Newsletter: Viewpoint

As the saying goes, “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” That’s certainly the case when it comes to having InfoComm Southeast Asia back in action for the first time in three years as the region begins to reopen from COVID-19 lockdowns. In fact, we’re finding the opportunities in Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Indonesia are growing rapidly, which makes us confident this will be a fruitful show.

We always believed there was significant potential in Southeast Asia, which is why we established our base of operations in Singapore in 2019 just prior to the onset of COVID. While we had already enjoyed strong relationships with a number of local integrators, we felt the need to put feet on the ground to better serve this increasingly significant market.

Through our Singapore office, we have spent the past two and a half pandemic-compromised years doing the same thing that we've been doing in the U.S. and Europe—putting a strong focus on education and training. We didn't have the opportunity to meet face-to-face in many instances outside of Singapore. We instead took the opportunity to continue connecting with existing and potential customers through our monthly training sessions, and on a more personal note, remotely via Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google chat calls. During this period, we also were given a valuable look at local requirements for future projects which are now moving forward as COVID abates and things start to normalize.

It was in the beginning of the second quarter of this year that we saw the markets start to open. As new projects, as well as those that had been put on long hold began to move forward, we doubled down on getting demonstration equipment into the region, building our sales base and branding. Our ability to deliver products in weeks (which is far faster than the industry norm) has been praised by integrators who have been able to secure and finish jobs in a timely fashion and thus generate the cash to not only meet payroll but to grow their businesses.

One thing we’ve noticed about integrators and end-users in the Southeast Asia market is that they are sticklers when it comes to technology. “Believe me” doesn’t go far. They really want to understand how things work and make certain that they do. Our products – which support all signal distribution options from AVoIP, RF modulation and video streaming – along with our renowned service and breadth of experience in myriad applications, position us well to be a leading AV technology partner in the region. Whether for LED screens or for simple 10080P requirements, we can address all applications and use cases with the appropriate technology.

We look forward to the return of InfoComm Southeast Asia and believe it will provide many worthwhile opportunities for exhibitors and attendees alike. We expect a significant audience of AV and IT pros from Thailand of course, but expect there will be many people who will travel from other parts of the region to participate. We’re quite bullish on the opportunities and learnings that will come out of this exhibition and believe it can be a springboard to fully engage in the tremendous potential we see for our company, and the industry, in the years to come.

If you are attending InfoComm Southeast Asia, don’t forget to stop by booth Z11 to say hello. And if you ask, we’ll sing you a welcome back serenade.

Regards,

Bob Michaels
CEO, ZeeVee