The greatest and most prized asset for a company today is no longer its brand, inanimate tools or intellectual property (IP) but the very people who make up the workforce that breathe life into the business. Talent management and talent retention should therefore sit very high on the list of priorities when it comes to human resources (HR) management.
Earlier this year, we worked very closely with a group of specialized HRM consultants to specifically design and tailor a range of HR programmes for the different working levels within the company which we then embarked on, to top grade and up skill our work force. Recently concluded was the second series of a three-part series, “Building a Collective Performance Workforce” leadership programme; an intensive mentoring, training and coaching initiative for people managers to mould and prepare future leaders of Rentwise.
The first series of this programme, “Negotiation for Non-Negotiators” took place from 5 – 6 November 2012. This part one saw participants addressing challenges on internal negotiation. In the second series, participants were able to establish the 3 key leadership essentials, which are the “5S-1M” Principle, “The Power of Nine” and “The Sun Tzu’s Philosophy on Moral Influence” that the company needs at this current stage to align the workforce towards organizational excellence. Participants were also given the tools and techniques needed to drive the workforce to adopt the 7 organisational core values needed to ensure they deliver collectively the vision and mission of the company.
The final series, “Coaching & Mentoring: Empowering To Drive Intentional Results” which will be held end of March 2013 will prepare leaders to manage the many aspects of Human Resource crucial in delivering outstanding results via a performance focused work culture.
The 18 personnel present for this training consisted of Production Executives right up to the Top Managers. Irrelevant of seniority, each participant was required to participate in working groups to ensure everyone’s opinions were heard. Discussions were engaging, critical points addressed with ideas exchanged as to how a highly efficient and productive working environment can be achieved.
All these people-centric key developments and enhancements that we eagerly champion are instrumental in the building of better customer relationships. We continuously strive to strengthen our employees in both soft and hard skills; to ensure customer satisfaction. Of course, all these were done to uphold our main philosophy of always putting our clients first by ensuring customer service excellence. This is only possible if we invest in our human resources.
At Rentwise, not only are we committed to building an all-rounder talented workforce; we help our staffs unearth and hone their skills at various levels to realize their true potential. Sir Ken Robinson, the English author and speaker aptly puts this into perspective:
“Human resources are like natural resources; they’re often buried deep. You have to go looking for them; they’re not just lying around on the surface. You have to create the circumstances where they show themselves.” ― Ken Robinson
The much awaited year-end warehouse sale of refurbished IT Equipment by Rentwise took place from 30 Nov till 1 Dec 2012 from 10am to 5pm, this time, bigger and much better! This much anticipated event last opened its doors to members of the public back in December 2010. So its arrival brought smiles to many value-seekers and bargain hunters who recognized the good quality stuff on offer as always.
The event was held at Rentwise’s Warehouse in Seksyen 7, Shah Alam. It just couldn’t have come at a better time, as most jumped at the opportunity of finding their perfect Christmas gifts for the fast-approaching Yuletide celebrations.
This 2012 Warehouse Sale boasted the biggest batch of high quality and branded pre-owned IT equipment for sale. As a reputable organization strongly rooted in servicing numerous corporate clienteles, the average consumers are never far from mind. This mega warehouse sale had PCs suitable for both business and home users as well.
Reconditioned and branded LCDs were going from as low as RM 99, Home PCs from RM 199 and Notebooks from RM 649! One may opine that this may be too good to be true but yes, it was. It was just simply too irresistibly true. The early birds seen streaming in as early as 9.30am in those two days before carting away large trolley-loads of purchased IT equipment was a testament to this.
The products on sale carried with them a respectable amount of raw processing power; a definite value for money. For instance, a Dell Latitude business class D620 Notebook with a Core Duo processor, equipped with 3-4GB RAM and a reasonable 160GB hard disk drive was selling for just RM 649. IBM T60/T61/Z61T Notebook models with similar specs but powered by a Core2Duo processor were a mere RM 50 more at RM 699.
