3 Habits of Highly Effective Brands and How We Can Emulate Them
Apple. Maggi.
Adidas. Coca Cola.
Just by the
mention of their name or a glance at their logos and you would know their branding,
the products and services they offer and their taglines by heart. These brands
are after all, the archetype of success. It is impossible to go around anywhere
without encountering any of these brands at least once a day.
From
billboards to the short Youtube ads shown before any video, these brands percolate
into our daily lives and subconscious mind. It is every advertising agency’s
dream to represent these brands under their account. The inclusion of these
brands under their portfolio may not only serve as a form of accolade but also
as a method of validating their capabilities to the eyes of the world.
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| What links them all together? |
What do these four iconic brands have in
common? Apart from being raking in millions of dollars in earnings each year
and fortifying their position in their respective industry by either staying at
the top as the market leader or overtaking competitors by executing their
carefully-formulated business strategies, there are also a few other traits
that separate them from the rest of the brands that have tried to succeed
similarly.
Remember Your
Roots
Steve Jobs
and Steve Wozniak, the brains behind the legendary Apple,
started building high functioning and sophisticated personal computers from a
garage. Maggi was born after Julius Maggi took
over his father’s mill and started producing food to improve the nutritional
intake of worker families. Adi Dassler,
the creator of the brand Adidas began producing
sport shoes in his mother’s kitchen. Dr John Stith Pemberton first introduced Coca-Cola
to the masses at his local pharmacy. So that makes it: garage, mill, kitchen
and pharmacy, in that order. All these brands are born in places where you
least expect miracles to happen but that doesn’t stop them from happening to
people at all.
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| Earning $45.6 billion annually, Apple started from this. |
How FingerTec
ties in : The FingerTec brand began in
the year of 2000 by an ambitious visionary who had watched the nation in its
heydays of mining and agriculture. At a time when the idea of biometric
technology is limited to science fiction flicks (Mission Impossible and Minority
Report, anyone?), FingerTec has accepted the challenge and brought it to
life. In the eyes of the world, our main offerings are tin, palm oil and rubber.
All that has changed from that instance and it can be said that we are the
pioneers of advanced technology specializing in field of biometrics for time
attendance and access control.
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| Heeding the nation's call to pursue the ICT industry! |
Discover How
You Can Innovate
The products produced
by Apple, Maggi, Adidas and Coca-Cola are items that are readily available in
the market. Motorola conceived the first handheld mobile phone in 1970. Nissin
invented instant ramen in 1958. J.W. Foster and Sons designed and produced the
first running shoes in 1895. Joseph Priestly made the first publically
acclaimed glass of drinkable carbonated water in 1767. As you can see, all
these inventions are made by someone else beforehand. What we can observe is
how these creations which are then deemed as normal everyday items have been revolutionized
into something that is synonymous with the lifestyle of 21st
century.
While Apple
has first made it’s comeback through a line of portable media players (iPod and
iTouch) in 2001, it is nothing compared to the massive success that the
organization has achieved when they released the 1st generation of
iPhones in year 2007.
The same goes for Maggi, their instant noodles are a hit in Malaysia and India thanks to their variety of flavours which has experienced localization such as curry and asam laksa, apart from the usual offerings of chicken broth.
The same goes for Maggi, their instant noodles are a hit in Malaysia and India thanks to their variety of flavours which has experienced localization such as curry and asam laksa, apart from the usual offerings of chicken broth.
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| The sneaker-head revolution has brought much innovation |
As for
Coca-Cola, it was first marketed as a ‘brain tonic’ and ‘temperance drink’,
claiming to cure headaches and anxiety.
Fortunately, in 1963, it has steered far and away from its medicinal livener
days and has improved market segmentation strategies by developing more unique
products to appeal specific groups. Hence, the introduction of caffeine-free
Coke and Diet Coke to attract soda drinkers who wish to reduce their caffeine
intake.
How FingerTec ties in : When FingerTec received their first million to develop the first ever fingerprint reader in Malaysia, FingerTec could have stopped and pat themselves on the back once the reader is readily available in the market and move on to focus on the manufacturing, marketing and logistics aspect of the business.
How FingerTec ties in : When FingerTec received their first million to develop the first ever fingerprint reader in Malaysia, FingerTec could have stopped and pat themselves on the back once the reader is readily available in the market and move on to focus on the manufacturing, marketing and logistics aspect of the business.
