Concept note outlines Singapore’s vision for ASEAN Smart Cities Network

On 27 April, ASEAN released a concept
note which outlines Singapore’s proposal to establish an ASEAN Smart Cities
Network.

According to the document, most of ASEAN’s growth has been,
and will continue to be, driven by urban centres, with 90 million more people
expected to urbanise by 2030. However, rapid urbanisation also has implications
on issues like city congestion, water and air quality, poverty, rising
inequalities, urban-rural divide, citizen security and safety.

“Technological and digital solutions can be utilised to
resolve these issues and to enhance quality and accessibility of services,
thereby improving our citizens’ lives across the urban-rural continuum,
creating new opportunities for them and helping ensure that no one is left
behind,” the concept note writes.

In recognition of these trends, Singapore proposes to
establish an ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN) to synergise these efforts and
bring the smart cities in ASEAN together, thereby contributing to ASEAN community
building.

The ASEAN Smart Cities Network include 26 pilot cities. They
are (in alphabetical order): Bandar Seri Begawan, Bangkok, Banyuwangi, Battambang,
Cebu City, Chonburi, Da Nang, Davao City, DKI Jakarta, Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City,
Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Luang Prabang, Makassar, Mandalay,
Manila, Nay Pyi Taw, Phnom Penh, Phuket, Siem Reap, Singapore, Vientiane, and Yangon.

ASEAN member states will also be asked to assign Chief Smart
City Officers (one for each ASCN city) as well as National Representatives to participate
in crafting their respective city’s action plan and discuss the ASEAN Smart
Cities and attend ASCN meetings.

Vision for an ASEAN
Smart Cities Network

The ASCN is envisioned as a collaborative platform where up
to three cities from each ASEAN member state, including capitals, work towards
the common goal of smart and sustainable urban development.

The primary goal of the Network is to improve the lives of
ASEAN citizens, using technology as an enabler.

“By focusing on our people, it will adopt an inclusive approach
to smart city development that is respectful of human rights and fundamental
freedoms as inscribed in the ASEAN Charter. The networking of Smart Cities
across ASEAN would also contribute to enhancing better mutual understanding
across cultures,” the document writes.

Goals of the ASEAN
Smart Cities Network

The ASCN aims to achieve the following goals of (1) facilitating
cooperation on smart cities development, (2) catalysing bankable projects with
the private sector, and (3) securing funding and support from ASEAN’s external
partners.

Member cities and their National Representatives will come
together to explore potential complementarities, share best practices, develop
individualised action plans for smart city development from 2018 to 2025, and
craft a framework for smart cities development that is unique to ASEAN;

Under the network, member cities will also be linked up with
private sector solution providers to kick-start practical and commercially
viable projects with tangible outcomes. They will also pair up with specific
external partners on a voluntary basis, and form mutually beneficial partnerships
to drive smart cities development, while promoting better understanding between
ASEAN and its external partners at the cities level.

Multilateral financial institutions, such as the World Bank
(and International Financial Cooperation), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Asian
Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and Global Infrastructure Hub (GIH) are
some of the external partners.

Key initiatives of
the ASCN

(1)
City-specific
Action Plans for Smart City Development (2018 – 2025)

In May 2018, Singapore will host the 5-day Smart Cities
Governance Workshop (SCGW) where member cities will develop initial action
plans for smart city development. The action plans will contain specific
projects and action lines that the member city will undertake from 2018 to 2025,
in its desired areas of focus. Those action plans can be developed from cities’
existing blueprints or action plans for smart, inclusive, and sustainable
urbanisation, if any.

After AMS formally endorse the draft ASEAN Smart Cities
Framework, member cities will share their action plans and meet with
private-sector solution providers from ASEAN and beyond to explore commercially
viable projects.

(2)
ASEAN
Smart Cities Framework

The ASCN member cities and their National Representatives
will also jointly craft an ASEAN Smart Cities Framework that articulates
ASEAN’s definition of a smart city, outlines key principles, and identifies
core outcomes.

According to the concept note, the Framework will not impose
on existing national development plans. Instead, it will be a normative
document that guides the smart city development in each ASCN city, which is
specific to each city’s local and cultural context.

The member cities and National Representatives will discuss
a revised draft framework, based on the initial draft prepared by Singapore, at
the SCGW in May 2018. The framework will be targeted for endorsement at the
first ASCN meeting in July and adoption by the ASEAN Leaders at the 33rd ASEAN
Summit in November 2018.

(3)
Annual
Meeting of the ASCN

In this July, alongside the World Cities Summit, Singapore
will convene the first annual meeting of the ASCN, inviting all member cities
and their National Representatives.

After 2018, the ASCN will continue to meet annually to
discuss progress on each city’s action plan, launch new projects with private sector
solution providers where feasible, and explore new opportunities to bring
ASEAN’s external partners on board.

