Online shopping is getting to be popular here in the Philippines—said to be the third in Southeast Asia and the 16th in the world when it comes to Internet usage—and more small and medium enterprises are utilizing the power of technology to become more aggressive in competing in the e-commerce industry. The reality, however, is that startup companies have to work a lot harder to keep their head above the water and have a chunk of the market dominated by bigger players.
While these enterprises can take full advantage of the power of the Internet, they also need partners that would deliver what their customers demand and in the process, achieve exponential growth, observes Quito San Agustin, country manager of Zyllem Philippines. Zyllem to the uninformed is a logistics company formerly known as RocketUncle that operates in Malaysia and Singapore and recently expanded in the Philippines. Those familiar with the firm say it has developed a reputation as a leading provider of fast, cost-effective and reliable same-day delivery service.
According to San Agustin, having a good delivery service provider as a partner is crucial to the success of SMEs, particularly those that run online enterprises. We know at least several startup companies selling beauty products, perfumes and other items that have seen some of their customers turning away because of delivery issues. “The possibilities are endless when you have a reliable partner that does the job for you,” shares Agustin. These partners can help customers beat deadlines, deliver products/items ordered where and when the customer wants them. A shipping partner is not only a means to deliver orders, it is also one way to establish trust between customer and company because the former will not worry about whether a document or item will be delivered and on time, too. Zyllem aims to complement the operations of new businesses by offering a solution to shipping/delivery needs by providing reliable same-day delivery services at lower costs.
“Every small and medium enterprise needs a reliable delivery service provider that has proven its reliability,” avers San Agustin, adding that this is the reason why after successful operations in Singapore and Malaysia, Zyllem has decided to bring the same kind of service to Filipinos.
An additional convenience is the pay-as-you-go pricing model offered by Zyllem, which does not require upfront investments from the SME. Users can also monitor the status of their parcel through SMS and email, and receive real-time confirmation of successful orders with an electronic signature.
“We are actually giving our customers more time to grow their business while we help them deliver their customer’s needs. Small and medium businesses are seen as a major economic driver in the Philippines, and it is through our end-to-end shipping operations that we can further boost their growth. At Zyllem, we believe that these SMEs hold a promising future, and we want to help them become successful one point at a time,” San Agustin stated.
JCI Manila welcomes new Board, bares 2016 projects
Junior Chamber International (JCI) Manila, which bested 5,000 other JCI chapters the world over to emerge as the 2015 Most Outstanding Local Organization in the World, continues its mission of creating positive change by welcoming a new set of directors. With new president Ramiro Villavicencio at the helm, JCI Manila is expected to develop more young men who could become this country’s future leaders.
JCI Manila, which was established in 1947, has been focusing efforts to develop leaders by addressing the nation’s biggest issues, with its projects and activities anchored on aiding government in community development, encouraging entrepreneurship, protecting the environment, and responding to disasters.
For 2016, JCI Manila has set its sight on several projects that include the Sea of Life Program wherein artificial domes are dropped in damaged reefs to help rehabilitate marine life; the Ramon V. Del Rosario Award which is an annual award that recognizes exemplary individuals who have significantly contributed to nation building; and its newest project, Golden Heart, which provides care and treatment for children with cerebral palsy.
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