Ben Teh
KUCHING: Mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) red ONE Network Sdn Bhd (redONE) is encouraging individuals in Sarawak to take part in its sales advisor programme as it offers a good starting point for would-be entrepreneurs.
In an interview with The Borneo Post on the sidelines of the Borneo Entrepreneurship and Investment Convention 2018 (BEIC 2018) held yesterday, redONE’s chief sales officer and co-founder Ben Teh shared that in light of redONE’s business model, the group’s sales advisors programme addresses the fundamentals of entrepreneurship.
“To start a business, you need a lot of funds, a team and the technology. What redONE can provide is the most basic way of starting a business which is by participating in our sales advisor programme where we will give them the training and system,” he explained.
“Additionally, mobile services is the most in-demand service in the market. On how is redONE going to turn from mobile into the digital economy, mobile is only a connectivity to the other potential segments.
“So, when you take part in redONE mobile services, it means that you are also taking part in fintech or digital businesses that we are going to venture into in the future.”
Teh also pointed out that as a redONE partner, they also have the privilege of addressing the redONE customer base as well.
“When you’re a partner, you actually play two roles, you’re helping redONE to acquire customers but at the same time, you can also sell things to these customers.
“We create a platform where now you bring customers in but next time you can bring products and services in, so we provide a very big digital space for our partners to participate in, thus using redONE base as potential clients to other services that we can bring in.”
Meanwhile, Teh pointed out that Sarawak is currently the fourth largest customer base for redONE, with 150,000 active customers to date.
He noted that with a total subscriber base of almost 1.2 million in Malaysia, Sarawak’s customers account for 12 per cent of redONE’s total base. The biggest is Johor, followed by Klang Valley, Selangor and Sarawak, respectively.
redONE has been in operation for six years and is set to its first million postpaid users mark by August 2018.
“We will be celebrating our first 100 concept stores soon, currently we have 96 stores nationwide.”
On expansion plans, redONE is venturing into Singapore, while there are a few countries the network operator is looking to establish contracts with, such as Vietnam and Thailand. Meanwhile, redONE will be co-branding in Indonesia.
“Our ultimate goal is to make redONE as the Asean brand. With one sim card, anyone with redONE, regardless which country you are from, within this Asean region, you will be using the local charges, that is what
we want to achieve as our biggest mission.”