Instead,
FingerTec recruited more talents and extended their research in the advancement
of biometric technology as they pursue to produce and deliver products that will
be highly beneficial to the commercial sector of the industry. Their plan to diversify has paid off as apart
from fingerprint readers, FingerTec is now known for their sophisticated face
recognition attendance models such as Face ID 4d and user-friendly cloud-based
attendance solution such as TimeTec Cloud.
The take home
lesson: When others are already in the market selling the similar goods, try to
discover a way to distinguish from the rest. For resellers and distributors, get
ready to approach others and offer them a unique selling point that they can’t
resist.
For example, marvel them with the wonders of TimeTec Cloud and show them how a cloud-based attendance system can transform their workforce. The concept of TimeTec Cloud may sound complex and foreign to clients at first but once you have piqued their interest by highlighting the advantages such as the minimization of data and human error, the low subscription fee for only USD2per month, clients are more likely to follow suit and agree with the proposal provided by you.
For example, marvel them with the wonders of TimeTec Cloud and show them how a cloud-based attendance system can transform their workforce. The concept of TimeTec Cloud may sound complex and foreign to clients at first but once you have piqued their interest by highlighting the advantages such as the minimization of data and human error, the low subscription fee for only USD2per month, clients are more likely to follow suit and agree with the proposal provided by you.
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| NPOs get discounts too! How cool is that? |
In addition to that, you may inform them about FingerTec’s user support site and their dedicated multilingual after sales support and technical team. You may need to explain our products with a PowerPoint presentation materials but feel free to interject with some success stories to get potential clients to understand how certain products may benefit them.
Believe When
Others Won’t
Apple was on the verge of bankruptcy when Steve Jobs took over in 1997 and
initiated a 5-year solution that would help the company to stay afloat: by
partnering with the enemy, Microsoft. In the words of Steve Jobs “If we want to move forward and see Apple
healthy and prospering again, we have to let go of a few things here. We have
to let go of this notion that for Apple to win, Microsoft has to lose.”
“So, the era
of setting this up as a competition between Apple and Microsoft is over as far
as I'm concerned. This is about getting Apple healthy, this is about Apple
being able to make incredibly great contributions to the industry and to get
healthy and prosper again.” True enough, the audience immediate reaction was to
jeer at Job’s explanations and it took Apple more than a decade along with a few
good products (Final Cut Pro, iPod, iPhone and iPad) before the public placed
their confidence in Apple’s promise.
Suffering from the same fate, Adidas experienced near bankruptcy after the Dassler family has passed on and it is through Robert Louis-Dreyfus, a French businessman’s faith in the sport shoes brand that has revived the brand even when he could have chosen to rescued other far more lucrative businesses with his expertise. One of Adidas’s most memorable slogan from 1974, ‘Impossible Is Nothing’ serves to strengthen the brand’s philosophy and is used for nearly 3 decades as it embodies the vision of the company perfectly.
Maggi and
Coca-Cola have experienced the same treatment too when others have questioned
on their nutritional value and the notion that they will never replace the role
of traditional meals and drinks. After all, ‘sugared water’ and ‘2-minute
noodles’ is not exactly the most popular food and beverage choice in the 80s
whereby local fare is still the mainstay for any household.
These brands
had fought their wars carefully by implementing public relations campaigns to
educate the community on their products as well as to address the issues that
have been targeted towards them. For instance, Maggi had constantly gathered
traditional recipes and came out with an index to show the public how they can
incorporate their products in any occasion.
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| Definitely the default drink of choice for many |
Coca-Cola,
on the other hand, had emerged with the game plan of creating advertisements that
portray any festivities or celebrations is never complete without a bottle of
Coca-Cola in hand. These strategies had definitely paid off as their success in
overturning the odds have silenced those who have doubted them before.
How
FingerTec ties in: After 4 years of surviving in the biometric reader industry,
FingerTec experienced a snag in 2004 with a number of hardships ranging from a
high number of return rate to staff resignations. It is the usual norm for
organization to cut their losses and move on to the next project but FingerTec
soldiered on and continued believing in the dream of delivering products of
excellent quality and impeccable service to their potential customers. Though
the execution of a new sales strategy and constant product innovation,
FingerTec had risen like a phoenix from the ashes, trailblazing through the
past lapses and revitalize itself, stronger than ever.
