WHAT’S BUZZING
More than half of Singapore businesses expect revenue from physical stores to grow
Consumers have been engaging with and buying from brands on digital channels during the pandemic, but physical stores remain an important touchpoint for Singaporeans.
In line with this, 51% of businesses in Singapore are planning to increase their number of physical stores next year. Nearly six in 10 (55%) also expect the proportion of revenue from those offline stores to increase, according to the 2022 Retail Report by financial technology platform provider Adyen.
For that to happen, Singapore businesses will need to use technology to design their physical outlets to be destinations for exciting experiences. For instance, they could offer new payment methods or use augment reality like digital mirrors.
The report also highlights the importance of breaking silos by connecting payment systems to other parts of the operations. In Singapore, 70% of businesses that connected their payments systems across the organisation grew by 20%. This may not be surprising as those connected systems can provide insights to help improve the customer experience and decision-making.
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As businesses collect more customer data, they should ensure they can safeguard that information. According to the report, Singaporeans are among the most comfortable exchanging their data for something in return, such as a discount or special offer. However, they also want assurances from businesses that their information will be kept securely and their privacy will be respected.
Talent shortage hinders Singapore firms from exploring advanced cloud technologies
Cloud development continues to be a top priority for organisations in Singapore, but 75% of IT decision-makers say that scarcity of talent is inhibiting the adoption of new cloud development methods.
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As such, companies are employing a variety of tactics to attract new IT talent. This includes promoting opportunities for training and development (43%), offering hybrid/flexible/work-from-home schedules (37%), and increasing starting salaries (31%).
The Multicloud Annual Research Report 2022 by Rackspace Technology, a multicloud technology solutions firm, also reveals the change in local companies’ cloud priorities. They are now looking at using the cloud for more sophisticated issues like security (37%) and compliance (33%), as well as exploring the use of edge technologies (41%) and containers (54%).
“The cloud is no longer a shiny new object — it is a nearly universally accept- ed technology, and there is almost no organisation that is not currently in the process of transforming itself via the cloud,” says Jeff DeVerter, Rackspace Technology’s chief technology evangelist.
“At the same time, there are a number of barriers standing in the way of that transformation, most notably a dearth of IT talent. More than ever, organisations will need to rely on external expertise to achieve their cloud goals, as they continue to shed legacy infrastructure and ask the cloud to do more,” he adds.
IN PICTURE
Photo: Here Technologies
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Thinking of going on a road trip to Malaysia in an electric vehicle (EV)? You can now use Here Technologies’ interactive map to compare how far the different types of EVs can travel on a single charge from any point in Singapore and Malaysia.
This map uses the isoline capability of the Here mapping application programming interface (API), which takes into account the actual distance travelled on known roads, rather than a simple radius.
Photo: Here Technologies
Here has also created an interactive map to highlight the density of EV charging stations in Singapore. Leveraging Here EV Charge Points APIs, this map provides lists of charging stations within a specified area, including data on connector types, opening hours, and their location.
Here EV Charge Points also provides dynamic data about connector availability at charging stations for electric vehicles, including detailed and dynamic data for specific individual stations.
DIGITAL LIFE
Take the headache out of maintaining your car with these apps:
AutoApp brings door-to-door convenience to car repair, servicing and maintenance. You can use it to book a pick-up and drop-off service at your preferred car workshop, and even get an AutoApp Service Ambassador to send your car for Land Transport Authority inspection for road tax renewal.
As an automotive marketplace, Revodrive connects car owners directly with a community of automobile merchants. The app allows you to instantly request services like on-site mechanic services and car wash, or even buy and sell automotive products.