The annual meeting will be chaired and hosted by the ASEAN
Chair to help promote continuity of efforts across several ASEAN Chairmanships.
The ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC) will produce an annual report based on the
outcomes of this meeting.

(4)
Twinning
Programme

As ASEAN Chair, Singapore will facilitate the formation of
these pairings in the ASCN’s inaugural year by organising a “matchmaking”
platform alongside the ASCN’s first meeting in July 2018. The ASCN member
cities will each pair up with one of ASEAN’s external partners on a voluntary
basis, forming mutually beneficial partnerships for cooperation on smart cities
development. These partnerships could focus on implementing commercially viable
projects and other initiatives as mutually agreed, based on the cities’ action
plans.

The finalised list of pairings between ASCN cities and
external partners will be collated. The twinning programme will then be
announced during the 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Related
Post-Ministerial Conferences in August 2018.

Reporting Mechanism

According to the concept note, “effective cross-pillar
coordination is a perennial issue that ASEAN has yet to fully resolve”, and
that “the ASCN will pave the way for more effective cross-pillar collaboration
in ASEAN, by enhancing cooperation at city level to address city-specific
issues across the three pillars”.

The Joint Consultative Meeting (JCM) will serve as the
ASCN’s primary reporting mechanism. Following the ASCN meeting every year, the
Chair of the ASCN (i.e. the National Representative of the ASEAN Chair) and the
ASCN shepherd will attend the JCM as resource persons, and submit a report of the
ASCN’s progress and key achievements.

The JCM will then report to the ASEAN Coordinating Council
(ACC) and the ASEAN Summit. As the ASCN matures, the ASCN could review the
reporting mechanism and make a recommendation to the JCM on a reporting
mechanism that would best support smart cities development in all ten member
states

Within the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC), the
monitoring/secretariat role will be played by ASEC’s Integration Monitoring
Directorate (IMD) under the ASEAN Economic Community Branch. IMD will monitor
the progress made on the member cities’ action plans and assist with the
drafting of the ASCN’s annual reports.

Singapore-Australia Forge Green and Digital Shipping Corridor

Australia and Singapore have begun conversations regarding potential areas of collaboration in green and digital shipping, hence, a Singapore-Australia Green and Digital Shipping Corridor will be established by the end of 2025.

This development is consistent with the Green Shipping Cooperation initiative outlined in the Singapore-Australia Green Economy Agreement, which was signed in October 2022 by Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry, Gan Kim Yong, and Australia’s Minister for Trade and Tourism, Don Farrell.

This collaboration is being led by Australia’s Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, and the Arts (DITRDCA) and Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA), a Statutory Board under Singapore’s Ministry of Transport (MOT).

These agencies are collaborating closely with port operators, appropriate governments, and marine and energy value chain players on both sides of the Atlantic to galvanise action to decarbonise and digitise the shipping industry. DITRDCA and MPA intend to begin by identifying areas of common interest and partnership to minimise carbon emissions in the maritime industry through coordinated initiatives.

This includes developing low- and zero-carbon fuel supply chains, as well as greening port services and shipping operations to speed the development and adoption of green marine fuel sources. Collaboration would also entail the discovery of digital shipping solutions to promote effective port calls and the flow of products, as well as paperless handling between the ports of Australia and Singapore, all of which would assure system interoperability.

Given Australia and Singapore’s extensive cross-border trade, this collaboration is an important step towards determining how both partners can take a worldwide leadership position in streamlining their shipping routes to test and trial green and digital solutions. This highlights the critical role of international cooperation in decarbonising shipping and the maritime economy.

Collaboration supports environmental sustainability by embracing green shipping practices such as using cleaner fuels, optimising routes, and decreasing emissions, lessening the industry’s impact on climate change and maritime ecosystems.

Digital technology provides for more efficient fleet management, route optimisation, and real-time monitoring, leading to fuel savings, lower operational expenses, and increased profitability for shipping businesses.

Digital solutions improve overall efficiency in areas such as logistics, supply chain management, and cargo handling by streamlining operations, automating procedures, and enabling data-driven decision-making.

Collaboration in digital and green shipping makes it possible to use advanced safety measures like remote monitoring systems, predictive maintenance, and better cybersecurity procedures to protect assets, crew, and cargo.

Acting Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said that Singapore and Australia are very important in making the area a place of stability and growth. To stop international rules from falling apart and regional blocs from forming, it is important to keep and improve multilateralism.

He also said that both countries can keep a rules-based system by taking an active role in making global digital trading rules and norms for international trade.

Australia and Singapore have a lot of strategic trust in each other, so their projects can be used as models for wider regional cooperation. By making deals about the digital and green economies and setting new rules for trade in these areas, they can go beyond bilateral agreements and help the whole region.

