said Julien Troch, general manager of Maison Kayser Singapore.

Meanwhile, Quentin Chiarugi, executive chairman and CEO of Kaddra commented, “We are ecstatic to have developed this new digital ecosystem for Maison Kayser, a brand reaching every corner of the world and a large international fan base, prided for their great classic French recipes. They are a prime example of how creating a mobile app can diversify a traditional business model only available in-store until now. Maison Kayser app is destined to become the digital Boulangerie of many people in Singapore”

The Maison Kayser app is available on both Google Play and Apple App Store.

Singapore – Gigworks, a local-based platform which allows buyer-seller integration facets of freelance services, has been recently launched in Singapore. 

Gigwork’s freelance mobile application platform caters to the growing demand for local and global freelance service engagement opportunities, especially as COVID-19 restrictions have seen a rise in remote work demand. Services offered include content writing, graphic and web designing, coding, translation, photo and video editing, and online marketing.

Gigwork’s freelance mobile application features a search integration to find freelance services easily using keywords, chat function for buyer-seller communication, review system to rate service efficiency and professionalism, and a dashboard to check balances and income based on previous projects. 

Catered primarily for freelancers and small businesses, Gigworks hopes that this new mobile application will help bridge the gap between job opportunities and create a network for other innovation systems locally and globally.

“The mission of Gigworks is to bring stellar work opportunities that are a match to people’s talents and capabilities with ease. We want to help people improve their lives as well as financial situations by having easy access to a myriad of good work projects via our platform,” Glenn Tay, CEO and founder of Gigworks stated.

Tay, who founded IT consultancy firm Plexure in 2011, is using his experience in founding the aforementioned consultancy firm and programming skills to develop Gigworks into a more online professional service engagement.

The mobile application is available on Google Play and on the app store, and users can register to offer their own services or seek one.