caryn loh

Reflecting on My Journey in Sales: The Highs, Lows, and Lessons Learned: I’ve been in this sales and retail industry for over half a decade now, 3 years as a retail Banker, 3 years in the core retail trade building portfolio in supply chain, Negotiation, inventory, RM etc. this year, I decided to accept another challenge by embarking on an exhilarating journey into the FMCG industry. I started as a Regional Sales Manager which I was later promoted in April to the position of the HEAD OF SALES AND MARKETING. what a ride it's been! From the thrill of closing my first major deal to navigating the challenges of a market downturn, every moment has shaped me and my approach to sales. Every challenge and triumph have been a step forward in my sales journey. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that perseverance, adaptability, and a positive attitude are key to thriving in the sales industry. One thing that has kept me going is the understanding that: 1. I need to Invest in My Sales Team: Continuous training and development are essential. Equip your team with the latest tools and techniques to stay competitive. 2. Foster a Positive Culture: Recognize achievements, encourage teamwork, and create an environment where your team feels valued. 3. Be Adaptable: The market is constantly changing. Stay flexible and be ready to pivot your strategies. 4. Build Relationships: Sales are about more than just transactions; they're about building genuine connections. Understand your clients' needs and invest time in nurturing those relationships. 5. Stay Resilient: Rejection and setbacks are part of the journey. Learn from failures, stay persistent, and keep pushing forward. 6. Keep Learning: The sales landscape is always evolving. Stay curious, keep learning, and be proactive in improving your skills. The Highs: One of the most rewarding experiences was landing a significant deal with one of the biggest supermarket chains to supply our product BABA FOODS CASHEWNUT. Through persistence, countless presentations, and building genuine relationships, we secured the deal and made a noticeable impact. Moments like these reaffirm the value we bring to our clients and fuel our passion for what we do. The Lows: The journey hasn't been without its challenges. A market downturn tested our resilience and forced us to adapt quickly. It is a period of tough decisions, sleepless nights, and relentless effort. as a sales manager, please don't micromanage your team. learn how to delegate and use it wisely. My next expectation which is to diversify our market. I’m seriously looking for means to exporting our flagship product BABA CASHEW NUT to other market such as Europe, Asia and America. Can you connect me to my next client? Join us in bringing the finest cashews to the world! WhatsApp or call: +2347066986587 📧 Email us at godwinedet@elmatador.org #Sales #Leadership #Teamwork #SalesStrategy #BusinessGrowth #Resilience #ContinuousLearning #SalesSuccess

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We explore emerging trends in retail tech in Southeast Asia and how they are impacting the region and different industries.

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Today’s class was free and easy, despite some last-minute dropouts due to school holidays. The participants who came were awesome and we had a productive session! As usual, different classes yield different results. Today’s key learnings were: 1. Beware of Fake GPTs: There are many GPTs out there with logos that look very similar to the real thing. Make sure you get the one from OpenAI, as the rest charge exorbitant subscription fees. Don’t be duped! 2. Plan Your Prompts: Personally, I like to jot down pointers before crafting a prompt. This ensures my prompts contain all the essential information for ChatGPT to produce good results. 3. Read, Edit, and Provide Feedback: Never take anything ChatGPT does as gospel truth. It uses data points from users and is open to biases and mistakes, just like any of us. I always ensure ChatGPT has the correct basic knowledge before asking it to complete a task. For example, when doing Stakeholder Mapping, I first ask for an explanation specific to Malaysia. I proceed only when I’m satisfied that we’re on the right track. I can’t emphasise this enough: ChatGPT is a tool, much like a calculator. The quality of your input directly affects the outcome. Make sure your prompts are well-engineered and clear. #ChatGPT #OpenAI #PromptEngineering #AI #TechTips

