The wonders of being Ka-Globe! (Why 800,000 retailers enjoy fun lifestyle perks)

MANILA, Philippines - There are three ingredients in the good life: learning, earning and yearning.                                  

US novelist and poet Christopher Morley

Follow your dreams, work hard, practice and persevere. Make sure you eat a variety of foods, get plenty of exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

 US Olympic figure-skater Sasha Cohen

 The top honchos of the Ayala Group’s Globe Telecom denied my long-held suspicions that they have a special operations group within their corporation just creating and sending out the endless deluge of text jokes, greetings, poems or graphics which we delightfully enjoy and pass on multiple times to others. No, they said that this group doesn’t exist, except in this writer’s wild imagination, and that they don’t need that strategy to boost their business revenues.

Why then is Globe so successful in affecting the lifestyles of millions of consumers?

During a recent casual and free-wheeling chat with Globe head of Consumer Sales Ferdinand “Ferdz” M. de la Cruz, he shared with Philippine STAR that one real secret to their phenomenal success as a popular telecom service provider is the way they take care of not only us, the mass consumers, but also their other customers who comprise the over 800,000 retailers of Globe SIM cards, loads and products nationwide.

While other government agencies and non-government organizations (NGOs) mount public relations campaigns and road shows to preach the now-fashionable mantra of “promote entrepreneurship,” Globe has been upholding this exciting cause for years by cultivating, supporting and encouraging its territorial distributors, then their sub-distributors or wholesalers, and their dynamic retailers in every city, town, province and barangay nationwide.

Ferdz said that Globe is excited to be part of the changing and improving lifestyles of over 800,000 micro-entrepreneurs throughout the Philippines who sell Globe products to the public, since these range in profile from college students who wish to augment their allowance or dream to become the future Henry Sy, the housewife who wants to stay home caring for kids but still earning her keep, the sari-sari store owner, the local barbershop, the enterprising office employee selling loads or call cards in his or her workplace, the newspaper vendors or sidewalk vendors, plus many more.

How does Globe monitor and take care of so many diverse “business partners”? Ferdz, who was also former president of several top consumer and multinational firms in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, said that they have organized the “Ka-Globe Retailer Club.” Ferdz and Globe Corporate Communications head Yoly Crisanto laughed when this writer pointed out similarities in their “Ka-Globe” name to those of the country’s top TV networks — “Kapuso” for GMA 7, “Kapamilya” for ABS-CBN 2 and now the new “Kapatid” for TV5.

The Ka-Globe Retailers Club automatically includes all Globe retailers who have maintained a sales volume of at least P5,000 within three months. They are given cards classified according to these tiers based on their monthly sales volumes — “Bronze Retailers” cover those who sell P5,000 to P10,000 per month; “Silver Retailers” cover those who sell over P10,000 to P20,000 per month; and “Gold Retailers” cover those super sellers whose sales hit over P20,000 to P40,000 monthly. Is that the highest, similar to the hierarchy of Olympic and Asian Games winners? No, the Globe executive points out that they still have the “Diamond Retailers” for those who sell over P40,000 or more monthly.

Unknown to many, Globe is also de facto the largest national chain of cash remittance centers nationwide, with 18,000 GCASH REMIT partners nationwide which are also their sub-distributors. They not only sell loads, but serve as cash pick-up points for international and domestic remittance.

What perks or benefits do all these retailers receive from this Ka-Globe set-up nationwide? Ferdz explained: “We here at Globe talk to our customers, because we treat our retailers as our important customers. We try to find out what they want and what they need.”

What lifestyle and business needs and wants are given Ka-Globe retailers? Among these different benefits include free travel insurance and discounted health coverage, so the retailers can use these savings as additional capital to procure Globe products which they can sell. To enhance the lifestyles and quality of life of Ka-Globe retailers, each is given free travel insurance worth P25,000 good for one year and provided for by Coco Life Insurance. For medical services benefits to all Ka-Globe retailers, they can avail of discounts and good medical care from Med Asia Philippines, which is a reputable HMO.

