Singtel, Great Eastern introduce home and contents insurance

Singtel and Great Eastern have launched Singtel Home Protect Flexi, a flexible home and contents insurance plan. The plan is tied to the customer’s Singtel broadband subscription, and will be automatically updated with a new address if the customer moves. This means homeowners will be able to enjoy seamless home protection without having to worry about a lapse in coverage or having to remember to update their address. The no-contract plan also gives customers the ability to cancel anytime.

Gilbert Chuah, Head of Financial and Lifestyle Services, Singtel, said: “We continually harness our wealth of insights as Singapore’s largest broadband provider to bring more convenience and flexibility to our customers. Our new Home Protect Flexi, for instance, eliminates the hassle of address updates for our home protection insurance customers when they relocate, providing seamless home protection that adapts to their evolving needs. We look forward to co-creating more value-added offerings with partners such as Great Eastern to enrich our customers’ lives.”

Jimmy Tong, MD, General and Group Insurance, Great Eastern, said: “At Great Eastern, we constantly seek ways to make insurance more seamless and convenient. Our new plan in collaboration with Singtel provides ease of portability and uninterrupted coverage for homeowners in the event they re-locate, or allows for termination at any time with no lock in period. By eliminating these traditional constraints, we are able to provide greater flexibility and value for our customers.”

Singtel Home Protect Flexi is an enhancement of Singtel’s home insurance offering, Singtel Home Protect, which is currently available with a one or two-year commitment. The new Singtel Home Protect Flexi, priced at S$8 a month, continues to provide homeowners with the same comprehensive coverage for various types of residential housing, of up to S$80,000 for household content and renovations, and up to S$500,000 for personal liability.

As a launch promotion, all first-time customers will enjoy the first two months free from now until 31 December 2023. To qualify for the plan, customers need to be an existing Singtel broadband subscriber. The plan is available now at all Singtel shops, Singtel’s website or via the customer care hotline, 1688.

Singtel offers more affordable way to get a new iPhone every year

To mark the launch of the new iPhone 15, Singtel is introducing Bring it Back – an easy and affordable way for consumers to upgrade to the latest iPhone model every year, without any upfront payment.

Diana Chen, MD for Customer Value, Singtel Singapore said: “At Singtel, we are determined to deliver the best mobile experience, and this includes making the latest devices more affordable and accessible to our customers. Through our Bring it Back programme, which combines bite-sized payments with a hassle-free trade in process at a guaranteed value, Singtel customers will be able to walk out of our stores paying nothing upfront for the latest iPhone every year.”

Customers who get an iPhone 15 with Bring it Back do not need to make any upfront payment for their new phone. Instead, payments are broken down into smaller monthly blocks. To help protect the value of the customer’s iPhone in case of any accidental mishaps, Singtel’s MobileSwop device care service has been incorporated into Bring it Back.

After 12 months, customers have the option to bring back their iPhone 15 to Singtel for a guaranteed trade-in value of 50% of the original phone price. This helps alleviate any inconvenience or uncertainty from trying to sell their handsets on secondary market platforms. The trade-in value received will then be used to offset the customer’s upgrade to the newest iPhone model at S$0 upfront. To give customers more flexibility, they can also choose to keep their iPhone 15 by continuing to pay its monthly instalments.

Details

Bring it Back is available to all existing and new Singtel SIM-only customers who purchase the iPhone 15 from now until 31 December 2023.

Cost breakdown of owning a new iPhone 15 using Bring it Back

iPhone 15 Pro Max (256 GB) with a recommended retail price (RRP) of S$1,999: upfront S$0 (payments by instalment over the next 24 months)

Monthly payments for the phone over 24 months with Singtel PayLater: S$83.29

In 12 months, the consumer would have paid S$1,155.72 for the phone

Add the monthly cost of Bring it Back with MobileSwop Unlimited Premium: S$13.02

After 12 months, the consumer can now "bring it back" and redeem the trade-in value for the iPhone 15: S$999.50

The money offsets the cost of a new iPhone (256 GB). As before, the consumer pays S$0 upfront, and will be billed in instalments over 24 months for the new iPhone, minus the S$999.50 trade-in value of the iPhone 15.

Roborock launches more cleaning devices, including a wet-dry convertible

Source: Roborock. The Dyad Pro Combo.

Roborock, a global ultra-intelligent robotics provider, has launched new floor cleaning devices for the mid-range market. The Q5 Pro and the Q8 Max join the Q-Series as Roborock’s newest mid-range robot vacuum offerings, while the Dyad Pro Combo is the brand’s latest convertible vacuum for both wet and dry messes.

Richard Chang, Founder and CEO of Roborock said: “The Q5 Pro, Q8 Max, and Dyad Pro Combo are more than just cleaning companions, they’re designed so users can live their lives with more spontaneity and flexibility."

The Q5 Pro is the latest entry-level option for the company’s Q Series, while the Q8 Max offers advanced features such as obstacle avoidance technology. Both devices are equipped with the DuoRoller Brush system and have suction power of 5,500 Pa.

The Q5 Pro and Q8 Max use LiDAR navigation to create a detailed map of the surroundings. Fine control is available through the Roborock App, which provides smart suggestions for no-go zones, fast cleaning, and cleaning directions that improve cleaning efficiency and save time for the user.

The Q8 Max also comes with Reactive Tech Obstacle Avoidance system, allowing the robot to manoeuvre around common hazards.

