Digital transformation has never been more necessary to daily life than it is today. Since the pandemic occurred, businesses have continued to migrate to online platforms, highlighting the ever-growing need for automated information and communication technology (ICT) solutions. For businesses to succeed in this current environment, they need to invest in ICT that will improve communication, privacy and security, and overall connectivity.
Software developers in particular come face to face with new challenges, the most pressing of which is the growing demand for the products they create. Globe Business rises to this challenge by devising suitable solutions that make workflow not only more efficient, but also safer for developers and users who access the programs they create.
Since the pandemic has only accelerated the speed with which organizations are adopting new technologies, the shortcomings of traditional internet connections have come to the forefront. Globe Business addresses these worries through direct, secure connections for busy offices.
“Dedicated connectivity or Direct Internet is a game-changer for growing businesses. Whether you’re in tech, healthcare, education, retail, finance, etc., connectivity is really now a necessity. Most especially for tech companies and software developers who use and develop their own platforms and systems, having a dedicated bandwidth is a top business need,” discusses Nikki Ebrada, Infocomm Marketing Lead of Globe Business MSME Group, during the talk “Reducing Latency For SaaS Through Connectivity and Automation” at the online SOFTCON.ph 2021: RESURGENCE attended by leaders and innovators in the software development industry.
Direct Internet eliminates latency typically experienced in wired broadband connections. Instead of sharing a pipe with other businesses accessing information online, Direct Internet gives a team its own dedicated internet connection that lets users fully utilize their subscribed bandwidth.
Direct Internet eases the pain points software developers encounter with insufficient connections, from the inability to transfer high volumes of data to having multiple users on the internet simultaneously.
Along with reliable and dedicated connectivity, software developers also need efficient and automated methods of responding to business needs as employees continue to work from home. Application programming interfaces, or APIs, enable them to keep businesses connected to both employee and consumer, with no fuss.
These are just a few of the pay-per-use APIs from Globe Labs that developers can use to streamline business interactions.
Globe Labs’ Business Development Manager, Diego Garcia, talked about the business problems solved by automation through Globe Labs APIs at SOFTCON.ph: “Electricity forever changed the way businesses work, and connectivity is the electricity of today. If employees in a remote working environment need connectivity wherever they are, how do we provide this to them? How do we allow businesses to provide for their employees and customers?”
One application of Globe Labs APIs is Load Up, a platform that lets businesses disburse Globe/TM load to thousands of recipients. Globe also eases communication using its own Interactive Voice Engagement Solution (IVES) and M360 to disseminate information and surveys to customers and perform welfare checks on and give announcements to teams.
Globe understands that an organization is never truly secure unless every member of the organization has a good grasp of data privacy. This is why Globe Business offers ADPRIMAS, or Automated Data Privacy Management Solution, which educates employees on principles of data privacy through reports and training materials.
“It assesses the level of competence of everyone, from the management to the security guard because there’s got to be a meeting of the minds between the technical people and the guys who are going to use it. You may be talking from different aspects as far as privacy is concerned. You must be on the same wavelength and understanding,” discussed founding chairman Titus Manuel of the National Association of Data Protection Officers of the Philippines at the 2021 SOFTCON.ph.
ADPRIMAS supports the Data Privacy Team and Human Resources Department through timely information and assistance. The data provided allows the Team and Department to address points for Privacy Compliance and Management improvements. This is made possible through summary reports of assessment results and a marketplace of eLearning Courses (Consultant/Instructor Assisted). They are vital for the needed privacy competence upgrade for every employee in the institution.
Globe Business also boasts of resources to support its partners as they use Globe Business ICT solutions, first through their training-as-a-service (TRaaS) offer. The group also has Globe Business Academy that gives users access to business tools, hacks, and expert advice; and, finally, an exclusive program named Upstart, which rewards MSMEs with exclusive perks and benefits.
When strong connectivity, automation tools, sufficient data privacy knowledge, and access to knowledge and training work hand in hand, businesses are in the best position to thrive amidst rapidly evolving times. Globe Business provides all these for software developers to support organizations in digital adoption.
Learn more about Globe Business’ solutions for software developers and other innovations here: glbe.co/infocomm.
30 July 2021, Manila – Farm Box, a start-up that encourages individual investment to benefit local farmers, emerged the Hack-it-On grand winner at Globe Business’ virtual hackathon competition, the company’s largest initiative in celebration of the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s (DICT) National ICT Month. Globe Business announced the winners at a virtual awards ceremony together with their partners, the Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA), the Philippine Computer Society (PCS), and Globe’s innovative developer community Globe Labs.