All notebooks carried with them a 1 month warranty. However, customers who preferred just that tiny bit of extra assurance could opt for the extended 1 year warranty for an additional RM 200 only. As with most resource-intensive applications in this time and age, storage and performance issues are always at the forefront in any technology equipment ownership consideration. Rentwise is aware of this sensitivity and took upon itself to cater for customizable orders. An upgrade to a 320GB notebook hard disk drive would see you parting with only RM 95, while a 2GB DDR2 notebook memory booster would pinch your wallet for a measly RM 45.
The layout of the warehouse had been carefully designed. There was a section purely on Notebooks, followed by Accessories and finally, the booth displaying a range of branded refurbished desktops and LCDs. The methodical arrangement of the warehouse sale grounds was planned thoughtfully in advance to ease congestion and traffic flow. Customers who first walked in were required to register themselves for the free admission. Once customers decided on their purchase, they proceeded to have their orders taken. For any customization required be it memory or storage upgrades, the corresponding request was tended to immediately with just a mere 30-45 minutes wait depending on traffic.
The upgraded equipment ordered was then delivered to the Collection Booth for final specifications and physical condition inspection with the customers. Satisfied customers proceeded to pay accordingly at the cashier. Customers enjoyed the flexible payment methods available, as both cash and credits cards were accepted.
Business class desktop models on offer were the Dell Optiplex 760 USFF Core2Duo 3.33Ghz with 4GB RAM for no more than RM 889 (including a 17” LCD monitor!), or a Dell/HP/IBM range powered with either a Core Duo/Core2Duo processor. Packages were available for sale either with or without an LCD panel.
An additional 1 year warranty upgrade for desktop cost RM 100, while an extension of 1 year warranty for any LCD panel would set you back by only RM 30. LCD panel sizes available were 15”, 17” and 19” models; together with the decently equipped and reasonably powerful desktop or notebooks, more than catered to most average users for the usual usage pattern of word processing or internet surfing.
Truly, not just any warehouse sale but The Warehouse Sale of the year, given the attractive offerings.
A section of dedicated desktops pre-loaded with computer games were also seen at one corner, much to the relief and excitement of curious active children who waited for their shopping parents. Besides being a notable entertainment function, these powerful desktops were a live demonstration of the raw power of the refurbished desktop on sale.
Apart from notebooks, desktops and LCD panels which were clearly the main stars of the sale, there were a wide variety of Accessories available as well. The notable brand of Sandisk Cruzer pendrives of 8GB capacity was selling for just RM 29, while the Sandisk Cruzer Ultra 64GB was a steal at RM 155. A range of Logitech speakers and headset were also on display for sale right next to Bit Defender Antivirus 2013 software. Lastly, on sale were also the Toshiba 605/610/110 Series of pocket-size mobile hard disk drive.
Internet continuity is especially important with the increasing development of applications designed to run on various internet browsers. The need for minimal down time in internet connection is all the more evident with the hype on cloud-enabled services and proliferation of web-based applications that allow for easy access, anytime, anywhere. Recognizing the effectiveness and affordability of this cloud solution, Rentwise has chosen to partner with Netximizer, who was present during this sale to create more awareness to the public regarding their products and services.
As a provider of the components of a human computer interaction (HCI); i.e. desktop and LCD panels, the IT experience will not be complete without a reliable document management and print solution. Thus, Rentwise has partnered with Ricoh in this respect, given Ricoh’s many years of experience and proven reliability of its product range. These partnerships clearly underscore Rentwise’s dedication and ability in providing a complete end-to-end solution for the end user’s work requirements; from an increased uptime with
The Special 2 Days Rentwise Warehouse Sale was undoubtedly well received. In the end, it saw more than 450 happy buyers over the 2 days sale. Customers were clearly astounded by the rock bottom prices of products on sale and many Day 1 customers came back in Day 2 and added onto their initial purchases. With reasonably priced upgrade packages for storage and memory; it was difficult to not consider this as a timely Christmas gift purchase either for oneself, family or fellow friends.