The collaboration helps bring about stability and growth, which is good for Asia’s future. Singapore and Australia can help keep the region stable and growing while staying true to their shared values and interests if they work together and take an active role.

India’s Mission MAHIR Advancing Power Sector Tech

The Ministry of Power and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy have launched a National Mission to identify emerging technologies within the power sector and indigenously develop them on a large scale. These technologies will be deployed domestically and internationally.

The collaborative National Mission, titled the Mission on Advanced and High-Impact Research (MAHIR), will facilitate indigenous research and development, and demonstrate cutting-edge technologies in the power sector. Its focus is to identify emerging technologies and advance them to the implementation stage. By harnessing these technologies as the key drivers of future economic growth, the Mission aims to establish India as a global manufacturing hub.

Scheduled to commence from the fiscal year 2023-24 and continue for an initial period of five years until 2027-28, the Mission will adopt the technology life cycle approach, progressing from the conceptual stage to the development of a final product.

The Mission has identified eight specific areas for focus. These areas include exploring alternatives to Lithium-Ion storage batteries, adapting electric cookers/pans to align with Indian cooking methods, developing green hydrogen for mobility through high-efficiency fuel cells, advancing carbon capture technologies, harnessing geothermal energy, enhancing solid-state refrigeration systems, utilising nanotechnology for electric vehicle batteries, and promoting indigenous technology for CRGO (Cold-Rolled Grain-Oriented) materials.

The key objectives of the Mission are as follows:

To identify emerging technologies and areas that hold future significance in the global power sector. It will then undertake the indigenous end-to-end development of these technologies.
To establish a common platform for stakeholders within the power sector to engage in collaborative brainstorming and synergistic technology development. It will facilitate the smooth transfer of technology by devising effective pathways.
To provide support to pilot projects involving indigenous technologies, particularly those developed by Indian start-ups. It aims to facilitate their commercialisation and widespread adoption.
To leverage foreign alliances and partnerships to expedite research and development in advanced technologies. It seeks to build competencies, capabilities, and access to advanced technologies through bilateral or multilateral collaborations, promoting knowledge exchange and technology transfer.
To nurture and scale up scientific and industrial research and development efforts within the power sector. It aims to create a vibrant and innovative ecosystem that supports research and development activities.

An Office Memorandum to this effect has been issued. The Mission will be funded by pooling the financial resources of the two ministries and the Central Public Sector Enterprises under them. In case there is a requirement for additional funding, it will be mobilised from the government’s budgetary resources.

The Mission will have a two-tier structure – a Technical Scoping Committee and an Apex Committee. The Technical Scoping Committee (TSC) will identify ongoing and emerging research areas globally, recommend potential technologies for development under the Mission, justify the techno-economic advantages, provide research outlines, and conduct periodic monitoring of approved research projects.

TSC will survey and identify ongoing and emerging areas of research on a global scale and provide recommendations to the Apex Committee regarding potential technologies to be considered for development. The TSC will also carry out periodic monitoring of the approved research projects.

Meanwhile, the Apex Committee will deliberate on the technology and products to be developed and approve the research proposals. It will approve the research proposals, monitor progress, and look into international collaboration.

Once research areas are identified and approved by the Apex Committee, the Mission will invite proposals for outcome-linked funding from companies across the world. The selection of proposals will be based on Quality cum Cost-Based Selection (QCBS) criteria. The Ministries’ organisations may also collaborate with the selected research agency to co-develop the technologies. The intellectual property rights (IPR) of the developed technology will be shared between the government and the research agency.

Logic-Aware Model Transforming Language Understanding

Researchers have developed a logic-aware model that outperforms counterparts 500 times larger in specific language-understanding tasks without human-generated annotations. This model excels in performance while ensuring privacy and robustness, addressing concerns related to the inefficiency and privacy of large AI models.

Although Large Language Models (LLMs) have demonstrated promising abilities in generating language, art, and code, they come with high computational demands, and utilising application programming interfaces for data upload can pose risks to privacy. Smaller models have historically exhibited lesser capabilities, particularly in tasks involving multitasking and weak supervision, than their larger counterparts.

The researchers introduced the concept of “textual entailment” to aid in comprehending various language tasks by these models. In textual entailment, if one sentence (the premise) is true, then it is likely that the other sentence (the hypothesis) is also true. For instance, if the premise states “all cats have tails,” then the theory “a tabby cat has a tail” would be entailed by the premise.

The team’s previous research revealed that this approach, known as an “entailment model,” exhibited less bias than other language models. To leverage this concept, the researchers developed prompts that enable the models to determine if specific information is entailed by a given sentence or phrase across different tasks. This technique enhanced the model’s adaptability to diverse functions without requiring additional training, a phenomenon referred to as zero-shot adaptation.

