Changing with the times

By Christina Ching

FOUNDED in 1998 with four employees, Times Software now has more than 100 employees working in its Singapore and Malaysia offices.

A market leader in payroll and human resource solutions in the two countries since 2002, the company specialises in developing, maintaining and offering consultancy services on payroll and human resource-related solutions. It also provides payroll outsourcing and cloud solutions to customers.

The company has also expanded its product range by offering a full suite of human resource functionalities.

With clients hailing from 16 countries, Times Software aims to position itself as a market leader in the Asean region.

Innovation in automation Guided by its vision to "reveal the power of innovation in office automation", reinvention is an integral part of the company's corporate identity.

Says Mr Charles Liaw, 58, managing director of Times Software: "Our greatest strength is that we have a company of like-minded people who are enthusiastic to adapt and innovate.

"We ensure our products offer features that meet the market's needs and are user-friendly - and most importantly, able to help the customer in terms of their productivity and efficiency, regardless of company size."

To boost its competitive edge, Times Software also strives to provide great after-sales service. Weekly refresher training sessions are run free of charge so that its clients can stay up to date with its systems and receive a prompt response to any issue they may be facing.

While this business strategy has put Times Software in good stead, the boom in cloud technology in recent years has introduced more competitors to the playing field.

"With cloud, we no longer face only local competitors but also some big international brands. Thankfully, we were quick to adapt and introduce our own cloud solutions before our competitors were able to gain a foothold in the industry," says Mr Liaw.

The company then leveraged its reputation as a reliable vendor in the Singapore and Malaysia markets to spread awareness of its cloud solutions.

"By embracing, instead of fighting, market trends and using our hard-earned reputation to assure customers, we were able to fight off this threat," he adds.

To ensure that its business thrives in the long run, Times Software has adopted the Japanese productivity philosophy called Kaizen to improve its productivity.

Mr Liaw explains: "Kaizen means 'constant, continuous improvement'. This concept motivates our employees to be flexible and consistently improve themselves."

For instance, Times Software welcomes feedback and suggestions on its software products from customers via various channels such as e-mail, feedback forms and phone calls.

This puts the company one step ahead of its competitors and enables it to respond to market needs quickly.

Valuing its people Being in the human resource business, Times Software walks the talk by treasuring its employees, and developing their skills and knowledge.

The company has enhanced its employee benefits to include medical insurance coverage for family members, plus life insurance coverage and profit-sharing bonuses on top of existing bonuses.

It also encourages a more family friendly environment by offering flexi-hours so employees can work from home to take care of their children.

Once a week, employees receive fruit to up their fibre intake on a "fruit day".

Times Software believes in employee training and skills upgrading. Employees attend external training on a regular basis to ensure that they are up to date with the latest technology.

They are empowered to conduct their own knowledge-sharing or training sessions, regardless of seniority. To encourage participation, monetary incentives are awarded to staff who conduct training sessions.

Says Mr Liaw: "For a company to grow, you must first be staffed by capable employees. Their talents and skills are assets to the company."