Most importantly, customers were clearly very happy with the help and assistance offered by the friendly staffs and engineers on deck to guide their purchase decision process. Not just any regular staff, but highly qualified technical personnel to advise and help clarify all the mumbo jumbo the average customer has to grasp in any IT equipment purchase.
Quality products sold by Qualified Rentwise personnel indeed. As always, Rentwise stays true to its principles on delivering and meeting needs cost effectively.
St. Mary’s School, locally known as SMK St. Mary, is a public all-girls secondary school located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia which participated in Rentwise’s CSR program. St. Mary’s school is undoubtedly steeped in old charm personality and tradition.
Its humble beginning dates as far back as the pre-world war two era. This historical significance is further sealed by its witnessing of the hosting of two of Malaysia’s First Ladies; Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah and Datin Paduka Seri Endon.
Boasting a long string of proud academic and extracurricular achievements, the school’s history stretches as far back as when it first opened its doors on 4 November 1912, in a house located at 18 Weld Road (now known as Jalan Raja Chulan).
In 1998, the school was relocated to Jalan Intan Baiduri, Kuala Lumpur with an enrolment of 410 students in 10 classes. All Science labs, the VIP room and meeting room were fully equipped by the end of the year.
In 15 July 1999, the school PA system was fully established, thereby completing its technological and communications infrastructure. On 15 June 2001, the school ushered in the dawn of the much-welcomed information technology age. Datin Amar Elizabeth Moggie, wife of the then Minister of Telecommunications, Multimedia and Post, officially opened the school’s Computer Laboratory.
As a forward-thinking organization that embraces excellence and believes in equal opportunities, Rentwise is proud to leave its mark on the pages of SMK St. Mary’s journals. After a few sporadic upgrade of IT equipment in batches since 2001 by the Parent Teacher Association, SMK St. Mary is relieved to welcome a much needed major overhaul of its Computer Lab.
Rentwise, Malaysia’s fastest growing Independent Lessor for new and/or remanufactured pre-owned IT equipment has sponsored 40 sets of desktops and LCD panels to SMK St. Mary’s Computer Lab, as part of its continuous Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs.
This momentous occasion saw three highly qualified Rentwise engineers present to co-ordinate and execute the installation of these refurbished IT assets at the Computer Lab. The dedicated staffs of Rentwise delivered all 40 units of personal computers up through 4 flights of stairs to the Computer Lab situated on the second floor. The setup took an approximate 6 hours.
Recognizing the importance of education and generation of future accomplished leaders, Rentwise saw a need in helping to re-equip the school’s computer lab after 11 years since its launch. This upgrade was necessary to afford students of St. Mary’s school, a much needed competitive edge in this ever changing fast paced technology-enabled society.
Capitalizing on its core specialty in the sourcing, consultation, support, management and rental services of IT equipment, Rentwise sponsored a range of 40 sets of Dell & HP desktops and LCDs as part of its ongoing CSR program.
This sponsorship would inject new life and breathe new creativity among the students of St. Mary’s school, thereby allowing them to experience reasonably-equipped hardware and software at optimum performance. This has been a huge departure and major leap in improvement as compared to the school’s previous sluggish and obsolete system and usage of CRT monitors.
With the availability of high speed broadband and better equipped IT infrastructure, students of St. Mary’s school can now enjoy quality IT service through a smooth and conducive learning environment, made possible by the upgraded IT equipment.
Following the set up, the desktops were loaded with Internet Security Software sponsored by Trend Micro before they were connected to the Internet with Internet access equipment sponsored by Allied Telesis. HELP University sponsored IT consultancy work to integrate all the systems whilst Canon Marketing sponsored a multifunction printer for all the printing needs. All old and replaced IT equipment were then loaded into the delivery truck to be properly disposed of.
