The Straits Times / The Business Times News on OSIM

OSIM makes big strides

In just 26 years, it has built a reputation through a promise of value. Founder Ron Sim talks to OH BOON PING about how the brand has grown and its new 'inspiring life' positioning

"Branding plays a key role here for it creates the value and the distinctive difference from others. Over time, what we are trying to build is an experience that grows a value." - Ron Sim seen here in front of a poster on OSIM's i-Gallop.

'When a customer buys our products, he is buying quality, with a sense of reliability and trust. Branding plays a key role here for it creates the value and the distinctive difference from others,' he tells BT in a recent interview. 'Over time, what we are trying to build is an experience that grows a value.'

He should know, having grown the firm from a retailer of massage chairs in Orchard Road to a mainboard-listed firm today that markets its own brand of healthy lifestyle products. Visit an OSIM outlet and you will see that the company has gone to great lengths to create a complete experience for its customers. Yet 26 years ago, OSIM and the concept of 'retail experience' was unheard of.

During the interview, Mr Sim says that to establish a brand platform, a firm needs to first understand how to position its brand, and 'once that's done, the brand's DNA is also created'.

He explains that a brand's DNA or personality helps to differentiate the firm from its competitors and creates the unique retail experience.

When asked about OSIM's brand strategy, Mr Sim says it is to build a premium brand for its health products, coupled with a customer experience that centres on 'the way the products are displayed, the image projected and gives the customers the right feel'.

He adds: 'It is very important to give the right feel as this leaves a deep impression in the customers' minds. That's what helps them remember the brand.'

Educating staff

And OSIM's branding success depends not only on its management, but also every employee in the firm, as 'each of them must be a brand owner, understand what the brand stands for, so that they can provide the requisite experience'.

This, he adds, makes a difference to the brand. To educate its staff on the company's brand positioning and experience, OSIM conducts regular training on its products and features as well as customer service.

Indeed, 'whenever the customer interacts with the staff at every touch point, the brand is affected'.

When asked about OSIM's branding roots, Mr Sim explains that the company was initially very focused on quality service coupled with strong product knowledge.

However, 'there was no brand for our healthcare products in those days, and we soon realise the need to build an identity and create brand concepts to differentiate ourselves'.

By leveraging on its earlier 'health is an attitude' positioning - now replaced by 'inspiring life' - and adopting a holistic approach to branding, OSIM rapidly expanded its range of products and made significant headway in foreign markets. Its brand was the key value driver of the business.

The annual OSIM International Triathlon which the company sponsors.

Globally, OSIM's point-of-sales network consists of more than 1,000 outlets in some 150 cities over 26 countries in Asia, Australia, Africa, the Middle East, the UK and North America.

On its new 'inspiring life' positioning, Mr Sim explains that it was chosen to convey the company's philosophy of inspiring both customers and employees to try out new innovative products and take on challenges.

It is this philosophy that helps inspire a continuing pipeline of new OSIM products to better meet customers' needs. This also means that the company makes an effort to gather feedback from its customers on product features as well as their health needs.

Tapping feedback

Giving the example of its latest i-Gallop, he tells BT that the idea was conceived after feedback from Japanese customers. Though most Singaporeans are not into horse riding, Mr Sim felt that this would only make his product even more popular, 'since it offers them the exercise that comes from the sport without the accompanying risks'.

The company also lives up to its brand philosophy by sponsoring the annual OSIM International Triathlon, which drew over 3,500 participants this year.

According to Mr Sim, 'the triathlon builds stamina, strength and endurance - qualities which we identify with'.

For start-ups and small firms looking to grow their brands, Mr Sim has this advice: first, identify your key products and then decide on your brand positioning, which will then determine your brand strategies.

In addition, advertising and promotion are also an integral part of branding, as it shapes the brand value in the consumers' minds.

'From a commercial standpoint, a brand value has to be projected and delivered. This means customers' satisfaction with the product quality. This also leads to better sales and stronger bottom line.'