In the domain of “natural language understanding,” numerous applications rely on discerning the relationship between two text pieces. For instance, in sentiment classification, the statement “I think the movie is good” can be inferred or entailed from a movie review stating, “I like the story and the acting is great,” indicating a positive sentiment. Similarly, in news classification, the topic of a news article can be inferred from its content. For example, the statement “the news article is about sports” can be entailed if the article’s main content reports on an NBA game. The researchers realised that many existing natural language understanding tasks could be reformulated as entailment tasks involving logical inference in natural language.

“Our research focuses on enhancing the capability of computer programs to comprehend and process natural language, which mimics the way humans speak and write,” explains Hongyin Luo, lead author of a new study from MIT CSAIL.

The study introduces entailment models with 350 million parameters that outperform supervised language models with 137 to 175 billion parameters without human-generated labels. This breakthrough can potentially revolutionise AI and machine learning, providing a scalable, reliable, and cost-effective solution for language modelling. Demonstrating the comparable performance of smaller models in language understanding opens avenues for sustainable and privacy-preserving AI technologies.

The model’s performance was enhanced through self-training, learning without human supervision or annotated data. This approach significantly improved results in sentiment analysis, question-answering, and news classification tasks. It surpassed Google’s LaMDA, FLAN, GPT models, and other supervised algorithms in zero-shot capabilities.

The research addresses the challenge of self-training in language models by developing a novel algorithm called ‘SimPLE’ (Simple Pseudo-Label Editing). By reviewing and modifying the initially generated pseudo-labels, the algorithm improves the overall quality of self-generated labels. CSAIL Senior Research Scientist James Glass emphasises that this study introduces an efficient approach for training large language models (LLMs) by framing language understanding tasks as contextual entailment problems and employing a self-training mechanism with pseudo-labelling. It enables the incorporation of substantial amounts of unlabeled text data during training.

“This study demonstrates the feasibility of developing relatively compact language models that excel in benchmark language understanding tasks when compared to models of similar or even larger sizes,” he concludes.

Going Cashless: Vietnamese Consumers Embrace Digital Payments

Around 77% of Vietnamese consumers believe they could go cashless for three days, a survey has revealed. There was a significant increase in the number of respondents who attempted to adopt a cashless approach in 2022. Specifically, 90% made an effort to go cashless at some point during the year, compared to 77% in the previous year.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a transformative impact on consumer behaviour globally, including in Vietnam. There was a notable rise in the usage of card or mobile wallet payments among Vietnamese consumers across all categories when compared to the data from 2021.

It was found that in 2022, 66% of consumers in Vietnam utilised online card payments, while 70% made use of online or in-app mobile wallet payments. This marks a significant surge from the previous year’s figure of 32%. QR payments also experienced substantial growth in usage last year, with 61% of consumers using this method, as compared to 35% in 2021. Virtual banking has also garnered significant interest among Vietnamese consumers, with a striking 90% expressing their inclination toward digital banking services.

There is clear evidence of a gradual shift away from cash, evidenced by the fact that consumers both carried less cash in 2022 and used it for fewer payments. The study identified the two primary reasons for the decline in cash payments. Firstly, consumers expressed concerns about the potential risk of losing or having cash stolen, leading them to opt for alternative payment methods. Secondly, the increased availability and acceptance of cashless payment options by businesses.

The post-COVID era has shed light on evolving consumer behaviour, particularly in the retail sector and overall financial management. New trends have emerged, indicating shifts in consumer spending patterns and approaches to personal finances.

Consumer behaviour in Vietnam during the pandemic has showcased a widespread acceptance of home delivery services, particularly with the convenience of tech-enabled online payment methods prior to receiving the delivery. Approximately 85% of consumers tried home delivery for the first time. Looking ahead, consumers expect a significant portion of their purchases, around 8 out of 10, to be made online and delivered to their homes. As a result, businesses would benefit from offering online payment options and efficient home delivery services to meet these evolving consumer needs.

In the wake of the pandemic, new shopping habits have surfaced among Vietnamese consumers. The study indicates that 64% of consumers have increased their purchases of medicine and vitamins to prioritise their health. Additionally, the same percentage of consumers are engaging in shopping activities through large online marketplaces and supporting home-based businesses. These spending patterns align with the global post-COVID trends, where e-commerce has experienced rapid growth, and a majority of consumers are exploring and adopting new shopping behaviours.

Last month, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) urged banks, foreign bank branches, and intermediaries in payment services to actively support the advancement of cashless transactions and the implementation of the national digital transformation programme.

The move aims to aid the plan on developing the application of resident data and electronic identification and authentication to support the national digital transformation agenda during the period of 2022-2025, with a vision extending to 2030.

