Premier Taxi price hike

Premier Taxi is the next taxi operator to follow ComfortDelgro and SMRT to increase its fares. Flag down rates will now be increased to S$0.20 to S$0.70, making the updated rate cost between S$3.00-3.90, depending on the taxi model. Distance fares will also increase by $0.22, an increase from the original S$0.20.

Like ComfortDelgro and SMRT, Premier Taxis also reduced their peak period surcharge, which is from 35% to 25% of the metered fare. While the peak period has been extended to 6- 9:30am from Mondays to Fridays (excluding public holidays), and 6pm - 12 midnight from Monday to Sunday, including public holidays.

It was reported that Premier Taxi attests that with the new fare structure, drivers will experience more productive hours on the road. Premier Taxi, like ComfortDelgro and SMRT, state that the increase is due to inflation and higher operating costs, so their drivers' incomes have been affected (which would imply that the taxi operators are also affected?). It is a matter of time that Prime Taxi will follow suit. After which, the rental for taxis will also increase; ultimately making the taxi operators the ultimate winners.

These taxi operators have claimed that they have consulted their drivers and studied the situation before making such a decision, but perhaps they forgot to consult the "source" of their income - the passengers (many of whom may or may not be able to afford such luxury anymore or simply unwilling due to the high-handed nature of the assumption/announcement), assuming compliance. It is hard to tell the true impact of these price hikes as it is the festive season, with more people willing to splurge and less people actually in the country as they head out for their holidays.

The recent MRT disruptions and boo-boos in PR skills, has resulted in disgruntled Singaporeans. And who can blame those disgruntled ones? It is hard to adjust when you have been informed and assured that your country’s transport system is one of the best, only to have needless(?) disruptions and poor contingency plans shatter your "perfect pretty" world, resulting in utter disappointment and discontent. Timing is everything, and the MRT disruptions together with the saga that followed right after the announcement for taxi price hike, couldn’t be a better timing, but unfortunately for all the wrong reasons. This plus the fact that everything else but salaries are increasing (more rapidly) is adding more fuel to an already fanning fire of discontent and unhappiness; when nothing "seems" to be done about anything in particular.

I believe that (majority of) Singaporeans are reasonable (as long as it is within reason). However, the younger generation, unlike the older one is not as trusting or forgiving when it comes to things that "should not" have been (per ingrained mindset or perceived perception). They not only want to be heard, they want their opinions to matter and not be brushed aside because they are “young and inexperienced”, or simply “not qualified enough”.

**Please note that this view is that of an individual with a “microscopic” view of this situation, unlike that of bigger organizations (e.g taxi operators) who are extremely "macro" that they see the “full picture” and think of the “greater good for all”.

3M Greptile Glof Glove Marketing Strategy Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths 

3M Company has a strong sense of innovation and research and development technology, which it has incorporated into the production of its glove. This technology provides greater functional benefits as opposed to the traditional benefit of comfortable fit. It is perceived as a product as value for money as it improves a golfer’s game and is durable. Furthermore it is priced affordably and reasonably. 

Weaknesses 

However, as 3M is not known for products in the golf industry, it lacks consumer product and brand awareness. This increases the risk of successfully selling the product to potential consumers. In addition, there are not much promotions for the and 3M targets more towards those who are avid or professional golf players, leaving out the factor that golf is fun and a recreational sport as well... Read more>>

3M Marketing Mix Variables (4Ps) for the Greptile Golf Glove

1) Products

Points of Difference
The proprietary micro-replication technology used in the Greptile™ golf glove contains griping fingers to maintain consistency in gripping while using minimum effort. It is designed for both wet and dry conditions. According to golf editors, 3M’s micro-replication technology provided a much-needed innovation in the golf glove industry. Prior to the Greptile glove’s introduction, most gloves focussed on comfort rather than on improving the golfer’s game.

The materials used ensure durability and provides value for money. 3M has developed specific materials that focus on different aspects of durability. As evidenced in their website, the four different varieties of durability are contained in materials such as the G100, G200. G300 and G400, which each contain specific functions.

Product Life Cycle  

The product life cycle of the 3M Greptile™ golf glove is has moved from the introductory stage and is  ...Read more>>

Skoob Review: Singtel’s First E-book Service

Sometime back in November Singapore Telco SingTel announced the launch of their first e-book service Skoob. This e-book service offers various overseas titles from authors such as Stephen Hawking, as well local titles, study guides and educational books for local primary and secondary school students: more than 39,000 local and international bestsellers for smartphones, tablets and PCs.