The Farm Box team, composed of John Lester Mendoza, John Christopher Francisco, Anjenette Lopez and Felix Veroya, proposed an innovative business plan around the incorporation of Globe Labs’ Charging API, SMS API, and Rewards API to increase customer engagement and retention. Their project was judged the most outstanding invention for its ease of use, market viability and social impact.
“This competition has definitely helped us unlock a new level of creativity in coming up with solutions to uplift our local economy through Globe Business’ API Solutions. We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to have worked with key leaders in the IT industry. These innovative solutions will help us engage more people to help our local farmers and growers,” said John Lester Mendoza, Co-Founder and CEO of Farm Box.
With the theme “Hack-It-On. Own the Power of API Innovation,” Globe Business’ month-long event pitted 50 business start-ups from the IT sector in friendly competition. Through the month-long journey, participants confronted key pain points and critical challenges typically faced by our local MSMEs today as they devised groundbreaking solutions that leveraged Globe Labs APIs.
A trusted partner in digital transformation, Globe’s MSME arm held the hackathon competition to recognize the IT and Business Process Management industry as an enabler of micro, small and medium enterprises.
“We recognize the indispensable role that the IT industry plays in driving the competitiveness and continued digital evolution of our local businesses. Through this event, we hope that we have inspired more businesses by demonstrating what can be achieved by leveraging technological solutions to bring their ideas to life and achieve their business objectives,” said Nicola Ebrada, InfoComm Industry Marketing Lead, Globe Business MSME Group.
The virtual event kicked off on June 18 with enablement workshops for participating teams to give them insights and the know-how for their proposed solutions. The teams were given until June 29 to submit their business plan development.
From the 50 teams that participated in the competition, five teams were selected to demonstrate their solutions during the second leg of the competition on July 23: Team Evocodes, Team Sakap, Team Shop Na Dito, and Team Vioxys.
Finalists were selected based on business feasibility, tech viability, social impact and usage of Globe Labs API.
Farm Box, the grand winner in the virtual competition, brought home P200,000 worth of prizes, including a P100,000 cash prize awarded through GCash, tickets to the PSIA Softcon 2021, and 50% discount on the PCS Information Security certification training. As finalists, they also received GMovies vouchers, Globe myBusiness Prepaid Internet Kits, and gift boxes from Globe Business. All the participants received e-certificates of participation.
Relive the exciting Hack-It-On moments by watching the Kick-Off Event and Awards Ceremony on Globe Business’ Facebook page.
To beef up its support to the IT-BPM industry, Globe Business has also launched special offerings for customers who subscribed to Globe Labs API solutions for a minimum contract value. To know more about Globe Business’ enabling offers for local SMEs, visit https://go.mybusinessacademy.ph/ICTMonthOffers.
The economy has seen the rapid adoption of digital technologies among businesses to survive and thrive through the pandemic. Recognizing the need to fill the gap, the Philippine government has undertaken several initiatives to further strengthen the digital capabilities of local SMEs.
“We at the DICT continuously build strong Filipino start-up communities. We want to uplift the technology and business ecosystem of the country and present an opportunity to highlight the best of what the Philippine start-ups and ecosystem has to offer,” shared Emmy Lou Delfin, Director of the ICT Industry Development Bureau of the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT).
In support of this year’s National ICT Month, spearheaded by the DICT with the theme “Onwards Through ICT: Building a Stronger Philippine Digital Economy,” Globe Business launched several initiatives aimed at helping micro, small and medium enterprises fast-track digital transformation.
“As a staunch supporter of the ICT sector in the Philippines and the ICT Month, Globe Business believes in creating greater awareness on its valuable contribution to the economy and how digital transformation can fuel its growth,” said Nicola Ebrada, Industry Lead for InfoComm, Globe Business MSME Group.
Check out the Hack-it-on Kick-off event held last June 18 here:
Globe Business’ biggest initiative for the ICT Month is a virtual hackathon competition themed “Hack-It-On. Own the Power of API Innovation,” which puts the spotlight on the Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) industry as an enabler of MSMEs.
The hackathon brought together talented individuals in information technology and business start-ups to create cutting-edge digital solutions that will empower businesses to thrive today and accelerate the shift towards a connected tomorrow using Globe Labs API solutions.
Participating teams went through enablement workshops to gain insights and techniques useful for their proposed apps or programs. The team with the most innovative digital solution will be awarded P200,000-worth of prizes from Globe, at the awarding ceremony on July 29.
As part of Globe Business’ ICT Month offerings, customers who subscribe to Globe Labs API solutions for a minimum contract value will be able to choose from the following complimentary gifts: an 8th Generation iPad, up to P50,000 worth of GCash Credits, or Paid Training amounting to P30,000.