STOU and APU Collaborate for Future Research and Development

The Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) and Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU), a state university with a royal charter in Thailand have announced a collaborative initiative. This joint effort aims to establish a dedicated team that will focus on facilitating cross-border research, offering financial support for conferences and grants, fostering partnerships with industries, creating a robust ecosystem, and providing mentorship and assistance in research and development (R&D).

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will enable APU’s Digital Learning Hub and STOU to collaborate on research initiatives within the framework of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair partnership. This collaborative effort will be led by the Director of APU’s Digital Learning Hub and the UNESCO Chair Lead.

The aim is to foster a growth mindset among its students, encouraging them to think innovatively and embrace entrepreneurship. The institution aims to prepare students for employment in a rapidly changing global business and technology landscape.

Both higher education institutions will work together to create specialised programs that promote a culture of collaborative research and an environment that encourages students and faculty members to collaborate on joint outputs, including conferences and papers published in international journals.

Through the collaboration, the staff members from both institutions will engage in collaborative research, particularly in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) applied to “Teaching and Learning.” This collaboration is expected to yield joint research papers that contribute to advancements in the field. The partnership with STOU is seen as an opportunity to elevate the research endeavours of APU to new heights, becoming a source of inspiration and aspiration for future goals.

STOU, addressing concerns related to emissions and sustainability, not only collaborates on verifiable initiatives but also takes measures to offset its emissions. The partnership with APU is valued by STOU as it aligns with their commitment to a sustainable future, according to STOU Acting President.

Meanwhile, APU Vice Chancellor expressed excitement about the collaboration, emphasising the use of technology to enhance accessibility and equity in higher education. The joint efforts will focus on creating innovative solutions that enable learners from diverse backgrounds and locations to achieve their academic goals.

The two parties also discussed a partnership for the upcoming International Conference on Digital Business, Society, and Economy (ICDBSE) in 2023. Organised by APU in collaboration with STOU (Thailand), Chitkara University (India), and the bbw Hochschule-University of Applied Sciences (Germany), the event will take place on 24 and 25 October 2023, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

With a strong emphasis on technology, the aim is to gather global experts and enthusiasts to share their ideas, research findings, and insights regarding the impact of digital technologies on business and society.

A diverse range of keynote speeches, presentations, and panel discussions will be featured and will delve into various aspects of the digital business and social landscape. Topics of exploration will include the influence of technology on innovation, entrepreneurship, governance, and ethics.

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was conducted by the Acting President of STOU and the Vice Chancellor of APU. The ceremony was witnessed by the Acting Vice-President for Academic Services, Cultural Preservation, and International Affairs of STOU and the Deputy Vice Chancellor of APU.

The ceremony was also attended by the Head of International Affairs from STOU, the Senior Director of Administration and Human Resources from APU, and the Senior Lecturer/Programme Manager of the Digital Learning Hub from APU.

Exclusive! Succeed in The Digital Era with Cloud Communications

Cloud communications have revolutionised collaboration, enabling seamless interactions, enhanced teamwork and improved customer engagement. Leveraging cloud-based communication tools empowers companies to overcome geographical barriers, optimise operations and explore untapped growth opportunities.

Cloud communications offer significant advantages over traditional methods. Firstly, they provide scalability and flexibility, allowing businesses to easily adapt to changing communication requirements. Secondly, they are highly agile and cost-effective, whether it involves adding new users, expanding to new locations or integrating with other business systems.

One of the key benefits of cloud messaging is its ability to integrate multiple communication methods into a unified platform. Voice calls, video conferencing, instant messaging and email can all seamlessly work together, enabling workers to collaborate and communicate from any device, at any time, and from anywhere. This integration enhances efficiency, promotes teamwork, and facilitates informed decision-making.

Companies gain access to advanced tools and features through cloud communications, including intelligent call routing. This feature ensures that incoming calls are directed to the most appropriate person on the team, leading to improved customer service and reduced wait times.

With interactive voice response (IVR), call queueing and personalised greetings, businesses can provide exceptional customer experiences that feel professional and tailored to each individual.

Seamless integration with customer relationship management (CRM) systems allows for the smooth flow of information, empowering agents with access to client data and enabling them to deliver highly personalised service.

By leveraging all these capabilities, businesses can enhance their overall communication efficiency and deliver a better experience to their customers. These features ensure that every interaction with a customer is handled efficiently, enhancing customer satisfaction and reinforcing a positive brand image.

The OpenGov Tech Day on 8 June 2023 at The Westin in Jakarta, Indonesia was a high-level workshop for decision-makers to explore the latest trends and benefits of cloud technology across Indonesia’s public sector, business, education, financial services and healthcare sectors.

Opening Remarks

Mohit Sagar, CEO & Editor-in-Chief, OpenGov Asia acknowledges that Cloud communications play a vital role in the digital era, enabling seamless communication and collaboration in technology-dependent organisations. “Innovative Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) solutions prioritise collaboration, integrating various tools into a centralised platform for enhanced productivity.”