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7 Komen

Joy of Lying Interviewee “ I have always been a star performer. I believe in taking responsibility, I work with passion and I’m a risk taker. I have always delivered results, in fact I’m a go to person in the organization for any troubleshooting” Interviewer “ Super, in fact we are looking for someone with the same qualities as you because we are a meritocratic and explosive growth organization. We are 100% transparent, we say what we believe and commit what we can deliver” Interviewee “ I’m looking to making my mark in such an organization which believes in talent growth and being a high intensity performer, my personal values gel well with the ethos of your company” Interviewer “ Our policies are extremely employee friendly, work from anywhere, anytime, no boundation, complete freedom. We want results and reward handsomely with our generous ESOP policy” Interviewee “ I also want to want to work now in an organization which will reward me for my hard work and results through the ESOP. I can feel the vibe in this place. Its my kind of place.” Interviewer “ Absolutely, we don’t indulge in any politics, we have a open door policy, we encourage open disagreements and people challenging management decisions. We need people who can speak their mind” Lets shake hands.   Andaz Apna Apna, an Iconic Bollywood flick had a similar scene. Where both characters of Aamir Khan ( Amar) and Salman Khan (Prem) brag about themselves knowing fully well that both are lying.   #retail #sales #distribution #talesofsales  #fmcg #wellness #fashion #d2c #brands #consumer #leadership #organizationalbehaviour #bschools #employment #stress #entrepreneurship

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Being in the second year of pursuing a BA Degree at SACAP College has been a transformative experience both academically and personally. I have developed key skills such as critical thinking, time management, reasoning, research, communication, analytical thinking, problem-solving, and self-awareness. Critical thinking has been instrumental in evaluating information and arguments, while time management has taught me the art of prioritizing and managing my time effectively. Reasoning has improved my logical thinking, and research has enhanced my ability to gather, analyze, and synthesize information. Communication skills have enabled me to convey ideas clearly and persuasively, and analytical thinking has helped me break down complex problems and find creative solutions. I am grateful to SACAP for the mentorship and guidance throughout my journey to date. #SACAP #CriticalThinking #TimeManagement #Reasoning #Research #Communication #AnalyticalThinking #ProblemSolving #SelfAwareness #PersonalGrowth

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Opened 22 new stores in FY 24 in the region (West and Central). Now, as we move into FY 25, Reflecting on the challenges and learnings from the past financial year (FY 24) in the cafe industry, here are some key takeaways 1.Market Saturation and Differentiation :The saturated market ( major metro cities) presents both opportunities and challenges for cafe players. While competition is fierce, it also encourages innovation and differentiation. Cafe operators have learned the importance of standing out through unique offerings, ambiance, and customer experience to attract and retain clientele. 2.Resilience amidst external factors : Despite facing external challenges such as economic uncertainties, supply chain disruptions, and regulatory changes, the cafe industry has demonstrated resilience. The entry of new cafe chains across different price ranges indicates a continued investor confidence in the sector 3.Shifting consumer Behavior : The past year has witnessed a notable shift in consumer behavior, with more people choosing cafes as preferred places for work and socializing over traditional office setups or restaurants. This trend underscores the evolving role of cafes as versatile spaces catering to various needs beyond just coffee or food 4.Focus on customer experience : As the customer base continues to grow, cafes have recognized the importance of prioritizing customer experience. This includes providing comfortable and conducive environments for work, offering high-quality products and services, and leveraging technology to enhance convenience and engagement. it will intersting to see how many players can actually consistely maintain product quality and customer service levels. 5.Opportunities - Expansion into Tier II and Tier III cities will continue to be in focus for many major players, considering their untapped potential and the ongoing infrastructure development and economic growth in these areas. With the expansion of infrastructure and the booming economy, there's likely to be a surge in consumer spending and demand