Other lifestyle perks and advantages given to Ka-Globe Retailers Club members include discounted air and sea fares from AirPhil Express and from Negros Navigation as well as discounted accommodation rates from select resorts in Pangasinan, Boracay, Laguna, Cebu, Makati, and Davao. Globe retailers are encouraged to enjoy life and to travel, expanding their horizons as human beings and as micro-entrepreneurs, providing them and their loved ones also opportunities for leisure and relaxation.

Ferdz added: “Globe is the first and only telecommunications company in the Philippines with this unique concept of a retailer club, because we really want to engage our retailers beyond just giving them business support and profit opportunities. We don’t see them only as agents or dealers selling cellphone loads for us, we sincerely want to improve their lifestyles and their quality of life. We see them as our partners in success.”

It is amazing how Globe has organized and taken care of its diverse retailers beyond the usual business or network marketing type system. Their intimate and customized care reminds this writer somewhat of even national religious organizations or churches. Why? Globe executives revealed that as part of their efforts to boost enthusiasm and let every retailer feel important their salo-salo meetings similar to religious Bible study fellowships or even political revolutionary cell groups.

Ferdz said, “We host and conduct thousands of salo-salo meetings per month, with each salo-salo having an average number of about 30 retailers. These meetings are intimate, personalized. We discuss ways on how to improve their sales. We assist and guide them on how to find better credit prospects. We also share the latest Globe offerings, promos and technological innovations. In each salo-salo meeting, we offer special product discounts plus we give out raffle prizes, among others. Every day, there’s a Globe retailer salo-salo happening somewhere in the Philippines.”

How can the average Anna or Juanita or the average Juan de La Cruz or Tomas, Dick and Harry enlist in the Ka-Globe Retailer Club to be a Globe micro-entrepreneur? Is it difficult? Is it costly? What are entrance fees or membership charges? How much? The Globe executive replied that it is so easy and requires a very low capital, incredibly so. He said that for as little as only P70 — cheaper than a Starbucks coffee or an average movie ticket — any person can buy a Globe retailer SIM and be on the road towards more extra income, more success, and a chance at an improved lifestyle.

Before we ended our chat, the Globe executive said that they have another set of special customers whom they take very good care of beyond just the consumers and the retailers. They call these “partner communities” — special groups or organizations in Philippine society with numerous members who need constant and efficient communications.

Ferdz explained that Globe “partner communities” to whom they provide special communication needs fall under four broad categories or types—the religious groups (like El Shaddai group of Brother Mike Velarde with their special Globe SIM called “Joyful SIM, the Jesus is Lord born-again Christian group of statesman Brother Eddie Villanueva with “My Vine” SIM, and the Couples for Christ group with “Ugnay Kalinga” SIM); school groups (De La Salle University, University of Sto. Tomas, the Laurel family’s Lyceum, Asia’s oldest American Protestant school in Dumaguete, Silliman Univeristy, and Atty. Augusto Go’s University of Cebu, etc.); volunteer groups (like Gawad Kalinga SIM); and business organizations (like the fast-growing discount chain of Puregold, Net 25 TV, and the Avon direct selling group).

Each partner community enjoys a customized Globe SIM which allows DLSU students, for instance, to check their grades and receive news about class suspension or give Avon ladies instant access to stock inventory and even to their sales commissions. The Globe executive said that another positive feature of their special service to partner communities are the daily texts of uplifting Bible verses and schedule of religious gatherings for those groups which are religious in nature.

Ferdz said: “We here at Globe do not just give good products at good prices with good reliable technologies in a ‘One size fits all’ approach. Here at Globe, we care about each and every consumer, about each unique retailer and partner out there. We strive to customize our services and products to the unique and diverse communities and partners who are the real secrets behind Globe’s success.”

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