Cloud communications offer feature-rich solutions with intuitive interfaces, facilitating easy adoption and delivering user-friendly experiences. They encourage broader adoption within organisations by providing simple implementation and streamlined processes.

Mohit believes that a user-friendly and intuitive user experience (UX) is crucial for driving the adoption of cloud communications within organisations. By prioritising intuitive UX design, organisations can remove barriers to entry and increase adoption rates, resulting in enhanced productivity, seamless collaboration, positive user feedback and user empowerment.

“Intuitive UX designs simplify onboarding and usage, increasing adoption rates among employees and stakeholders,” he further explains. “These designs offer user-friendly interfaces and streamline workflows, making it easy for users to start using cloud communications tools.”

They also improve productivity by streamlining tasks and reducing complexity. Features like drag-and-drop interfaces, contextual menus and customisable layouts empower users to work efficiently and focus on their tasks rather than struggling with the technology.

Seamless teamwork is made possible through an intuitive user experience that offers a suite of user-friendly communication and collaboration tools. Real-time messaging, seamless file sharing, and presence indicators elevate teamwork, empowering employees to effortlessly connect, share information, and collaborate with utmost efficiency.

A good user experience (UX) leads to positive user feedback, which in turn increases user satisfaction. Satisfied users are more inclined to advocate for the adoption of cloud communications solutions within their organisations, fostering wider acceptance and greater uptake of these tools.

According to Mohit, intuitive UX empowers users by providing them with the ability to tailor their communication and collaboration experiences. Through a range of customisation options, personalisation features and user-friendly settings, individuals can modify cloud communications tools to align with their specific preferences and work styles.

Cloud-native platforms are crucial for organisations to achieve rapid innovation in the digital era. These platforms enable agile development and deployment of new features, allowing organisations to quickly adapt to market demands.

The agility and flexibility required to scale solutions based on demand are provided by cloud-native platforms. These platforms also support the development of user-friendly interfaces and workflows, enhancing the overall user experience. Additionally, integration and interoperability with other cloud-based applications and services enable seamless collaboration and facilitate a smooth transition to cloud-native solutions.

In addition, video-first solutions are essential for enhanced communication, offering high-quality video conferencing, visual and blended multi-modal communication, and support for transformation projects. They adapt to the needs and preferences of different worker generations, driving effective collaboration and project outcomes.

In cloud communications, architectural extensibility plays a crucial role in meeting future requirements. It benefits service providers by fostering innovation and competitiveness, while also empowering third-party developers to create custom solutions that cater to specific needs. Additionally, architectural extensibility allows for cost-effective scalability for organizations, ensuring adaptability to evolving communication needs and providing a future-proof infrastructure that can grow and evolve alongside technological advancements.

“Cloud communications solutions need to meet both current and future prerequisites to enable successful implementation and adoption,” Mohit elaborates. “By addressing present needs and being adaptable to evolving requirements, these solutions enhance communication, collaboration, and productivity while remaining flexible to emerging technologies and changing business landscapes.”

Meeting current prerequisites is vital for a smooth transition to cloud communications. Solutions should align with existing infrastructure, integrate seamlessly with other systems, adhere to security protocols, and be user-friendly. By meeting these prerequisites, disruptions are minimised and organisations can ensure a successful implementation.

Cloud communications solutions must also adjust and adapt to changing requirements over time. Technology and business needs are constantly evolving and solutions need to be flexible and agile.

“By incorporating new features, technologies, and standards, these solutions can meet future requirements and keep pace with emerging trends,” Mohit concludes.

Welcome Address

Nathan Guy, Head of UCaaS, Asia Pacific, Zoom, highlighted the findings of a survey indicating that businesses globally made substantial technology investments during the pandemic, underscoring the importance of understanding customer and employee requirements.

However, despite this recognition, finding the right approach remains challenging, as the need for flexibility in technology stacks becomes crucial in the face of constantly evolving circumstances and ongoing economic uncertainty.

“The question of whether the future workplace truly brings improvement for teams and customers is an important one. At Zoom, we believe it does,” Nathan says. “But to be successful, there are three key areas that must the addressed.”

Firstly, evolving collaboration and productivity frameworks are crucial to keeping up with the changing dynamics of work. Secondly, fostering better personal connections within the workplace helps create a positive and engaged environment. Lastly, meeting the updated expectations of both customers and employees is vital for success.

A report highlighted the significant financial investment of S$15 billion per week in technology during the pandemic, emphasising the need to establish a strong foundation in the technology stack to gain a competitive advantage for the future, Nathan reveals.

Moreover, the future needs of a hybrid workplace must embrace Technology Infrastructure, Flexibility, Communications and Collaboration, Emotional Well Being, and Training and Development.

