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By Geraldine Tan
IF THERE is one thing that more than two decades in the electronics distribution trade has taught iKnow chief executive officer (CEO) Alvin Goh, it is that running a business goes far beyond pushing products and closing deals.
'At the end of the day, ours is just a simple trading business. We cannot do anything about the products we sell, and the items are freely available elsewhere,' explains the 43-year-old.
'The only way we can make a difference for customers is through our people and by providing good customer service all the way.'
Starting out as a distributor of electronic dictionaries in the 1990s, Mr Goh saw demand for these devices and other personal gadgets skyrocket as the Internet age took hold.
He set up iKnow in 2002 to harness this growth, and to accommodate a broadened business scope.
iKnow, a first-time recipient of the Enterprise 50 (E50) award this year, now offers a multitude of products and services in addition to the electronic dictionaries.
Customers can now buy affordably priced electronic translators, digital video cameras, MP3 and MP4 players, ultra mobile personal computers and more through its three showrooms, retail chains like Popular and Challenger, a virtual store and even AXS machines island-wide.
iKnow also markets directly to schools, and has a presence in Malaysia and Indonesia.
All this is in line with what Mr Goh terms 'a proactive approach to product distribution and retail'.
He says: 'The purpose of the wide network is to stay close to our customers, to make buying and having one of our products convenient for them, and to be able to service them every step of the way.
'We rely heavily on word-of-mouth recommendations from our clients, and only when customers benefit from our products can they be our advertisements.'
It is a system that is in place across all levels of iKnow. Mr Goh insists on top-class service even for a purchaser of the cheapest product in the company's inventory.
Free product training workshops are available every month for those who need them, with no strings attached.
Personalised service is the order of the day at iKnow. Mr Goh makes sure that promoters are well trained, and works hard at retaining his staff so that customers returning to a point of sale will deal with the same staff member every time.
Often, staff will also place follow- up calls to customers within a fortnight of their purchase, to find out how their new acquisitions are faring.
And if a product malfunctions, customers can drop it off anywhere in iKnow's retail network, and even get a replacement device while theirs is being serviced.
'Customers are always going to compare price and brand names,' Mr Goh points out. 'We never use pushy hard-sell tactics to sell products.
What we can do is win their trust through good customer service, personally showing customers the quality of our products, and following that up with good after-sales service.'
Mr Goh remains unfazed despite the uncertainty of the economic downturn, and instead has taken advantage of the circumstances to channel funds back into readying his company and staff for the next great wave.
He says: 'We are making use of this downtime to do internal upgrading.
This is the best, most cost effective time to take our company to the next level. We have improved our operating system, and invested more on staff training and strengthening our brand in the market.
'We would spend more to do the same thing during an economic boom. I'm convinced making this investment now will pay off later.'
The astute CEO acknowledges that he would be remiss if he neglected the drivers of his business.
'Our greatest asset is our people. It is in my best interests to retain staff, so they can serve our customers well.
'Awards such as this E50 award serve as a great encouragement to my company and colleagues. It is a great endorsement for our company, recognises our efforts and validates that we are moving in the right direction.'
This article was first published in The Straits Times.
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