Despite these computers being refurbished, they could very well perform and run just as well as any other new computers. When well maintained and serviced, these refurbished computers can expect to last through another 3-5 years in operation duration.
An extension of this IT equipment life span by redistributing and redefining their key functions to a different consumer segment and frequency of usage is simply brilliant. This “no wastage” policy is evident in Rentwise’s core philosophy of upholding a greener practice for a sustainable tomorrow. Thus, it comes as no surprise that a marriage between a CSR program affording opportunities and reducing uncalled-for disposal of recyclable resources is only more than ideal.
Rentwise’s CSR program is all about giving back to the society. It aims to help impoverished, marginalized and vulnerable children and their families. This commitment is demonstrated not just through monetary support afforded or equipment upgrades enabled as the current project testifies, but also through pro-active participation and engagement of its employees and their families whenever possible.
With the many significant theatrical performances, musical and sports achievements SMK St. Mary has witnessed over its many decades of existence, Rentwise sincerely hopes its donation of IT equipment will help contribute to the school’s many facades of successes and proud chapters. Rentwise hopes this upgrade will be a key enabler in allowing SMK St. Mary to exceed its own expectations by surpassing its long string of awards and excellence in both academic and co-curricular involvements.
The school’s 1,243 students should now find no difficulty in drawing inspiration and getting motivated with this upgrade in information technology. These newly refurbished computers will totally revolutionize the way students interact with their peers and their approaches toward learning their subject matters.
Whether be it igniting the passion of a future technologist among its notable alumnae-in-the-making, or simply serving as a source of inspiration to students of St. Mary’s school, Rentwise’s act of kindness surely does go a long way in impacting impressionable minds.
Being the very innovative company it constantly strives to achieve, Rentwise is always on the lookout for creative partnerships in its growing CSR program. Previous CSR programs have seen Rentwise working directly with charity organisations. However, Rentwise is currently hoping to establish meaningful collaboration with large corporate clients who may consider donating IT equipment deemed obsolete. This IT equipment will then be refurbished before being deployed for a charitable cause. Through this symbiotic partnership, more computers can be donated and hence, more will benefit from its use.
As a big-hearted organisation which preaches practicing sound investment strategy; “Own that which appreciates, rent that which depreciates”, Rentwise is certainly living up to its tenets of wisdom for both businesses and the younger generation alike. An investment into the human capital especially in a school as reputable as SMK St. Mary is a demonstration of Rentwise’s firm beliefs in paying it forward. After all, there are no better appreciating assets than our very own children paving the way for a brighter future.
Rentwise has definitely redefined the very essence of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Indeed, it is a small step in the making toward a giant leap forward to a better tomorrow.
The students of St. Mary’s school have every reason to smile, now that they have unprecedented access and power in their hands to shape their very own future. The power to effect change and court endless possibilities through an enhanced learning infrastructure is an invaluable asset to the school.
This seed of hope sown amongst our younger generation is invaluable.
The price of dreams and inspiration? Simply priceless.
It’s been a few weeks since our company retreat and annual dinner at Janda Baik, Pahang but I’m still feeling the good buzz from the trip! How about all of you?
Let me just share a brief summary of this special event to enlighten our colleagues who couldn’t join us. Everyone gathered bright and early on a sunny morning on 15th September 2012, all excited and geared up to start the journey. We set off at around 7.45am and managed to reach our destination at 9.30am. Even at first glance, the Cherengin Hills Convention & Spa Resort was a beautiful, tranquil hillside retreat surrounded by lush tropical landscape and a stunning location perfect to hold our company event.
Our cheerful trainer for the day, Mr. Roy Tan kicked off the team activities superbly by getting the guys and girls to line up in two lines and giving each other massages to wake ourselves up! A great ice-breaker which made everyone feel more relaxed and comfortable with each other. After that everyone was split up randomly into four groups and the team activities began.
