MICHAEL LIM

GENERAL MANAGER THONG SIA SDN BHD – THE SOLE DISTRIBUTOR OF SEIKO IN MALAYSIA

On how social media has impacted or promoted your business brand.

User-generated content (UGC) has been around for years and it still remains as the core social media element to engage with target audience these days. We used to grow our social media fan base with UGC such as contest submission or through viral video posting with a designated hashtag in order to create greater brand awareness or to promote the latest launch of product. The instant feedback, especially end user’s suggestion or enquiries that we receive on social media also enable us to perform better.

On the company’s digitalisation efforts and how it has helped in branding.

It is easier to get to know our target audience specifically by age, gender, location and by using the social media insights tool. This would be helpful for our upcoming marketing planning to target the potential end user with relevant marketing strategies for different product collection. Two-way communication and customer relationship management that we execute on social media are always hard to be done and time consuming on other media platform.

Challenges faced by your company in a challenging economic environment

The depreciation of ringgit currency is the major challenge that we faced, especially in determining the selling price of watches and it affects the sales responses in the market severely. Moreover, end user tightening their belts in spending due to economic downturn which is hurting companies’ earnings.

On strategies put in place to boost the company’s brand image

Although the overall market sentiment is not promising at this point in time, we always see it as another form of opportunity to be the outstanding one in the industry. This is because we are not supposed to leave an empty space in consumer’s mind. With on-going advertising support or roadshow presence during economy slow down, it might not be helping in current sales situation but it is playing an important role in the long term sustention on brand image.

The importance of a meaningful connection between a brand and a consumer in brand-building

It is very important to maintain good connection with consumers as they tend to react to experiences with the brand, both positive and negative, depend on how they relate to the brand in the first place.