Both the Q5 Pro and Q8 Max offer proven mopping systems with simultaneous vacuum and mopping capability. The enhanced version of both models, the Q5 Pro+ and Q8 Max+, are paired with the RockDock Plus auto-emptying dock with E-12 Rated dust bags, storing up to seven weeks of dust without manual emptying.

Dyad Pro Combo

The Dyad Pro Combo is a wet-dry vacuum with the ability to convert into a handheld vacuum. It has up to 43 minutes of run time when used as a wet-dry vacuum and 60 minutes as a handheld vacuum.

It boasts 17,000 Pa of suction power with the ability to clean as close to 1 mm away from edges and corners. Intelligent features adapt cleaning power, water flow, and the ability to automatically dispense a cleaning solution.

Maintenance is effortless with the Dyad Pro Combo’s self-cleaning system. It automatically cleans the roller brushes and then dries them with 50℃ air.

The Q5 Pro, Q8 Max, Dyad Pro Combo will be available to purchase on Amazon in October. The Q5 Pro starts at an MSRP of $429.99, the Q8 Max at US$599.99, and the Dyad Pro Combo at US$659.99.

FEH announces alliance with SIA's HighFlyer business travel programme

Source: FEH. The Clan Hotel Singapore lobby.

Far East Hospitality (FEH) is the first hospitality group to be a part of Singapore Airlines’ (SIA's) HighFlyer business travel programme. HighFlyer is a travel reward programme where companies enjoy preferential airfares and earn HighFlyer points when their employees travel for work. These points can be used on future travel or redeem for rewards for their business or corporate travellers.

HighFlyer members can now earn up to 500 points when their employees fulfil qualifying stays at selected Far East Hospitality hotels in Singapore, Japan and Malaysia. Participating hotels include The Clan Hotel Singapore, Far East Village Hotel Tokyo, Asakusa and Oasia Suites Kuala Lumpur. Employees who are KrisFlyer members will also be entitled to accumulate miles for the same stays.

In addition, FEH’s 19 hotels in Singapore, Japan and Malaysia also offer SIA’s KrisFlyer members a chance to earn up to 500 KrisFlyer miles after each qualifying stay at the hotel.

TFE Hotels - FEH’s joint venture partner in Australia - has simultaneously become the first Australian hospitality group to partner with SIA’s rewards programme, KrisFlyer. The partnership will see KrisFlyer members earn 500 KrisFlyer miles per qualifying stay at more than 60 hotels across TFE’s global network.

SJM Resorts to host first MICHELIN Star Table mid-September

Source: SJM resorts. Palace Garden Head Chef Ken Chong will present his signature dish, crystal king tiger prawn.

The official partner of the MICHELIN Guide in Macao, SJM Resorts, has launched its first MICHELIN Star Table.

The first event of the series is set to take place at the Palace Garden at Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau on 15 and 16 September, featuring a six-course menu of the finest Chinese cuisines in a four-hand collaboration.

Leading the culinary symphony is Palace Garden’s Head Chef Ken Chong, a master of Taishi cuisine with nearly two decades of culinary experience, including heading a MICHELIN-starred restaurant in Hong Kong. He will be joining forces with Head Chef Fung Cheung from Chao Shang Chao, a two MICHELIN-starred restaurant in Beijing specialising in Chaoshan cuisine. Fung achieved the recognition within one year of operation.

Both Taishi and Chaoshan cuisines are hailed as the epitome of culinary excellence in China. Taishi cuisine is honoured as the leading school of Cantonese cuisine, advocating farm-to-table dining, and symbolising a mature cultural expression. Chaoshan cuisine is reputed to be the highest-end cuisine in China, captivating with exquisite knifework and an emphasis on fresh, mild flavours that enhance the natural quality of premium ingredients.

Highlights of the menu include famous Taishi dishes like premium snake bisque and crystal king tiger prawn, as well as Chaoshan dishes crispy sea cucumber with bitter melon, and a Wagyu beef trio. Additional MICHELIN Star Table events are being planned, including a French cuisine dinner in November.

Details

The MICHELIN Star Table dining experience is priced from MOP2,888+. To reserve a seat or for more information, contact Palace Garden at +853 8881 1380. Only 50 seats are available.

AC Ventures: Investing in women-led business in Indonesia is worth US$421 B

Source: AC Ventures. Wong speaks at the Women’s CEO Forum.

Early-stage venture capital firm AC Ventures’ Managing Partner Helen Wong has called for actionable steps in supporting female investors, calling investment in Indonesia’s female founders an annual opportunity worth more than US$421 B.

Wong was speaking at the Women’s CEO Forum in Jakarta, an official sideline event of the ASEAN Business & Investment Summit (ABIS) 2023. Indonesia represents around 40% of ASEAN’s economy at large, and hosts over 64 million micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), representing 98% of all businesses in the nation. According to AC Ventures, more than half of these are estimated to be women-owned.

"In a market as vibrant as Indonesia's, women entrepreneurs are not just fulfilling a social role; they are key economic drivers. Our research indicates that investing in women-led businesses is not just the right thing to do, it's the smart thing to do," said Wong.

"Given that these businesses contribute significantly to the local economy – and keep it resilient during times of crisis such as the pandemic – we're looking at an untapped yearly opportunity worth hundreds of billions of dollars. As such, we need more female investors who understand this and are willing to take concerted action to back more female founders."

Wong added that AC Ventures has learned that diversity is a business imperative. "A balanced team brings diverse perspectives, leading to smarter investment decisions and more robust portfolio performance,” she said.

AC Ventures has a 50:50 gender-balanced team and 41% female leadership across its investment portfolio, reflecting its core ethos of promoting an equitable business environment for a better future in Indonesia.