An Old Outline, A New Chapter - A Year Without End (Forecast in 2009)

We shall complete the year 2008 with a profound sales growth at 75% for FingerTec products.

But, how about the coming year when recession deepened and the globe would be enveloped with a long sigh? Would it be a rough journey for all? Especially when the   business community would share the common gloomy economic outlook?

In fact, I resent the excuse of blaming the economic landscape if our business did not perform or under-perform. 

I recalled when the economy was in a very good shape; we performed terribly due to immature products, pre-matured markets and clogged sales strategies. The absence of the success elements, one may conclude.

As a start-up company in biometrics industry, some failures were inevitable. However, if the failures were endless, we had to wave the business “good-bye”. To me, it’s really not entirely the fault of the external economic environment. The good news is FingerTec passed this test with flying color.

Due to volatility of the IT industry, I believe core-competency within a company gives larger impact than the external economy landscape. By culminating core-competency, it means even when you get hit; you won’t fall.

How shall we open a new chapter based on the old storyline? Here is the storyboard, and I believe despite the downturn, we shall make our way to be nominated for the Best Motion Picture in 2009, and taste yet another successful year by your contribution, and share the fruit (of success) collectively.

1.      Market Expectation in 2009

We aimed at a growth rate of 50% in 2009.

Our confirmed Global Exhibition Schedule in 2009 so far:

Dubai, UAE:  InterSec 2009, 18-20 January

Moscow, Russia: MIPS 2009, 13-16 April

Taipei, Taiwan: Secutech 2009, 22-24 April

Mexico City, Mexico: Expo Seguridad Mexico 2009, 21-23 April

London, UK: IFSEC 2009, 11-14 May

Sao Paulo, Brazil: Exposec 2009, 12-14 May

Florida, USA: America’s Fire & Security Expo 2009, 28-30 July

Mumbai, India: China Sourcing Fair Bombay 2009, 21-23 November

HK: China Sourcing Fair HK 2009, 12-15 October

Beijing, China: Security China 2009, Dec 2009

2.      FingerTec New Products in Line

Hardware: Keylock 8800, H2i, TA300, TA100T , i-Kadex and etc.

     H2i - artist impression

TA300 - artist impression

TA200T (Touch Keypad)

Keylock 8800 - artist impression

i-Kadex -artist impression

Software: TCMS V2 web version. Delayed, but definitely will be available in 2009.

DigiPay: A Payroll software that can be integrated with TCMS V2, or go separately as a standalone product. This product would be released in early 2009 with Malaysia version, and it will be extended for use in other countries later on.

Existing products: We will keep on improving in features and quality.

3.       External: Sales & Support System Enhancement

Finally, a simple formula equally important to Einstein’s e=mc2 :-)is derived.

1 program x 2 objectives x 4 modules x 8 websites = Success

Fully understand the formula, and know how to apply it, you will get high score in your marketing exam, too.

One Program: FingerTec Global Reseller Program to bring everything under one roof;

Two Objectives:  To make the selling of FingerTec faster, and to make the technical support of FingerTec easier.

Four Modules

Marketing Module

Product Module

Training Module

Support Module

 

Eight Websites

The seven websites ranging from sales, marketing material, warranty, user, technical tips to training are on standby to serve all the time. And the new member, product website, to make it eight, would join soon to meet the customers. 

Of course, a good system has to improve and to enhance at all time, including in 2009. And the localization would be the main task lies ahead for the eight websites in conjunction with our official website: www.fingertec.com. 

4.   Internal: Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System Enhancement

The CRM system was implemented since September in 2008. We will continue to improve the system to cover marketing and technical support including repair and warranty claim workflow in 2009.  This year, we will fine- tune our system to allow resellers to check on their purchase history, readers’ information, and warranty expiry date when they log in using their own account.

I believe that to better equip ourselves is to serve our customer better. I will deliver this promise.

5.     Branding Strategy Enhancement

Pursuing the practical branding strategy, branding that makes everything easy!   Besides products, we will continue to make exhibition made easy, product display made easy, and etc. We’re about to release a 40-second commercial video, “FingerTec, The Committed Brand” with a jingle to impress everybody, stay tuned!

The R&D, the brand name and the product of FingerTec is actually started since 2000. But, its image, its larger value was only started to emerge in 2005. The same year, when we had given the product, the brand name, a LIFE.  

Since then, the years have been without an end. 

by Teh Hon Seng, CEO, FingerTec HQ