Singer (Sri Lanka) is a market leader in Sri Lanka’s consumer durables industry with a portfolio of over 52 international brands and a dominant presence in numerous product segments. The company has built trust and respect over 146 years of operations in Sri Lanka, building a formidable market presence with an islandwide reach through 416 retail outlets, over 1,250 dealer points, more than 300 service points and a state-of-the-art e-commerce channel. Singer has garnered respect for transforming the lives of Sri Lankans with technology, creating enriching experiences every day through a comprehensive portfolio of products.

Q: Over the years, how has your organisation evolved to gain respect?

A: As a company, Singer has stood firm for 146 years as a well respected organisation by repositioning itself over time to be ahead of the curve whilst evolving and gaining respect in the long run.

Singer has been uncompromising in the consistent pursuit of its values and attributes for years, which demonstrates that respect cannot be acquired overnight but takes years to earn.

Q: What are the key attributes of your organisation that command respect?

A: The key attributes that garner respect from all our stakeholders are to lead with respect; demonstrate responsibility and integrity; improve and innovate passionately; collaborate for success; respond with agility; and drive sustainability.

These attributes clearly reflect the company’s core values. Employees at all levels in the organisation are familiar with these values and strive to uphold them in their day-to-day functioning or demonstrate them through action.

Q: How important is it for businesses to uphold corporate respect in times of crisis?

A: Corporate values and ethics take on greater importance in tough times; and though organisations may find the going difficult, they will earn respect in the long run. Singer stays the course by innovating and finding solutions within the framework of values. A wrong decision to gain undue advantage can bring disrepute in an instant while respect takes years to earn.

Q: Given the volatile and uncertain business environment, how costly is it to earn and maintain corporate respect today?

A: It’s all a matter of perspective. If companies view the act of upholding values as a ‘cost’, then they will not go far.

At Singer, we comply with our values, ethical operations and good governance regardless of the cost. For example, we were unable to bring in appliances during the crisis due to import regulations but we continued to adhere to them without finding loopholes or circumventing the law, which could lead to loss of reputational risk.

Q: Do technological advancements help corporates in establishing and maintaining respect?

A: Most definitely! It is imperative for local organisations to fall in line with global practices and stakeholder expectations to sustain respect. If organisations keep pace with technological advancements in business practices and become adept at digital marketing, they can remain relevant and competitive.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital technology and it’s important to sustain the momentum to meet evolving consumer expectations. Digital marketing, social media, e-commerce, cloud solutions, internet-based activity, AI, the use of technologically advanced products and cashless transactions are growing fast.

Singer has introduced a Customer Relation Management (CRM) mechanism for its loyal customer base, which strengthens its digital relationship with our consumers along with e-commerce and payment gateways.

Q: How important are stakeholder perceptions, in your opinion – and why?

A: Knowing how stakeholders perceive you is the best way to discover your vulnerabilities.

Therefore, stakeholder perceptions are critical for the sustainability of any organisation and to ensure that they are meeting expectations.

Positive stakeholder perceptions are apparent in the host of accolades won by Singer during 2022/23 including the SLIM-Kantar ‘People Brand of the Year’ award for the 17th year in a row, as well as the ‘People Durable Brand of the Year Award,’ reaffirming its dominance in the consumer durables industry.

Singer will focus on its core business (home appliances and improvements) while venturing into renewable energy, agriculture, and industrial and computing solutions. Enhancing customer convenience, rewarding customer loyalty and rapid digitalisation are priorities for as it seeks to be a catalyst for national development.

SECTOR WINNER CONSUMER DURABLES

QUICK-FIRE ROUND

Three priorities for Sri Lankan corporates today
Retain valued human resources in the country
Use the crisis period to build back better as a leaner organisation that can compete globally
Rebuild the ‘Sri Lanka country’ brand in overseas markets with principals and customers

Three most vital professional values for business leaders
Develop a strong leadership pipeline
Leverage technological advancements to evolve operations
Adapt to next generation needs by connecting with gen Z and the like – as customers or employees

Telephone: 2429222 | Email: singer@singersl.com | Website: www.singer.lk