With Globe Business, MSMEs have five options of API solutions to choose from:
Meanwhile, to help enterprises operate more efficiently despite current restrictions, Globe Business also launched several special offers to make remote working more productive.
Companies can choose from a range of subscriptions such as myBiz Data Plan 999, a 20GB data plan inclusive of a pocket wifi or a Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0; Google Workspace, which includes productivity apps like Gmail, Drive, Docs, and Meet; Cloud Payroll, to automate salary computations, reduce errors, and track employee hours accurately; and many more.
Learn more about the InfoComm ICT month offers and activities at https://go.mybusinessacademy.ph/InfoCommICTMonth.
Digital transformation is crucial in driving enhanced customer experience, helping brands rise to the top in this increasingly competitive landscape.
In the third installment of its masterclass series developed to help small businesses succeed, Globe Business Academy focused on Application Programming Interface (API), a software interface that allows communication between two applications, in order to create connected customer experiences. Did you know that an API enables companies to send branded messages to large groups of recipients? It can also create and administer rewards programs for customers, and provide accessible payment options, among others.
Sharing their expertise and experience at the masterclass were professionals from the Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA), the InfoComm Technology Association of the Philippines (ITAP), and Globe Labs, the innovative developer arm of Globe.
To put things in perspective, ITAP President Carlo Subido highlighted how the continuing disruption of the digital economy has spawned the emergence of new technologies and shifted the battle from size to speed, making it crucial for businesses to swiftly go digital and embrace new tools to help them stay ahead of the curve.
“In order to accelerate your digital future, we need to start by innovating with application transformation and it’s no longer the big beating the small but the fast beating the slow,” said Subido.
He explained that the first step towards digital transformation is switching the business to the cloud and using APIs in order to streamline IT operations. The more modern infrastructure will help businesses deliver better and more delightful customer experiences where they are served faster and more efficiently.
PSIA President Jonathan de Luzuriaga also underscored the need to create fast and high-quality software for use by the growing number of internet users globally, citing that over 316 million more people joined the online community from January 2020 to January this year.
A big percentage of internet users are spending more time on mobile applications—from streaming videos and music, communicating through messaging services, playing video games, and creating and uploading videos.
To be able to reach this growing online community faster, Luzuriaga said that businesses need to utilize APIs to create the right applications.
“One of the reasons why we have a strong partnership with Globe and some of their subsidiaries is because they offer APIs that make our lives in the software development sector so much easier,” said de Luzuriaga, who is also the CEO of local software company Spring Valley Tech Corporation, which is poised to become the Philippines’ Silicon Valley.
“Utilizing APIs for software development creates the space for businesses to focus on what really matters the most: interacting and listening to customers, and making changes that would make customers happy,” he emphasized.
Giving a run-through of Globe Labs’ suite of APIs, Chris Cheng, Vice President for Products and Technology of Globe’s Digital Solutions Group, described how each of the solutions can help increase customer reach, improve customer engagement and streamline business operations using real-world examples.
Globe Labs solutions include SMS API, Load API, Charging API, Sponsored Access and Voice API—all of which are also being utilized by Globe for its own operations and services, including its public hotspot service GoWiFi, its movie ticketing app GMovies, and IVES, its automated voice calling platform.
“The Globe Labs APIs enable our customers to develop creative solutions to drive business growth. We encourage businesses to get started with APIs by registering for a developer account at www.globelabs.com.ph,” said Cheng.
The Globe Business Academy Masterclass aims to increase the know-how and competencies of IT influencers and business owners who have basic experience with ICT solutions. Other masterclasses lined up in the coming months until September include Data Privacy and Security, Cloud Security, and Marketing and CRM.
To learn more about Globe Business’ API, connectivity, and suite of digital solutions, sign-up for a free digital consultation with an Account Manager here: http://glbe.co/MCOffers3.
With the extended lockdown, more businesses realize that going digital is a must to survive and thrive. For entrepreneurs who want to revamp their business but are intimidated by complicated jargon and too many options, Globe myBusiness Academy (GmBA) introduces ‘solu-Shawn’, a go-to digital coach who can guide them on their journey.
Shawn’ is an online guide who can help business owners understand the many technology options open to them, to help them run their operations more smoothly. In his video series “Solutions from Shawn”, he explains different ICT tools and solutions in a simple and straightforward way.
“We want to break the barrier that prevents MSMEs from enhancing their business operations. ‘Solutions from Shawn’ is our way to equip entrepreneurs with the understanding of how they can maximize these tools to support their daily business activities,” said Globe myBusiness Strategy and Marketing Head Maridol Ylanan.
