At present, successful enterprises are no longer made or broken by mere blindsighted sticking to one’s guns, but rather by their ability to cope and adapt to the changing technological landscape.
For 30 years, Micro-D International, Inc. (MDI) has partnered with some of the Philippines’ leading companies in embracing disruptive technology and take the necessary steps to digital transformation.
And to the company’s CEO Myla Villanueva, a pioneer of the adaptation of many technological innovations in the local corporate setting, the holy trinity of digital transformation is the marriage between technological design, physical space and brand aspiration–all contributing to create a remarkable customer experience.
“The challenge for businesses today is how they can integrate their backend with their front [end] to bring their brand aspirations to life,” Villanueva noted.
She adds that every groundbreaking piece of technology today considered the human element and how they interact with each other while complementing the surroundings.
Working mostly hidden from the spotlight, MDI has been involved in the digital transformation journeys of businesses crossing different industries including telecommunications, power, retail and banking and finance.
However, the company’s recent partnership with UnionBank of the Philippines for The ARK–the brand’s groundbreaking retail hub at the heart of the Makati City Business District–has brought MDI’s digital transformation philosophy and expertise to the fore.
“The ARK is a bridge between the real-world banking experience and the digital experience, which we have made possible by teaming up with our partners, led of course by MDI,” said UnionBank deputy center head for Consumer Finance and chief user experience officer (CXO) Anna Aboitiz-Delgado.
The ARK, is considered a “third space:” a hybridization of the traditional banking experience, augmented by digital technology, extending far beyond the established roles of a bank branch. It is the physical manifestation of the successes of the vision of UnionBank and its executives as well as the well thought out execution of MDI and its partners.
“We collaborate with the right partners in promoting true Digital Transformation to make sure
that the DX Trinity come naturally together. This way, we can ensure that an enterprise can make a significant and lasting impact, while generating the ultimate customer experience,” Villanueva explained.
MDI looked at every process, the points of interaction between branch and customer, and researched and experimented on how they could make these processes more efficient and effective.
The painstaking process resulted in a concept branch where clients may move around freely in a more open and inviting setting, and grab a cup of coffee while their transactions are being processed sans physical paperwork.
As a third space, The ARK also serves as an avenue for off-site productivity, with an encouraging atmosphere for the birth of ideas.
Aboitiz-Delgado commented: “We’re very delighted at how MDI and our partners have interpreted our vision and brought our ideas to life at The ARK.”
Also featured in the February 2018 issue of Gadgets Magazine