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15 Komen

The Escalator Few days ago, as I was with my son in Sunway Pyramid, as "usual", I was walking up one of the escalators. My son said, "mummy, the escalator will bring us up. You don't need to walk." I paused and looked at him... it reminded me when I was working in Singapore years ago before I got married, I was with a colleague. As "usual", I was walking up the escalator. He said, "Hey, escalator will bring us up. Don't defeat the purpose of the escalator." But I still did, and still do, today. At times, I stood there and waited to be brought up. At times, I stood there and waited to be brought up, because too many people. At times, when I was rushing, despite many people standing on the escalator, I would say, "excuse me" and I walked up. (this is Malaysia, we probably don't have the culture of standing on one side so others can walk if they want to). I related escalator in our lives. Escalate, in Collins dictionary, means to increase or be increased in extent, intensity, or magnitude. As we walk our journey, especially when we are driving a business, thriving for survival, we need to accelerate. At times, we need the escalator to help us to move faster. One person we can only do so much, but when we have the escalator, we can move faster. At times, we can just go with the flow (thus standing on the escalator). Whatever state we are, the escalator does help us to go further in speed and time. No, when walking on the escalator, I do not defeat the purpose of escalator. And I do not want to be the person who stop others from moving (so I would not stand blocking another person (unless the escalator is the super narrow type). Want to try walking on the escalator? It helps you to gain extra steps too and probably loose a few calories too. Haha. I love the escalator!

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5 Komen

Just finished the course “Career Wellness Nano Tips with Shadé Zahrai” by Shadé Zahrai! Check it out: https://lnkd.in/g6cyh2UR #careermanagement #selfregulation.

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"Jiran-jiran kami semua hebat," she beamed. That's how our neighbouring vendor congratulated us once the jury decided we're the top 3 winners of Astro AWANI's Jiwa SME 2024 Pentas Jualan segment at AEON Tebrau City yesterday. The three judges (Ashwad Ismail, Ts. Mohamad Yusman Ammeran, Bikesh Lakhmichand) concluded that OTSATE is a company with much potential. So, OTSATE just 𝘸𝘰𝘯 it's first award?! And the whole event was aired on national TV! Since it was livestreamed on Astro Awani's Facebook, YouTube and TikTok, (that's how content is consumed these days) I'd say it counts as "national TV" 🤭 here's a snippet of OTSATE's airtime: https://lnkd.in/gvdVNkjd * My favourite speaker is Rose Yasmin Abdul Karim, CEO of Pops Malaya. Some nuggets: 1️⃣ You do not need to be a Malaysian household name to export. 2️⃣ Jom buru USD. Usaha Strategi Doa. 3️⃣ Trademark your brand name before you go into trade shows and expo. (Horror story: pirates go in to snap photos of brands, then register for their trademark and stay silent until the brand hits 10-container transactions before threatening they'd sue for IP infringement, padahal, the brand is legit but failed to protect its IP!) 4️⃣ Take a selfie with all the buyers you meet at tradeshows and get their WhatsApp immediately to send them the selfie on the day itself (EOD) so they'd remember who you are (buyers meet hundreds of people a day at tradeshows so it's easy for them to forget what you look like!) 💎 My biggest takeaway: be consistent in my pitching. The jury had a checklist. OTSATE's origin story and 𝘸𝘩𝘺 wasn't coming out strong enough compared to the champion who checked everything on their list and won RM55,600 worth of media airtime from Astro Awani. Think radio ads, banner ads, sponsored articles, interviews and the whole nine yards. Dr Khadijah Zakaria is a 70-year old gynaecologist turned entrepreneur. She wanted to solve the problem of Malaysians not eating their veggies. As a practicing doctor, she was low-key tired of recommending her patients (moms with kids) to eat a specific diet, and went ahead to create her own noodles made with spinach, carrots and pumpkin. She convinced her son, Qutham (a food technologist) to R&D and manufacture her product, Yumny. The process of making the noodles is highly technical. Plenty of thought goes into creating their springy egg noodles, which I love. They are 𝘴𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 with OTSATE sauce. Obviously, I placed two jars of OTSATE on Yumny's table as garnish for their noodles during sampling to potential customers 😉 Yes, OTSATE loves collaborating. Stay tuned for OTSATE to get our halal certification then we're ready to rock and roll. (Yau Chuan Ng OTSATE in Baskbear's toasties sounds delicious 👀) Thank you Astro Awani for giving us this platform and special shout out once again to Bikesh and Shannon Chow of 1337 Ventures for the introduction. More stories > Eunice Yin Ern ⚡

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24 Komen

To flourish, a mall must adapt and meet to customers’ preferences. When one segment of your customers wants Hainanese Chicken Rice, serve it. When Nasi Lemak is requested , serve it. When Sushi is desired, serve it. When Mala Hotpot is sought, serve it. When they want Tosai , serve it. You see, when you can meet to the needs and wants of your customers, you’ve got business! Wouldn’t it be silly to restrict business to only a segment of customers? Businessmen do not discriminate business whenever it comes. Do business with all when it comes, of course, within your own set of values. Otherwise, your business will be remain an island. Serve all, love all.