For its debut video, Shawn explains in three minutes the Application Programming Interface (API) solution —or simply put, a software that allows communication between two applications to make businesses run more smoothly.
API’s in fact solve various business day to day operational issues. School administrators who struggle to stay connected with parents, students, and staff or BPO firms that don’t have enough agents to field calls, may find APIs useful in solving various business operational problems. How? Shawn teaches us that APIs will let schools send messages in bulk to families and faculty, and enable BPOs to respond to concerns of multiple customers all at once.
Shawn’s upcoming videos include Cloud Payroll, Cybersecurity, and Cloud Solutions will clearly explain how each solution can be useful across various scenarios in different industries. The video series will be a boon to business owners who want to thrive in an increasingly tech-driven economy.
About Globe myBusiness Academy
Globe myBusiness Academy provides its members access to insights, tips, and exclusive online videos that empower entrepreneurs. It is an online learning site designed to provide business owners and decision makers with easy access to articles and insights from industry experts.
To learn more about Globe myBusiness Academy and ICT Solutions videos from Shawn, visit Solutions from Shawn by Globe myBusiness | Globe myBusiness Academy.
UPDATE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION:
Exclusive offers, event invites, and freebies await when you update your contact details! Get these and receive real-time notifications on your account when you update now: glbe.co/Get-Updates-GmBA
This white paper focuses on the increased relevance of the IT-BPM industry to the Philippine economy before the Covid-19 pandemic, and beyond
With resilience, this industry goes head on with the renewed challenges brought by the pandemic; it remains strong to be able to perform the outsourced tasks to them by the other industries.
Hand-in-hand with Globe myBusiness, the industry’s goal is to educate SMEs and accelerate their digital adoption. This will ease their operations and achieve greater profitability and better customer experience.
With the new normal making digital channels the main marketplaces, business landscapes are increasingly becoming competitive. Key decision-makers are challenged to equip themselves, and their IT infrastructure, with new tools that are both innovative and intuitive toward customers’ needs.
Automated Programming Interface (API) addresses some of the main challenges that hamper business growth, such as keeping up with your customers and reaching them at the right time. API is a channel through which several apps can communicate with each other on one network.
These APIs allow app creators to shorten development time and create multiple customer touchpoints. Want to reach your customers in real-time and create more meaningful relationships? Here are the main hurdles that APIs get past to help you achieve just that.
Confirmation messages such as security verification, billing statements, purchase updates, and airline and hotel bookings are crucial in giving your customers a feeling of assurance. Aside from building more credibility for your brand, sending carefully planned messages at the right time lets you add a more personal touch with reminders and customer feedback.
Doing all the things mentioned above is a pain if you or someone in your team has to do it manually. With APIs, business owners can customize messages based on the transaction and send mass texts to customers through the app.
Now that we’ve piqued your interest, you’re probably wondering how you can get started with this service, and how API integration works. This video explains both:
How can we help? Speak to our account managers who will help you get started with all you need by assessing your needs and the corresponding requirements. You will have the convenience of talking to one single person for all your technology needs.
Our assistance doesn’t end at the first step – don’t worry, we will handhold you all throughout the process for seamless integration, and even refer to you accredited System Integrators (SIs) for any assistance you need on the actual set-up.
Don’t know how to get started with all the exciting ideas running through your mind? Here are some sample messages to help you.
And know that whatever industry you are in, you’re bound to reap the benefits of API.
Schools can inform students and parents on enrollments, grades, and cancellations. Top students and faculty members can also receive automated rewards!
Learn more here
Financial institutions will make sending and receiving money effortless yet secure, with system features that reduce capital investment and speed up the launch of new services.
Learn more here
Cooperatives will help members and employees update their accounts through SMS, Voice, Sponsored Access, and Rewards solutions that only require minimal capital investment.
Learn more here
BPOs can promote their digital solutions through SMS, Charging, and Voice APIs that power communication, provide alternative payment methods, and streamline processes for inquiries and feedback.
Learn more here
Telco powered APIs come with other capabilities. From the largest mobile subscriptions for your SMS API to our wide portfolio or ICT and connectivity products, Globe is a one-stop-shop that will seamlessly bring your business to the new phase of digital business management.
Schedule a consultation with our account managers and see how API can help you meaningfully sustain your growing customer base.
UPDATE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION:
Exclusive offers, event invites, and freebies await when you update your contact details! Get these and receive real-time notifications on your account when you update now: glbe.co/Get-Updates-GmBA
Get access to all our exclusive member-only content
By clicking the sign-up button, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.