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Ceylinco Life fetes top performers

The top performers Ceylinco Life’s 5,000 strong sales team islandwide were honoured recently for magnificent performances that contributed to the company’s growth in 2008 and achievement of market leadership for the fifth successive year.

Branch Sales Heads, Unit Heads, Sales Executives and Sales Consultants from all districts in Sri Lanka gathered at the BMICH to pay tribute under the theme ‘Together - Yes, We Can’, for their role in the company’s achievement of Rs 8.25 billion in premium income last year. More than 350 awards were presented at this event.

Chief guest, Chairman of the Insurance Board of Sri Lanka (IBSL) Udayasri Kariyawasam said, “it is those who are receiving awards today who have brought Ceylinco Life to leadership, and such performances contribute to the development of the insurance industry. The growth of the insurance industry in turn contributes to the development of the financial services sector and consequently to the national economy, Kariyawasam said.

Elaborating on some of the reasons for the current crisis facing international and national economies and companies, Kariyawasam said that although banks, finance and leasing companies have had problems, the insurance sector had not faced setbacks. There has to be a coming together of companies to manage the current economic crisis, and it is critically important for insurance companies to maintain the trust and confidence of their policy holders by giving priority to the public interest.

The Joint Deputy Chairman of Ceylinco Life R. Renganathan paid tribute to the award winners and the members of the company’s sales team for overcoming all the challenges faced by the industry and the company in 2008 to post results that consolidated Ceylinco Life’s market leadership.

Authorised dealers for Olympus cameras

Brown and Company PLC, sole agents for Olympus cameras in Sri Lanka introduced a new customer touch point through the appointment of reputed studios as authorized dealers for the brand.

The first such studio dealership was launched in Matale when Crown Studio was appointed as an authorized dealer for Olympus cameras.

CEO/GMD of the Browns Group Murali Prakash said that due to the popularity of Olympus cameras, being technologically advanced yet competitively priced product offer, the demand for these cameras have grown. Therefore, we believe that we need to have more customer touch points in different regions and reputed and trusted studios was an obvious choice.

The owner of Crown Studio Matale, Priyantha Herath said being a professional in photography he has seen the technological advancements that Olympus has made in their digital product offerings and since there is a product portfolio for every type of user this product would do well in the region”.

The setting up of a new dealership channel to facilitate customers to buy the genuine product from Brown Company and its authorized dealer.

“We see customer facing immense difficulty having purchased cameras from other sources especially when it comes to servicing, purchase of accessories and product information.

Early Avurudhu for Standard Chartered Credit Card holders

The Standard Chartered Bank is repeating its seasonal promotion launched in December last year during this Avurudhu season as well from card holders and partner establishments.

The Avurudhu bonanza allows credit card holders to shop at any of the Arpico Supercentre/Superstore, Odel and Hameedia outlets and be rewarded with gift vouchers worth Rs. 1,000 for every Rs. 5,000 spent with their Standard Chartered Credit Card. These vouchers are redeemable at any of the partner outlets for a further purchase of Rs. 5,000. The promotion commences on March 15 and will run up to April 15, 2009.

“We believe in being the right partner to all our customers and have been constantly providing true value to our card holders by means of value added benefits and services offered with the Standard Chartered Credit Card.

The 2008 seasonal campaign was a great success for our customers and merchants as there was no limit to the savings a card holder enjoyed through the gift vouchers he was rewarded with, and our merchants had the opportunity to reach a broader range of customers” Head of Credit Cards, Standard Chartered Bank Sheahan Arasaratnam said. “Our partners Arpico, Odel and Hameedia are well patronised by customers during the Avurudhu season”.

Stanley Carvalho launches Orion Consultants

Stanley Carvalho launched his Consultancy Company Orion Consultants, specialising Consumer Insights based Strategy, in brand and brand communications.

Speaking on the niche role of his Consultancy in the current brand marketing scenario, he said that his endeavours will be focused on achieving the best synergies in partnership with clients in their marketing efforts of building successful brands. Such synergistic and strategic partnerships are imperative in the context of the dynamics of a challenging market place, a choice empowered consumer and finally in achieving a meaningful and productive consumer engagement.

He said in today’s context of the economic downturn and diminishing consumer confidence, if brand communication strategies are to be relevant and effective, then consumer insights is given. That is the mission of Orion Consultants. That is what Orion is committed to deliver.

Consumer insights will be the foundation on which all brand and brand communication strategies will be built, to achieve that elusive ‘connect’ with the consumer. I must clearly differentiate ‘Insights’ from ‘Information.’ Insight is the skill to sift through loads of information and facts and pick the all important core.

It is the ability to look into the hearts and minds of consumers, discover the touch-points that help brand communications connect meaningfully. Insights, detect the ‘feelings’ behind the facts.