DESPITE the economic devastation brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Philippine smartphone market ended the year strong shipping 6.5 million units in the last quarter of 2020, recording a 19-percent growth quarter-on-quarter and a 6 percent year-on-year. This was according to a recent report from International Data Corp.âs (IDC) Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. The report also noted a 5-percent growth compared to last year with an accumulated a total of 18.9 million units for 2020.
It was no surprise that smartphones continued to be the most-loaned item for the year. This was confirmed by Home Credit with nearly 900,000 smartphones last year purchased via the financing service. TVs and laptops ranked 2nd and 3rd place, respectively.
Among the top smartphone brands purchased via Home Credit include OPPO, Vivo, realme, Samsung, and Huawei, while ACER, Lenovo and ASUS were cited as the best-selling brands for laptops.
Customers availing loans for phones ranged from employees and students, to entrepreneurs needing new phones for their online businesses, or consumers simply wanting to upgrade to the latest model of their favorite brand through installments.
With many Filipinos continuing to work from home and students still attending their classes online, the demand for laptops, smartphones and other ânew normal essentialsâ will continue to rise. This is according to consumer finance company Home Credit, noting that the trend might be seen not just in 2021 but in the foreseeable future.
âOne of the most defining buzzwords in 2020âânew normalââcontinues to be a relevant word,â said Sheila Paul, Home Credit Philippines chief marketing officer. âAnd as millions of employees and students continue to live, work and play from the [safety] of their homes, we believe that it is starting to shift from ânew normalâ to simply our normal way of life from now on.â
âFilipinosâ love affair with smartphones and other gadgets is well-documented, and as these became even more affordable and feature-packed in recent years, the demand for these productsâand in turn, Home Creditâs financing servicesârapidly grew as well,â noted Paul, adding that the companyâs My Home Credit app has especially grown in recent years with 1.3 million active users at present.
Paul explained that the rising demand for these devices has been evident even prior to the pandemic, with Home Creditâwhich has a nationwide partner store presence and rapidly growing base of mobile app users from its 7 million customersâlisting these gadgets in their top 5 most-loaned items on a regular basis.
âMore than ever, we need online digital tools that allow us to do things like borrow and transfer money, pay bills, and make purchases in a safe and convenient way. And apps such as our My Home Credit App do exactly that, with more and more users embracing these platforms.â
Home Credit Philippines (HCPH) is a consumer finance provider that promotes the principles of financial inclusion and safe lending, providing world-class financing services to qualified customers, often first-time borrowers. Home Credit arrived in the Philippines back in 2013 with the ambitious goal of giving out loans to people who have never experienced them before. Within 7 years, HCPH has helped around 7 million customers buy the things they need through fast, convenient and affordable financing in thousands of stores around the country. In 2019, HCPH was also granted the license to operate as a credit card issuer by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, making it the first non-bank institution in the country to issue credit cards.
BEST WORKPLACES IN THE PHILIPPINES
FOR people whoâve been part of the workforce most of their lives, we know that a high-paying job is just one of the reasons for working and staying in a company. A great workplace draws extraordinary employees that love coming to work every day not just to earn a paycheck. It is one where employees trust the people they work for, have pride in what they do and enjoy the people they work with.
Great Place to Work (GPTW), the global authority on workplace culture and the people behind the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list since 1998, recently revealed the Philippinesâ Best Workplaces for 2021. What makes this year especially significant are the companiesâ bold acts of leadership and heroic response to the Covid-19 crisis, in relation to how they protected and took care of their people, were taken into account.
For 2021, in recognition of the great disruption that leadership confronted due to Covid-19, organizations were asked to respond the question: âTell us about the bold acts of leadership your organization has taken in response to the Covid-19 crisis to create a great workplace for all for your people, in your community or in the world.â
The response to the Culture Audit question accounted for 40 percent of the overall ranking and combined with each organizationâs Trust Index Survey results, which accounted for 60 percent. This included how trustworthy, caring and fair the company is in times of crises; employeesâ physical, emotional and financial health; and the companyâs broader community impact. Particular attention was paid to how employeesâ experiences varied depending on their job role, gender, race/ethnicity, payroll status, and other characteristics to ensure that the company is creating a great workplace for all.
GPTW presented the Philippinesâ Best Workplaces 2021 through a virtual event held last month, with this yearâs theme aimed at honoring the heroism of Filipino workers and employers, as the whole country battles through the pandemic.
DHL Express Philippines emerged as this yearâs top performer, with 98 percent of its employees saying it is a great workplace. The company specializes in express delivery of documents and parcels to over 220 countries and territories worldwide. Guided by the purpose of âconnecting people, improving livesâ, the pandemic did not stop DHL Express from connecting people and businesses securely and reliably, putting them at the forefront of the global fight against Covid-19. The pandemic had a major impact on DHLâs operations, but they remained focused on employee safety as they continue to provide service for their customers. To minimize the risk of exposure, alternate schedules were implemented, while resources were used to provide temporary accommodations and shuttle services.
Synchrony Global Services Philippines, a subsidiary company that manages Synchrony Financialâs call center operations, is at second place with 95 percent of its employees saying it is a great workplace. The company already enforced precautionary measures to protect their employees prior to the implementation of the ECQ. They provided free accommodations for their employees who volunteered to be housed in nearby hotels. They were also provided with transportation services, free on-site meals, and work allowance.
Canva Philippines comes in third, with 94 percent of its employees saying it is a great workplace. Canva has over 40 million monthly active users across over 190 countries, working together on a mission to empower everyone to design. At the onset of the pandemic, the company prioritized staying connected with staff, provided them with a daily food stipend and transportation for employees. Canva also shared its software to support tens of thousands of teachers, students and non-profits.
The other winners are: fourth placeâS&P Global; fifth placeâAmerican Express; sixth placeâAtlassian; seventh placeâPaypal; 8th placeâEricsson; ninth placeâIngram Micro; and 10th placeâWestern Union AROC.
To learn more about Great Place to Work, this yearâs Best Workplaces awardees or how to get certified, visit www.greatplacetowork.com.ph.