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Does digitalisation help or hinder personalisation? Three family business leaders weigh in.

- By MARY LIM

As digital transformation sweeps across Singapore's business landscape, even legacy brands steeped in tradition are feeling the pressure to adapt. According to the Singapore Business Federation's (SBF) 2024 Smart-Enabled Business report, 94 percent of companies cited digitalisation as a top priority—implementing tools like cloud computing, Al, and automation to streamline operations and enhance customer experience.

Regionally, the KPMG 2024 CEO Outlook shows a similar trend, with 58 percent of companies in Asia-Pacific investing in new technologies. Of these, Al adoption is expected to surge in countries like Japan (73 percent).

But in sectors built on personal service and generational trust, the question isn't just how to adopt digital tools—it's whether doing so strengthens or erodes the human touch.

Can technology enhance personalisation, or does it risk replacing it altogether? Ken Koh of Nanyang Sauce, Bryan Chin of Jamco Optical, and Adele Chung of Meiko Tailor offer perspectives from the frontlines of family-run businesses.

Why was it important for your business to digitalise?

Bryan Chin [BC]: I joined Jamco Optical in 2000, taking over from my dad in 2015. 1 believed that by efficiently managing sales transactions and customer data, we could free up our very lean staff of 13 to devote their efforts to customer service.

Ken Koh [KK]: I noticed that we were still using handwritten invoices and manual accounting books! Nothing was recorded, everything was based on memory. It was important for us to know, for example, how often a customer made purchases from us. With all this big data, we could better plan production.