The take
home lesson : Confidence, resilience and faith is the key to success. For
resellers and distributors who may be going through a rough patch, remember
that one must have patience and carry positive thoughts when it comes to
dealing with such situations. While TimeTec Cloud may be deemed as an idea that
is ahead of its time, it does not mean that we should be afraid of its
capabilities. As a matter of fact, we should embrace the future of cloud
computing and believe in the endless possibilities that one stand to gain from
adapting it into their daily lives.
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| Our microsite is made to assist you! |
Quoting Mahatma Gandhi ‘Strength does not come
from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.’ Once again, we would recommend reading
FingerTec’s annual
magazine or newsletters
for success stories to keep the fighting spirit alive. Sharing stories with
others through the network is also a sure-fire way of strengthening your
principles and resolve.
Need more
inspirational stories? Feel free to browse through our blog for a number of interesting
anecdotes and marketing tips contributed by our CEO, COO and fellow staff
members. We assure you that the content that has been curated will be worthy of
your time and effort.
About the Author : Ruxana Ridzuan is a fourth generation Java-Chinese, third wave feminist turned copywriter. Occasionally seeks inspiration from innovative user-generated content and is a habitual flashpacker.
About the Author : Ruxana Ridzuan is a fourth generation Java-Chinese, third wave feminist turned copywriter. Occasionally seeks inspiration from innovative user-generated content and is a habitual flashpacker.
5 Reasons Why TimeTec Cloud is An Awesome Attendance System
The concept of
cloud technology is simple, data is stored in a distant server and you can
access to your account through the Internet at all times. For example, you can wake up at 3am and check your Gmail for no apparent reason. Or you can access to your Facebook account and stalk other people’s profiles just for the fun of it.
TimeTec Cloud’s
concept is no different, the only thing that differs is that you are using this to better your business! To put it simply, it is a cloud application for time and
attendance that you can hook up to biometrics products for the purpose of
gathering attendance data from a staff. Once the data has been gathered, it is
then made available online for further processing. If you are in Human
Resources, TimeTec Cloud can do wonders for you. While checking attendance
online goes without saying with TimeTec Cloud, we have to say that the software
features are definitely what makes TimeTec Cloud stand out above the rest as part
of the value-added services provided to its subscribers.
ONE: It’s
Loaded with Great Features – For those who are working in labor intensive
industries or industry that requires flexible labor, tracking time can be
cumbersome. If it’s not done properly or monitored extensively, it could lead
to a monetary loss. Here’s a simple
calculation for you to ponder over: if
working for an hour is equivalent to USD1, in the instance that 100 workers
decided to ‘steal’ an hour each for their own personal activities, the company
has already lost USD100 just from that simple action! So what can one do to
stop such tactics from being employed? That’s where Time Tec Cloud comes in. TimeTec Cloud
is loaded with comprehensive scheduling, lunch and break settings as well as
shift overtime management to deal with various requirements in the working
place to ensure effective time management. And TimeTec can provide you just
that and more. Just head to http://www.timeteccloud.com/features to learn what
TimeTec Cloud can do.
TWO: It’s
Biometric-cally Cool – TimeTec Cloud can be integrated with FingerTec’s
biometric attendance gadgets whereby a scan of a fingerprint can capture one’s
attendance time, record it and make it available online. For example, the data
is just similar to the one that is linked to a proximity card attendance
system. The only difference is that the data that is received from biometrics
products is much more trustworthy. Fingerprint data operates on a you-are-you
concept and no exchanges of information between users are allowed within the
system.
THREE: It
Can Track Where You Are – Apart from its ability to be used in biometrics,
TimeTec Cloud has a mobile application, TimeTec Mobile which will record the geolocation of
where a staff checks in. The app can tell you if your staff is actually at
McDonald’s when he was supposed to be somewhere else. Clocking your attendance is
now made much easier with smart gadgets that are utilizing Android or iOS and
Blackberry.
FOUR: It’s
the Trend – Time and Attendance system has long evolved from manual clocking
which utilizes traditional methods such as signatures to time punch card, then to
electronic card and biometrics. However, the most important factor to consider
in a time attendance system is the accessibility of data for interpretation and
processing for payroll and human resources activities. What traditional time clocks couldn’t do is
now made possible with the advent of cloud-based time attendance.
FIVE: It’s
Dirt Cheap – At USD2 per person monthly, it can’t get any cheaper than that
considering years of development that we have spent perfecting it. And this
does not include the many great features offered at that price too. Apart from
that, it is also available online for the whole company to use whenever,
wherever.