The first activity of the day was an entertaining one, sort of like playing the twister game where there were rows of numbers spread on the floor and each player had to place their hand and foot on the numbers called out by Roy. The game was to test not only how flexible our bodies could be, but more importantly on the significance of trust, supportiveness and cooperation within the group. Sure enough there were several yoga masters showing off their poses there!
Next we all did a personality test to determine which type of personality we were, aimed at better understanding ourselves and naturally those we work with. There were 4 core personalities – Visionary, Nurturer, Commander and Analyser. It was definitely interesting to find out which personality type we all belonged to, as it will help to guide us on how to approach and work with each other better.
The major 3 Principles to develop High Performance Work Teams that were constantly highlighted during the team activities were:
Ideas: Tap into the creativity and potential of people of all levels to adapt quickly to the volatile economy. People: Any successful organizations needs people who are high performers and also work well together. Time: Be mindful of time, be punctual on meetings and deadlines, and always be ready to seize opportunities when they arise.
There were many other fun and engaging activities that day and it will be too long to describe all of them. The common themes were recognizing the different personalities that drive us, emphasizing that mutual trust and respect are the building blocks of lasting working relationships, realising that each of us has our own values and that the success of any organizations depends on strong teamwork and collaboration from individuals to produce high-quality results.
Let’s just look at the wonderful photos below that say it better than me:
At the end of the day, it was truly inspiring to see everyone regardless of departments or designations, united as one with great team spirit to solve all the tricky challenges thrown out. Ideas were bounced off each other, discussions were lively and healthy, and there were strength in numbers. We understood now how the word “Impossible” can be changed to “I’m Possible”.
Finally, the highly anticipated annual dinner! Everyone was dressed up in their finest following the 70s theme. A big round of applause must be given to all the group performers who put so much planning, effort and time to come together to give fantastic performances.
Group 1 – “The Funkadelics” presented a short play based on the popular Bollywood film “Bobby 1973”. The show was highly entertaining and the acting was hilariously funny.
Group 2 – “The Freestylers” were a quirky mix of multicultural diversity group. Started off by singing and grooving to the popular 70s Malay song “Seiring Sejalan”, switched to Bangra (Sikh) dance, Chinese Lion dance and ended by dancing to the current worldwide craze “Gangnam Style”. The group members are budding hip hop artistes who totally outdid themselves with crazy dance moves that left us all in stitches!
Group 3 – “The Continental Drifters” gave their best dancing to the classic 70s disco hit “YMCA”, then shuffling to the coolest dance moves of “The Sid Shuffle – Ice Age: Continental Drift”.
Group 4 – “The Singaporeans”. They took 4 weeks to create a touching, heartwarming presentation of Rentwise’s history and its people. Warm accolades were given to colleagues who had left but made their mark, while existing staff and new blood were celebrated, since they will be the ones to continue to build the company and push it to a new frontier.
When the winner of the group performance was announced, it came as no surprise that Group 2 – “The Freestylers” won by a landslide, as they captured the hearts of the audience as well as the judges.
Best Dressed Male and Female of the night also garnered the most votes as they really went all out with their 70s-style costumes. Mr. Timothy Mak aka Avis Mak won the Best Dressed Male category impersonating Elvis Presley, while Ms. Mandy Sam won the Best Dressed Female category dressing up in a blonde wig and retro clothes and accessories!
One of the sweet surprises of the night was that everyone who attended the dinner was eligible for the lucky draws! All 39 of us won something, no matter if it’s small or big prizes. So there were no losers that night, only happy winners!
Best Performance Winner: Group 2 – The Freestylers!
Group Members: Naga, Vimalan, Perdip, Rosmima, Sharizal, Richard & Thaneswaran
Each of the performers received Parkson/Jusco Vouchers (RM 100/pax).
