It was 11 years ago that ASUS established its mark in the Philippine market, according to George Su, ASUS Philippines Country Manager, and became a major player in the ICT sector. Su said though they have established quite a following and a sizable market share, he noted that perhaps their most notable and significant performance was during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said they were fortunate enough to achieve the highest market share in the company’s history in the Philippines, particularly in Q3 of this year, where it cornered over 28% market share in June and July according to market research institute Gfk.
“Despite Metro Manila and most of the Philippines are just coming out of the ECQ to a more relaxed GCQ status, many went out to buy the necessary devices and productivity tools since a home-based setup was suggested for both working and learning, causing a surge in the market of more than 3 times compared to the usual 2 times, a real hard demand.”
During that surge, ASUS focused on the Philippine market, Su explained, that despite the skeletal workforce challenge, the limited work days and work hours in Customs and in the overseas factory, they still managed to bring in sufficient stocks that helped ASUS reach the record high market share. “It was enough encouragement for us but more importantly, we did not follow other brands that may have shifted supply to other markets. We trusted the Philippine market really well. There may be some hiccups during the ECQ but eventually, the demand became real and fast that’s why we gained that market share momentum.”
The pandemic also allowed ASUS to put its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts into high gear. Even prior to the pandemic, ASUS donated laptops and other computer units to schools in rural areas like Sto. Domingo National Trade School in Nueva Ecija, and Lamo Elementary School in Dupaxdel Norte, Nueva Vizcaya, a school where many of its students have not even seen or touched a laptop.
And amid the pandemic, despite mobility challenges and limited workforce, ASUS managed to donate to the Jipapad Central Elementary School in Eastern Samar with refurbished 2nd hand equipment available in their office. ASUS also donated laptops to medical facilities and frontliners to fast-track COVID-19 testing. ASUS also touched base with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for its mega swabbing facility.
“We didn’t really consider what we did as achievements but simply a modest contribution to be one with Filipinos in the fight against the pandemic. We have been in the county for 11 years and we believe we know the country quite well. This is what we can do at the very least as a member of society.”
A proud tradition of innovation
As a multinational company known for making some of the world’s best motherboards and high-quality personal computers, monitors, graphics cards, routers and other technology solutions for the past 31 years, ASUS is no stranger to innovation. It is in its lifeblood, its DNA, its overall existence.
ASUS was responsible for creating some of the best products that revolutionized the computing experience of people around the world, using various product innovations and technologies that made it a global innovation and technology leader. Products like the EeePad Transformer, the market’s first-ever2-in-1 PC and the first ASUS Zenbook premium laptop, the Zenbook UX21 back in 2011 were at the forefront of its innovation mindset.
The following year, ASUS introduced another unheard of technology at that time, the world’s first dual-screen ultrabook, the ASUS Taichi, and the first VivoBook with Microsoft’s Windows 8 and Touch Display, the VivoBook S200. ASUS continued to blaze the trail the year after with the ASUS Transformer T100, the first detachable 2-in-1 ASUS Windows laptop that’s truly one of a kind.
And just last year, ASUS proved once more its innovative trademark with the introduction of what it called the “laptop of tomorrow,” the groundbreaking Zenbook Pro Duo that comes with the 4K-capable ScreenPad™ Plus — an innovative secondary display in the laptop that allows users to take their productivity and creativity to the next level.
With more than 17,000 employees scattered around the world, plus a world-class Research and Development team that is driven by innovation and commitment to quality, it is no wonder that ASUS is recognized all over, having won a whopping 4,385 awards in total. It is a fitting testament that highlights its identity as a technology innovator.
And perhaps the best award of them all, Su gushed, is being awarded the “Best Laptop of 2020” in September this year by Laptop Mag. “We competed against the world’s best brands, even those who have been in the market longer than us, not just in market share but also customer feedback, after-sales service, innovation. We are happy that all our hard work to put ASUS at the top finally paid off with this well-rounded recognition that we received for the first time. It took a while but it was well worth it.”
To the 11th year and beyond
As part of its #BeIncredible campaign for this year, Su mentioned two important products that ASUS will introduce to the premium and mainstream markets in the Philippines, the all-metal chassis ASUS ZenBook 13 UX325 and the ASUS VivoBook S14 S433. Su waxed excitement about these two new products, which he thinks will appeal quite nicely to the younger generation that grew up in the digital era. Both come in with a thin and light form factor and with the latest and powerful Intel® 11th generation processors and longer battery life. “With these new products, ASUS will be the first brand to bring the latest Intel® processors to the Philippine market.”
Aside from the products to be introduced, Su said they are looking at another launch before the year ends with new products in the pipeline that will cater to different users like the ASUS Flip model laptops that will be even more convenient to frontliners that will do a lot of field work.
Su emphasized that the Philippine market has always been very significant to Asus for many years and is doing all it can to make it a more significant market. “We want the country to be among the first to experience the innovation and technologies we introduce to other markets. Even in the gaming laptops with the latest graphic cards, we see to it that the Philippines is among the first to experience these products.
As a very significant market to ASUS, Su said it iswilling to invest and experiment with something new. He announced that all Asus laptops, whether consumer, gaming or commercial, purchased from any authorized ASUS shop since January 1, 2020, will be covered by ASUS’ Platinum Warranty Program by default so there’s no need for subscription or registration. Under the program, users are provided one chance, one time in the first 12 months that if the laptop is accidentally damaged, ASUS will cover 80 percent of the cost for repairs and parts, while the consumer will only shoulder the remaining 20 percent. The program is supported by more than 100 authorized ASUS service centers in the country, which is still the most compared to competitors.
“This is our most important assurance to ASUS users in the Philippines. You get the innovation and the technology and the protection through our after-sales service. This means peace of mind for Filipinos whenever they buy an ASUS unit.”