All in all, if
you are a company that is looking to implement a cost-friendly and efficient
time attendance system in your company, try TimeTec Cloud. We provide FREE 30-day trial with no
obligation. Sign up with us now and find out for yourself!
TimeTec Cloud
: Your Ideal Time Attendance Software Solution
By Ms. Nattalina Zainal, TimeTec Cloud Marketing Manager, FingerTec HQ
Thursday, 26 June 2014
Running FingerTec Like A Publishing House
Who runs technology business like a publishing house? We do. Are you surprised? I bet so.
Back in 2005 when I decided to relinquish the non-performing publishing business unit in a subsidiary company, the editorial team was transferred to FingerTec to take charge of the brand’s branding activities and the websites. The team comprised of a few writers, editors and graphic designers.
As a CEO, I assumed the role of de facto chief editor with a vision of FingerTec making great headlines at all times. With this in mind, every product’s image was carefully taken care of not only in terms of the product quality but also in every other aspect of the product which is equally as significant.
The aspects covered include conceptualizing what type of photos are the ones that needs to be taken, the product copy and selecting the images that best portray the product. Being a stickler for details meant putting in a large amount of effort to revamp the image of FingerTec products. From the then plain and banal brand, it has now metamorphosed into a sophisticated brand that is known for products that are futuristic and user-friendly.
Today, that same editorial team fills some of the top posts in FingerTec. Norana Johar was promoted from sub-editor to Chief Operating Officer and Tamy Phoon to Senior Sales Manager. Even after almost a decade, we still carry on the business like running a publishing house and we are proud of it.
The aspects covered include conceptualizing what type of photos are the ones that needs to be taken, the product copy and selecting the images that best portray the product. Being a stickler for details meant putting in a large amount of effort to revamp the image of FingerTec products. From the then plain and banal brand, it has now metamorphosed into a sophisticated brand that is known for products that are futuristic and user-friendly.
Today, that same editorial team fills some of the top posts in FingerTec. Norana Johar was promoted from sub-editor to Chief Operating Officer and Tamy Phoon to Senior Sales Manager. Even after almost a decade, we still carry on the business like running a publishing house and we are proud of it.
Products need explanations; even food products require explanation on how it should be consumed plus some cooking suggestions. Good writing helps in producing quality tips, user guides and training materials. To construct and market FingerTec as a brand, we need excellent writing, great copies, concepts and fulfillments. And, to enter different markets and countries, translation is another transformation that is inevitable to reach greater audience. Anyhow, the master copy must be of decent quality for good translations.
Through the writing processes and editorial workflows, we introduced our monthly e-newsletter since 2007 as our marketing tool, which has lasted for seven years now. For the past three years, we have been introducing our Annual Magazine to be distributed globally through exhibitions and our clients. All this can’t be achieved smoothly if we have a team that doesn’t write.
And in this business, website is king. Some people might disagree with me looking at many of those who are using websites to simply list their products and technical info, alongside their company profiles. But, to think that we would just settle for simple information on the website is just plain wrong. Of course the objective is not as easy as that, the target was to make it as comprehensive and as interactive as possible for our clients who indulge in finding information. Who would be better suited for this task? Definitely the editorial team cum marketing that does not only know the inside out of our products, but also understand the need to market them right.
Through the writing processes and editorial workflows, we introduced our monthly e-newsletter since 2007 as our marketing tool, which has lasted for seven years now. For the past three years, we have been introducing our Annual Magazine to be distributed globally through exhibitions and our clients. All this can’t be achieved smoothly if we have a team that doesn’t write.
And in this business, website is king. Some people might disagree with me looking at many of those who are using websites to simply list their products and technical info, alongside their company profiles. But, to think that we would just settle for simple information on the website is just plain wrong. Of course the objective is not as easy as that, the target was to make it as comprehensive and as interactive as possible for our clients who indulge in finding information. Who would be better suited for this task? Definitely the editorial team cum marketing that does not only know the inside out of our products, but also understand the need to market them right.
The decline of
newspapers, print media or publishers is foreseeable in the Internet era. The
soaring newsprint prices, slumping ad sales and precipitous drops in
circulation were clear indications of the downfall. But life will find its way,
truly enough, besides the emerging online media. The editorial
profession have shifted to find its place in a lot other industries in the
Internet era. The closure of our publishing unit marked the beginning of
utilization of editorial skill in a different perspective, an effort that was
proven to be genius in its own right.
From our experience, in order to maintain a dynamic marketing strategy as a driving force for the business, our editorial team definitely is the answer.
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