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A 10th
Anniversary
By Michael Alan Hamlin
May 6, 2002
For a "startup" business,
a 10th year anniversary is an important milestone. Generally, if
you make it three years your chances of enduring and growing to
10 are pretty good. But suddenly finding that you're there still
comes as a surprise. Happily, that's where we find ourselves this
month. TeamAsia is celebrating its first decade in Asia.
The firm was founded in 1992 in Hong Kong by Monette
Iturralde-Hamlin and its principal purpose was to run a program
called The Asian Management Awards. The program was run in what
was then Asean plus Hong Kong. Six separate venues. Its purpose
was to identify and celebrate management excellence in six different
mostly functional categories like general, marketing, and financial
management.
The Awards were loads of fun to do. We traveled at
least three times a year to each country to coordinate the program,
and the final trip represented the annual culmination of the project,
and the presentation of the awards themselves. Running a program
in which up to 10,000 companies were nominated involved plenty of
hard work, but it was gratifying to see many instances of management
excellence that endure even today, post-1997 crisis and post-global
recession (we hope).
There were some pretty neat side benefits, too. My
first two books essentially evolved from the research and interviews
we conducted while running the program. The books led to other opportunities,
such as new client relationships but equally important for me, the
opportunity to write occasionally for regional publications like
the Far Eastern Economic Review and The Asian Wall Street Journal
and for local publications like this one, the South China Morning
Post, and The Star (in Malaysia). For a small-town Texas boy, it
was all quite a thrill.
Unfortunately, The Awards came to an end for TeamAsia
when its partnership with organizations that also played important
roles in the program came unraveled. This was our first major crisis,
and one that potentially threatened our continued existence (many
thought it was certainly the end of us). But like most all adversity,
this challenge led us in new directions that ultimately made us
a better firm, broadened our horizons, and narrowed our focus.
By broadened horizons, I refer to the development of
a new client base. We began to work extensively with technology
clients, especially. By narrowed focus, I mean our area of expertise,
which we now call strategic marketing communications (Quick definition:
Multi-channel direct marketing communications.). This made us a
better firm, because we were reporting to more and more demanding
clients who expected us to deliver original ideas and execute them
expertly. And as we grew, we searched extensively for smart, hard-working
people who eventually made lasting contributions to our development.
TeamAsia today works principally in three markets,
the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Our largest office remains
in the Philippines, although Hong Kong is growing fast, largely
thanks to the dynamic director, Eugina Lee, running our operations
there. And our business continues to evolve as strategic marketing
communications is increasingly recognized as a cost-efficient, effective
approach to corporate, product, and service brand building, and
business network development.
We're celebrating our anniversary in a couple of neat
ways. First, we're making a move to new offices. After this month,
you'll find us in the Northgate Cyberzone in Alabang, reflecting
our extensive work for technology clients. This will put us in the
middle of a prospering technology hub, and a constant stream of
information on ICT developments both here and internationally. And,
it's close to home.
May 21, 23, and 25 we will present customer intimacy
guru Fred Wiersema in Singapore, Manila, and Hong Kong. Fred has
been speaking for us since 1996, and is consistently one of the
most admired personalities we present to audiences of senior executives
throughout Asia. He has continued his ground-breaking work on customer
focus to both attract and retain customers.
Fred says that technology has dramatically leveled
the playing field for companies everywhere. Anyone can compete for
a customer these days, whether a startup or an established firm.
As a result, there are fewer customers per competitor now than ever
before. His latest research analyzes firms that, despite these circumstances,
are "wallowing" in customers.
What makes them different? "They have elevated
the concept of customer focus, and adhere to four key mind-sets
that, together, allow them to break away from the pack, avoid ordinariness,
and distinguish themselves in a way that captures customers' attention
and loyalty," Fred says. And, well, if you want to know what
those traits are, come to the presentation. After all, it's our
anniversary.
And next month we have another major meeting coming
up, this time presented by the Management Association of the Philippines
and BayanTrade. This is actually the first MAP International CEO
Conference, and it's entitled "Defining the New Asian Corporation:
Its Leadership, Character, and Passion." While it's not really
our anniversary event, we think it's great to have the chance to
put what we think is a very impressive meeting together during a
very special period for us.
That meeting features Robert Kaplan, the Harvard Business
School professor renowned for the "Balanced Scorecard."
But aside from Bob, the conference features 22 other international
and Filipino speakers.
It's a great privilege to bring some of the world's
leading experts and thinkers to the Philippines anytime. This year,
it's extra special.
(Michael Alan Hamlin is the managing director of consultancy TeamAsia
and the author of three books on Asian economies and companies.
His latest book is Marketing Asian Places, of which he is co-author.
His e-mail address is mahamlin@teamasia.com.ph.)
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