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Unilever boosts sales for Ben & Jerry’s with retail data Unilever Singapore’s recent campaign for Ben & Jerry's new desserts in Singapore has proven to be a game changer, thanks to an innovative partnership with foodpanda and The Trade Desk. Unilever aimed to drive awareness and increase sales of Ben & Jerry’s new and existing flavors among relevant audiences, particularly Gen Z and ice cream enthusiasts. Collaborating with its agency, Mindshare, Unilever leveraged foodpanda’s robust retail data and measurement solutions. This partnership allowed Unilever to precisely target foodpanda customers and potential Ben & Jerry’s buyers on the open internet. The campaign targeted individuals who had purchased Ben & Jerry’s products or other frozen desserts in the past year. Utilizing foodpanda’s first-party retail data, Unilever could effectively connect ad spend to sales on the foodpanda app, tracking real-world outcomes. This data-driven approach provided valuable insights into customer behavior and sales impact. The campaign exceeded expectations, achieving a return on ad spend (ROAS) of 1.5 times, significantly higher than the initial goal of more than 1 time. Transactional volume on the foodpanda app increased, driving sales for both new and existing Ben & Jerry’s flavors. By targeting foodpanda’s audience segment of past Ben & Jerry’s customers, the campaign achieved an impressive ROAS of 26 times and a cost per acquisition (CPA) 94% lower than the campaign’s average. Ellen Yap, Country Lead for Unilever’s Singapore Ice Cream Business, highlighted the success, stating, “Using foodpanda’s retail data and measurement solution on The Trade Desk was a game changer for us. We were able to reach high-value audiences and connect our spending to sales on the foodpanda app — with great results!” Encouraged by the campaign's success, Unilever now has a better understanding of how retail media investments translate into revenue. The company plans to continue using foodpanda’s retail solution in future Ben & Jerry’s campaigns and is exploring its application for other brands and markets. This partnership exemplifies how leveraging advanced retail data solutions can drive significant business outcomes, offering a blueprint for other brands aiming to maximize their marketing investments and achieve measurable sales growth. Stay ahead with the latest in food delivery news from the weekly Boolanga Bites newsletter, brought to you by Boolanga Business. Sign up for our LinkedIn newsletter now to receive weekly updates directly to your inbox every Monday.

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10 Komen

Interacting with a diverse range of individuals, each with their unique professional trajectories, cultural backgrounds, and personal tastes, has been an enriching experience. Sharing insights about my business and observing the synergistic growth of the community when like-minded people collaborate has been immensely gratifying. HIFAB GrOath Network #EntrepreneurLife #CommunityBuilding #Networking #LikeMindedProfessionals #BusinessInsights #KnowledgeSharing #PersonalGrowth #BusinessNetworking #CommunityEngagement