Voice is considered the foundation of digital transformation, Nathan observes, serving as a natural bridge between the physical and digital realms. “In an increasingly connected world, voice engagement should be at the core rather than the periphery. IP Voice offers affordability, ubiquity, and high-quality communication, making it a crucial aspect of cloud-based voice strategies.”

Voice remains critical for future work, both in terms of customer and employee engagement, and businesses continue to invest in this growing market. Organisations report improved engagement, increased productivity, and enhanced collaboration through the adoption of advanced customer service applications.

According to Nathan, legacy collaboration infrastructure is being replaced by cloud communications to meet the needs of hybrid and remote work. The integration of various collaboration features, including messaging, meetings, conferencing, team chat, and content sharing is crucial for enterprises’ digital aspirations.

A collaboration platform is built on core technology, offering communication and collaboration solutions tailored to different industries and departments. Zoom has invested significantly in AI to enhance the collaboration experience. Ultimately, the focus is on serving customers and helping them thrive in the new era of work.

Customer-facing teams face various challenges that need to be addressed. By empowering these teams to become subject matter experts, organisations can provide customers with personalised and enhanced experiences.

Nathan reiterates that the goal is to bring product innovation together into a comprehensive solution that powers the modern workday for knowledge workers and teams, while also enabling better collaboration with external customers to drive business growth.

This encompasses employee collaboration, starting from checking calendars, chatting and emails in the morning, to meeting collaboration, casual collaboration through huddles, and concluding with phone calls. Similarly, customer collaboration includes marketing events, webinars, sales processes, and overall customer experience, all accessible through a single interface.

The focus is on maximising Customer Lifetime Value through the synergy between employee experience (EX) and customer experience (CX).

“While customer service leaders recognise the importance of consistently delivering good experiences, only a third of customers feel that customer service organisations are improving,” Nathan shares. “Losing a significant percentage of customers due to bad experiences can severely harm a business.”

Studies indicate that customer expectations have risen over the years, making it crucial for businesses to shift quickly and excel in CX. This highlights the challenge of meeting customer needs in an uncertain environment while facing resource constraints.

Nathan spoke about a Global CX Excellence Report which identified six pillars of CX excellence: personalisation, trust, minimising customer effort, meeting expectations, resolution and empathy. “Meeting these customer expectations requires holistic thinking and cross-team collaboration.”

The six pillars of CX excellence identified by the Global CX Excellence Report are personalisation, trust, reducing customer effort, meeting expectations, resolution, and empathy, Nathan has also stressed. Personalisation, empathy, and minimising time and effort are among these that are particularly important. It takes cross-team cooperation and comprehensive thinking to meet these client expectations,” says Nathan.

Jayraj Nair, Customer Experience Lead-ASEAN, Zoom acknowledges that to redefine and transform the CX and EX, it is important to address the challenges of siloed teams and disconnected tools. According to reports, a total experience approach is vital and 60% of large enterprises are expected to adopt this by 2026.

To deliver consistently good customer experiences, it is essential to bring together employee productivity and CX strategies. By combining these two elements effectively, businesses can create a harmonious and seamless interaction between the company and its customers, resulting in enhanced customer satisfaction.

Organisations that provide a total experience, connecting employees and customers, are projected to outperform competitors in satisfaction metrics by 2024.

Employee productivity refers to the efficacy and efficiency with which employees carry out their duties within an organisation. When employees are productive, they can provide customers with superior service and support, ensuring that their requirements are met promptly and satisfactorily.

Similarly, CX strategies involve the planning and execution of initiatives designed to improve the overall consumer experience when interacting with a company. This includes personalised communication, streamlined procedures, user-friendly interfaces and effective problem resolution.

Zoom offers a comprehensive CX + EX platform that seamlessly integrates employee and customer experiences, says Jayraj. This unified experience is made possible by leveraging the end-to-end capabilities of the Zoom platform, allowing customers to access the desired functionality from the cloud when and where they need it.

“The introduction of the Zoom Contact Centre is seen as an exciting innovation that drives loyalty and retention through prompt and personalised customer interactions,” Jayraj explains. “With Zoom handling the heavy lifting, organisations can focus on their employees and customers.”

Closing Remarks

Nathan expressed his gratitude for the participants’ valuable time and their active participation in the Lego-building exercises. He also acknowledged their insightful comments, which added depth to the discussions.

He reiterated the importance of prioritising customer service and stressed the need to consistently provide a positive experience throughout the entire organisation. By maintaining a customer-centric approach, businesses can build strong relationships, foster loyalty, and achieve long-term success.

Nathan shared that Zoom has transformed from a simple application into a comprehensive platform and highlighted the significant business value that comes with utilising Zoom’s diverse range of solutions. These include Zoom Phone, telephony, team chats and meeting rooms that offer businesses a holistic communication and collaboration experience, enabling seamless connectivity, efficient team communication, and productive meetings.