Best Dressed Male
1st Prize: Timothy Mak, Runner up: Kelvin
Best Dressed Female
1st Prize: Mandy Sam, Runner up: Wendy Tan
*1st Prize Best Dressed Male:
NTUC Vouchers SGD 100
*1st Prize Best Dressed Female:
Parkson Vouchers RM 150
Runner ups:
Parkson Vouchers RM 100
Lucky Draw Winners:
1st Prize – iPad 2: The Lady in Red, Yvonne Chen
2nd Prize – Microwave Oven: The Hip-Hopper, Thaneswaran
3rd Prize – HP Printer: The Photographer Extraordinaire, Termizi
* Other prizes included a rice cooker, Ipad docking, glass chess set, pendrive, wireless drive, multimedia speaker, HP printer, HP carry case, Jusco & Parkson Vouchers.
Special thanks to the Sports Club Committee Members for organizing the event and making it happen!
Vijay
Wendy
Aisyah
James
Chandra
Termizi
To sum up, it was a superbly successful outing at Janda Baik, Pahang. Firstly, we got to know each other in a more personal level during the trip and also found out the many hidden talents among our fellow colleagues. All of us learned the tangible value of communicating effectively with one another and that by joining forces together – we can overcome any challenges that come our way especially in these times of economic uncertainties.
We hope that our next company event will be even more successful and that all of you will participate as eagerly and excitedly. For those who didn’t make it this time around, make sure you do not miss out on all the fun and merriment during the next outing!
Editorial Content Natalie Ng
Executive Assistant
Rentwise Sdn. Bhd.
Rentwise Invites You To Give Back Through The Support Of The Newstart Charity As Part Of Rentwise’s CSR Program
Are businesses in business just for business? We don’t think so. At Rentwise, we are committed to give back to society as part of our ongoing CSR program. In particular, we focus on helping impoverished, marginalized and vulnerable children and their families.
Our commitment goes beyond monetary support to the voluntary engagement of our employees and their families. In the spirit of sharing and increasing our collective impact, we are inviting you, our business partner, to join us and make a difference in the lives of those in need.
For years now, The Seventh Day Adventist’s Newstart Charity has helped communities with donations, health screenings, career training and special events. The charity’s next activity is the ASIAN Youth Orchestra Concert, to be held on 10 June 2012. Rentwise is a key sponsor of this event and we will be on hand to help make this concert a resounding success.
NEWSTART Charity – ASIAN Youth Orchestra Concert
Date: 10-Jun-2012 Time: 7:30pm to 9:30pm Venue: Bentley Music Auditorium @ Mutiara Damansara (Next to IKEA)
Under the direction of Dr Claudio Gonzalez (USA), The ASIAN Youth Orchestra is composed of 40 musicians. This concert will also feature the Joyful Choir for the Blind.
Concert Tickets:
Class
A (Red)
B (Yellow)
C (Blue)
Price
RM 500
RM 300
RM 100
NEWSTART Charity – ASIAN Youth Orchestra Matinee Concert
There will also be a matinee concert for the ASIAN Youth Orchestra under the direction of Dr Claudio Gonzalez. This matinee concert will be held on the same date (10 June 2012) from 2 PM to 3 PM at the same Venue: Bentley Music Auditorium @ Mutiara Damansara (Next to IKEA).
Concert Tickets For Matinee Session:
Class
A
B
Price
RM 50
RM 25
To purchase tickets for the matinee and evening performances and/or to join us in helping to organize and run these concerts, kindly contact Ms. Yvonne Chen at yvonne@www.rentwise.com or +603-3341 6552 ext. 601.
You may also send us your donations via cheque payable to The Seventh Day Adventist Corporation (M) Bhd – Newstart Charity and forward it to our Rentwise office at the following address:
Lot 9 – Unit A1, Natco Industrial Park, Lorong Keluli 1B, Seksyen 7, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor DE, Malaysia.
We will then forward your donation to the charity.
Thank you in advance for your support and we hope to see you on 10 June for what promises to be a memorable concert!