Besides being Singtel’s first e-book service, it is the first e-book service to accept payments in Singapore dollars via Singapore credit card, with SingTel customers having the option to charge their purchases to their monthly bills, offering tremendous savings versus the cost of traditional paper books. For example, fans of John Grisham can enjoy his novel, The Confession, at S$9.00 instead of S$17.07 for the hardcopy version. While Neil Humphreys‘ acclaimed Complete Notes is available at S$13.90 instead of S$29.90 in the Singapore contect. There is also a range of classics for free download, such as Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and... Read more>>

Public Transportation in Singapore

Traveling in Singapore in relatively easy and convenient, there is a variety of land mode transportation that you can choose from. There are taxis, buses and the MRT (Mass Rapid Transport), each with their benefits and fair share of paradoxes, as with every country I guess.

MRT
The SMRT website has a fairly useful map, journey planner and even train timings for you to plan your journey in Singapore. Travel on the MRT has made getting to the airport made more accessible with its very own Changi Airport stop. It is also very convenient, compared with buses and taxis, as most of the MRT stops are near shopping districts and attractions.

SMRT Website

With the Circle Line being launched and some more lines in the works, traveling in...Read more>>

Wonton noodles

Wonton noodles, also known as wanton mee, is a Cantonese noodle dish which is popular in Guangzhou, Hong Kong , Singapore , Thailand , and Malaysia . The word "wanton" is a Cantonese or dumpling while “mee” means noodles in Hokkien, both Chinese dialects. This noodle dish is usually served in a hot broth, garnished with leafy vegetables together with wonton dumplings, or served dry with sauces like chilli, black sauce, and/or ketchup.

The Singaporean version of this noodle dish is either soup based or dry with chilli or ketchup. It is not that common to have black sauce added into the noodles here, unlike in Malaysia . Along with the noodles are green leafy vegetables usually cai-xin, slices of barbequed pork (known as char siew) and bite sized wontons (dumplings). If it is served...Read more>>

3M Greptile Golf Glove Strategy Discussion

3M’s main objective was to introduce the 3M Greptile™ golf glove as a product that improves a golfer’s grip and game; especially, those who have a weaker grip (i.e. golfers with arthritis and other hand related disabilities), which affects their grip and performance. By building awareness among potential consumers in golf glove market about the 3M Greptile™ golf glove, 3M will be able to gain their market share; earning a profit and sustaining their position in the market. Still have a question? 

However, as 3M has not ventured into the sports industry previously, consumers would find it hard to identify 3M with sports. This would be particularly so for 3M’s Greptile golf glove. Given the large varieties of golf gloves available, there is also a higher perceived risk from consumers. In addition to the above constraints, 3M’s lack of colour variety for the Greptile™ golf glove limit consumers’ choices as they can...Read more>>

Industry Analysis for 3M Greptile Golf Glove

The golf industry is a growing one, with a worth of approximately $300 million worldwide, with $160 million in America alone (Kerin et.al 2006). In recent times, golf has become an increasingly popular: a sport that is played for various purposes (e.g. recreational, professional, and business).

According to ‘Golf Digest’ (2005), there are approximately 32,000 golf courses in the world. In addition, The Golf Research Group (2006) reports that there has been an increase of about 7,000 new courses since 2005, with courses in 119 countries: there are about 56 million golfers in the United States of America, who constitute 59% of the golf market worldwide.

As a result, the increased number of golf courses and people who play golf has contributed to the flourishing international trade in golf goods worth about $2 billion per annum (The Golf Research Group, 2006). This growing trend has led to the increase of golf related industries like golf clubs, gloves, shoes, and even tourism in the form of specialized golf vacation packages and the development of... Read more>>

Review of Def!nd: Not Singapore’s Answer to Siri Review of Def!nd: Not Singapore’s Answer to Siri

Touted to be the Singapore version of Siri, I was expecting something of a similar level. However, Def!nd has proved to be a disappointment of sorts: it is less intuitive than Siri and even requires many unnecessary hand actions to select options. The only good point about Def!nd is that it localized to Singapore, but that is about it. The application’s menu is cumbersome and the interface not user-friendly enough.

When my friends and I were testing out Def!nd, it took us a while to figure out where is the ‘tap to speak’ button, whist everything else was actually accessed via touching the options on the menu. Categories such as restaurants and movies were sub-categorized into menu options, which required users to select that item before “speaking”, which defeats the purpose doesn’t it? With Siri you are able to find locations and do things with just your voice most of the time, but with Def!nd, you have to use more effort and energy. I might as well just key In my search into the search browser than use Def!nd....Read more>>

Def!nd: Singapore’s Answer to Siri?

To cater to the local market, Singtel, one of Singapore’s major telco, has developed an application called ‘DeF!nd’ which understands Singlish. According to Singtel,  DeF!ND is a localised Siri-like application that is able to decipher uniquely Singaporean accents, names and locations. Singtel also said that DeF!ND will be available for free on the Android platform and Apple’s iTunes “soon”...Read more>>