Re-imagining the Future — Leading Through the Unknown

By Chesca Gardaya

Maneuvering organizations through our current situation is likened to how Lewis and Clark had to deal with the unknown during their expedition. Like skilled navigators, paying attention to guideposts and signs can make the journey manageable.

Last September 9, 2020, I attended the 5th Ayala-FINEX Finance Summit webinar entitled “Re-imagining the Future — Leading Through the Unknown,” the first in a three-part series. It featured Ayala Corporation Chairman and CEO Mr. Jaime Augusto Zobel De Ayala (JAZA), who started his talk by citing that stakeholder centricity has been paramount for the Ayala Corporation these past few months. He added that they have already harnessed the data they have gathered in their digital transformation efforts through AC Analytics.

JAZA shared that the Ayala Corporation is adopting a phased approach to face the challenges brought about by the pandemic, as well as its potential aftermath. This change was started when ECQ was implemented. Two months after quarantine was lifted, they started planning six months ahead, instead of their usual five-year view. Once done, they re-imagined their organization in three key areas:

• Rethinking how they could reach their customers
• Redesigning how they work and operate their companies
• Revisiting and renewing their commitment to broader communities around them

How to Reach Customers

For numerous organizations, the pandemic has accelerated the need for digital transformation, with COVID-19 as a catalyst. Ayala Group’s online channels have doubled their pre-quarantine numbers. BPI saw 81% of their transactions shift to digital through the BPI mobile app, 118% growth in overall transactions, and 125% increase in platform enrollments. GCash transactions have also doubled, while user enrollments have increased since ECQ was implemented.

For their online retail platform, Zalora, they initially saw a dip in transactions in the first part of the ECQ and, by mid-April, transactions picked up and increased — even higher than the pre-quarantine period. The increase in transactions is attributed to the addition of essential items to the formerly fashion-only platform. It is no secret that Ayala Corporation is also well known for its mall business. JAZA admitted that there has been a steep decline in their mall business; only 20–25% of their mall customers have returned due to quarantine restrictions.

Another area that they saw an opportunity in was digital healthcare. They launched the HealthNow mobile app in May, which is available for both Android and Apple devices. It now boasts of 11,000 online consultations since its launch. In the next few months, they are looking at widening their reach through different health services like medicine deliveries and video consultations.

Redesigning How they Work

The Ayala Group’s digital transformation framework was launched in mid-2019. Analytics was key to making the data-driven decisions they have made. They have set up an active fund of $200M for innovation, robotics, and technology.

Since COVID-19 made them reinvent the way they work, they have invested in keeping their employees active through engagement, re-tooling, and continuous learning. They have kept a structured work-from-home arrangement for employees through the use of online applications for communication; for their re-tooling and learning, the Ayala University has partnered with Coursera and Degreed; and to keep their employees engaged, they have conducted AC Virtual Fridays, which is a weekly townhall meeting to check their employees’ wellness. JAZA has highlighted that for their current work setup, trust is the most valuable thing. And while productivity is appreciated, he does not heavily worry about the employees’ productivity.

He also shared that due to changing consumer behavior, they are looking into new roles for their office spaces. Since the hybrid work arrangement is going to be relatively permanent for their organization, they are looking at a more outcome-based evaluation and task-based approach when it comes to work. Meanwhile, physical offices can be used for socials, team meetings, townhalls, collaboration, and mentorship.

Revisiting and Renewing Role in Society

The Ayala Group has been praised by the public sector as one of the foremost organizations in COVID-19 response. Among their various initiatives include the conversion of several of their QualiMed clinics and hospitals as holding/quarantine centers for their affected employees.

They have also partnered with around 270 private organizations for Project Ugnayan-Damayan to deliver food aid in a targeted and timely manner.

The Ayala Group has also joined several big organizations, in partnership with the Philippine Government, for Taskforce T3 (Test, Trace, Treat), wherein they established more accessible testing for the masses, solid contact-tracing framework, and working towards treating affected individuals.

JAZA believes that the private sector should build trust and goodwill through meaningful impact. Public institutions should establish a conducive environment for businesses to succeed. The private sector can do good if they are able to do well.

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About the author:

Self-confessed ambivert Chesca is a bibliophile and a music lover. This mother of two loves trying out something new, especially when it comes to food and beauty.