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3 Komen

𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧! 📘 Yes, that spot. Remember? It's that magazine joint right at the entrance to Holland Village in Singapore. Been there forever, like over 80 years. But guess what? They're closing shop this Sunday, May 5th. 📙 Every time I swing by Holland V, I have to make a pit stop there. It's like a tradition, grabbing the latest Monocle or browsing through the rainbow of magazines on display. 📗 Print business is not a walk in the park these days. Everyone's all about digital this and digital that. For me, I still love a good old-fashioned magazine/book but I've also got a soft spot for ebooks. 📕 But here's the thing: to stand out or even survive, these magazines have to bring something special to the table. Can't just be your run-of-the-mill titles relying on ads. Ought to have content with an unique angle. 📓 But hey, it's not all doom and gloom. The owner's crossing their fingers for a new spot in Holland V. So, if you're a landlord or know someone who is, maybe think about adding this iconic shop to your lineup. Maybe mix it up with a different format, who knows? Here are some quick facts about Thambi Magazine Store: 📚 Store owner, Periathambi Senthilmurugan (or better known as Sam) 📚 Started by Sam's grandpa in the 1940s 📚 Store officially opened in 1996 Wishing Sam all the best in finding his new spot! >>>>>>>>> Till the next one. I'm Kelvin C.. 👋 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗱𝗼 𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗖𝗦. Your support will motivate me to continue delivering valuable content for you! :) 🔔 Follow Me for a regular dose of retail and marketing share. >>>>>>>>>> #retail #retailnews #retailsingapore #hollandvillage #magazines #ccpn #kelvinc https://lnkd.in/g4zQKjuW

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23 Komen

To someone like me who has been in CPF Board for 20 years, CPF stands for Central Provident Fund. To many others, it stands for 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙭 Provident Fund. Hence, as part of my punishment for making CPF so complex, I have compressed 20 years of my life in CPF Board, into a 20-minute 𝗨𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗣𝗙. You can find it here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gUGUQKu7 Hope this unravels the mystery of CPF by a little bit. Thanks Seedly for the upload. 🤗 #TeamCPF #LifeInCPF PS: For those who just want to find out more about 𝗖𝗣𝗙 𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗘, can jump straight to 10:00 of the video. 🤗

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9 Komen

It’s Friday… the time of the week to wind down a little, and recap what happens over the week. Perhaps it’s the sales and marketing in me, I try to relate my own encounters to what we do in sales. Two years ago, I saw an advert on Google for HLAS Hong Leong Assurance. That was still in the tail end of Covid, and wow, the website was attractive, the terms and conditions quite liberal and prices not too bad. I bought an annual travel insurance plan for myself and family. I encouraged colleagues to take a look at it as an alternative choice to the regular INCOME, MSIG and likes. Soon enough the telemarketers called, and I bought a PA plan as well. Account acquisition - Completed… However… Account management - Bad, Bad, Very Bad. 1) Both my daughters caught the flu bug from travels, and I brought them to our regular and trusted Thomson Medical. Claim processed, but capped because “you did not seek medical help when you are overseas”. 2) Suspected dengue for my girl. Brought her for dengue checks and blood tests. Sorry - not covered. Okay…. 3) Sprained my elbow from sports. Visited TCM. Submitted claims, no reply from more 3 months. Apparently the claim went missing in the system. 3 x follow up, no results. Frustrating. 4) Flight delay leading to misconception and rebooking of flights. Arrived one day later in destination, and wasted a hotel night. I booked from trip.com a non-redundable room. “Can you submit a letter from the hotel to confirm it’s indeed non refundable?”. Com’on, it’s on my booking confirmation and I arrived one day later. 5) Luggage damaged - Zip torn and lock is broken - nothing lost though. Submitted claims for luggage damage. “Sorry no receipt, we cannot proceed”. 6) … there’s more … I travel a lot, and having a good travel insurance is an assurance that those inconveniences can be covered. Heh, isn’t that what insurance is for?? But I must say HL Assurance has done very badly in giving that assurance. So bye bye, I am moving back to AIG and Income Insurance Limited. Learning points to myself and my sales friends. A) You spend so much effort to win a customer, you can at least do the same to retain them. B) Price is not everything. C) Before you start a relationship, whatever you say is just a promise. Now, how can you keep that promise? D) A customer may leave you (temporarily) but if you are good, he will come back. E) You never know what’s good until you try what’s bad. Disclaimer: None of the companies mentioned paid me to do any advertisement, and whatever expressed here is my personal experiences and opinion.

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3 Komen

Busy days are the norm, but we need to take it slow sometimes. Packing orders at YouMart (SG) Pte. Ltd. today and taking a moment to appreciate the importance of self-care. It's okay to hit the pause button and recharge so you can bring your A-game every day! #WorkLifeBalance #SelfCare

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