“These solutions can be integrated and readily used for immediate benefit,” he confirmed.

In addition, Nathan emphasised the importance of each step in developing a customer experience strategy. This includes incorporating web chat, video, phone capabilities and other relevant tools. The focus is on providing the right tools to serve both internal and external customers, to enhance the user experience (UX) and customer experience (CX). By aligning these experiences seamlessly, businesses can ensure that interactions with customers are efficient, effective and ultimately satisfying for all parties involved.

Mohit acknowledged the significance of technology partnerships in driving innovation, accelerating development and fostering success across various industries.

By collaborating with external technology partners, businesses can access specialised expertise, leverage cutting-edge technologies and combine resources to create innovative solutions and stay competitive in the rapidly evolving market landscape.

These partnerships enable organisations to tap into a broader ecosystem, unlocking new opportunities and facilitating growth in their respective industries. Moreover, having access to new consumer segments, geographic regions, or industry verticals, technology partnerships offer opportunities for market expansion.

By combining concepts, research, and development efforts, partnering with technology experts can expedite innovation. The pooling of resources, talent, and perspectives frequently accelerates the development of innovative products and services.

“Partnerships can play a crucial role in helping businesses penetrate markets more efficiently by leveraging existing networks and gaining access to a larger client base, “Mohit concludes. “This allows for accelerated market entry, increased brand visibility and enhanced market reach, ultimately contributing to the growth and success of the involved companies.”

Unveiling Singapore’s Digital Connectivity Blueprint

Singapore’s Minister for Communications and Information, Josephine Teo, unveiled Singapore’s Digital Connectivity Blueprint (DCB), which establishes the orientation for Singapore’s digital connectivity’s next frontier.

Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) partnered with a cloud computing company to launch a Joint Innovation Centre (JIC), a first-of-its-kind in Southeast Asia and appointed 18 high-potential tech professionals as SG Digital Leaders under the SG Digital Leadership Accelerator.

The Blueprint was created in collaboration with the Advisory Panel on Digital Infrastructure, which is co-chaired by Dr Janil Puthucheary, Singapore’s Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information, and other industry partners. It outlines strategic priorities and moves into new frontiers to stay ahead of the curve.

Reports cited that Singapore will continue to invest ahead of demand and plan holistically for the whole digital infrastructure stack, including hard infrastructure, physical-digital infrastructure, and soft infrastructure, to guarantee that the digital infrastructure is future-ready.

The nation is committed to staying ahead of the competition by expanding digital connectivity to provide better lifestyles and new opportunities for people and businesses. Hence, Singapore will increase its focus on the following strategic priorities:

Provide enough capacity for underwater cable landings to double in the next ten years.
Within the next five years, build seamless end-to-end 10 Gbps domestic connectivity.
Ensure digital infrastructure has world-class resilience and security.
Create a roadmap for the expansion of new Green Data Centres and push the sustainability envelope.
Increase the use of the Singapore Digital Utility Stack to broaden the benefits of smooth digital transactions.

Also, Singapore will make movements in more fledgling and frontier areas to capitalise on future opportunities:

Push for a Quantum-safe Singapore within the next ten years.
Lay the groundwork for widespread autonomy.
“Green software” to reduce heightened computing by establishing a nascent ecosystem for sustainable software.
Use Low Earth Orbit satellite services to enable creative solutions in critical industries.

The Blueprint lays a solid foundation for Singapore to achieve better opportunities, stronger trust, and empowered communities.

In addition, Tan Kiat How, Singapore’s Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information, met with the 18 Singaporeans designated as SG Digital Leaders from 16 companies. This is part of IMDA’s initiatives to develop Singaporean leaders in the ICT ecosystem for leadership roles in the digital economy.

The SG Digital Leaders are founders of high-growth tech start-ups, executives at large corporations (MNCs), and inventors creating world-changing technology. These executives come from a variety of backgrounds, lead regional teams, and have experience in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), data, software, and engineering.

The JIC will provide exclusive access to the latest tech showcases and demonstrations, innovation methodology for successful adoption and deployment, and workshops for design thinking, among other things, to inspire corporates and public sector organisations to accelerate industry innovation and support the growth of promising start-ups.

Modern digital infrastructure is critical to Singapore’s growth and prosperity. Businesses and consumers may access information and services more easily with improved connections, boosting innovation and economic competitiveness.

Process automation and digitalisation increase efficiency and production while decreasing expenses while smart city solutions improve resource management and overall quality of life. A well-developed digital infrastructure ecosystem attracts investments and encourages digital economy growth.

Data-driven decision-making gives policymakers more authority. Singapore’s emphasis on contemporary digital infrastructure positions it as a digital age global leader prepared for long-term growth and development.

June 10, 2023

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