Tag: Humans of Lazada

Dec. 16, 2021

Our “Humans of Lazada” series takes a look at the professional and personal lives of the more than 8,000 people who work at Lazada. Click here for more stories from this series.

“Since my high school days, I have always enjoyed outdoor activities and extreme sports, such as scuba diving, freediving, surf skating and wake surfing. Realising that I had a passion for extreme sports, my dad suggested that I try race car driving. He’s an avid motorsports fan and foresaw that I would take a liking to racing. I guess it was also my parents’ way of providing an outlet for the speed demon in me – they would rather I race on the tracks in a car built to protect me and with a safety team that is always on standby than have me speeding down Bangkok’s highways!

One of my favourite things to do while I was still taking racing classes was to hit the Bira Circuit in Pattaya with my dad as part of our weekend activities. In 2020, I decided to participate in the Idemitsu Super Turbo racing event at Chang International Circuit in Buriram. That was my racing debut. I came in third in the division 3 NA junior race and fourth in the overall division 3 race. I’ll never forget the rush, the adrenaline, the feeling of being with other race car drivers and the sense of overcoming a challenge. After that, I was hooked. 

To excel in the sport, practice is important. Usually, two days before a race, I’ll drive for two hours to Bira Circuit or five hours to Chang International Circuit so I can practice on the race track.

A lot of people think that racing is about speed, but it really is about staying focused, anticipating and navigating the bends in the road, and applying just the right amount of brake. Brake too much and you lose momentum. Brake too little and you might crash into a wall. I’ve crashed a couple of times. The thing about crashing is that you always know when it’s about to happen, but there is really nothing you can do except to let go of the wheel. I’ve learned the hard way that if I don’t let go in time, I usually end up hurting my wrists on impact.

There still aren’t a lot of women in motorsports, but I have seen more girls taking it up in the last few years, which is encouraging. There are also pro drivers like Nutjung Tanchanok and Nattanid Leewattanavalagul who are making their mark and they are an inspiration to girls like me.

I’m grateful to have this opportunity. I hope I can continue racing for as long as I can, because the one thing racing has taught me is that no challenge is ever too tough to overcome. It’s always possible to learn to do something you thought was impossible.”

This profile was compiled by Norasikin Bte Ahmad from the Lazada Regional Communications team.

Dec. 16, 2021

Our “Humans of Lazada” series takes a look at the professional and personal lives of the more than 8,000 people who work at Lazada. Click here for more stories from this series.

“Ten years ago, nobody believed in online groceries. Everyone was just going to supermarkets and wet markets. But I wanted to see what online grocery shopping was all about, and if it really could be a good alternative to my weekly trips to the supermarket, so I took my sister’s advice and dove into the deep end by joining RedMart.

I was then fresh out of National Service and was just a young kid trying to learn the ins and outs of the business. I saw how quickly RedMart grew, from getting 20 orders a day to 80 daily orders in five months.

At that time, we were at the Pasir Panjang warehouse, which was about 90 square metres. It was very small, and the racks were stacked about 5 metres high from floor to ceiling. We only had one ladder, which was bulky and heavy. We wanted to work fast, so we often climbed the shelves on our own without the ladder. Those were the days! Now with automation and shelves that are at accessible heights at our new 350,000 sq ft warehouse, we no longer have to scale them. We also used to have to remember where items were located, but now the system does it for us.

We are usually at our busiest during year-end mega campaigns, namely 9.9, 11.11 and 12.12. I remember my first mega campaign with Lazada. I couldn’t even imagine what to expect, but everyone in the transport team was so hyped about it. We did a lot of pre-campaign planning, where everyone would gather and run through checklist after checklist to make sure that everything from the technology to the network to operations were in tip-top condition and ‘battle-ready’.

On the day of the sales event, I remember standing in the middle of the warehouse and looking around to see everything running like clockwork. All the pre-planning was worth it. Everyone knew exactly what to do, who to look for and what to expect. That was when I understood why shopping festivals like 11.11 and 12.12 were important. They bring everyone together to produce this beautiful artwork.

Not everyone has what it takes to work for a start-up company. It was an amazing opportunity and I’m glad I took the plunge! Now, like thousands of households in Singapore, I get my online shopping and groceries delivered to my doorstep!”

This profile was compiled by Sherwin Loh from Lazada Singapore’s public relations team.

Nov. 16, 2021

Our “Humans of Lazada” series takes a look at the professional and personal lives of the more than 8,000 people who work at Lazada. Click here for more stories from this series.

“I’ve always looked forward to 11.11 because, as an avid bargain hunter, I know 11.11 always has the best deals. My family and I usually save all our ‘wishlists’ for the year and wait for 11.11 to arrive. That way we get to reward ourselves for the hard work over the year with the best bargains!

About nine months ago, I joined Lazada. So this 11.11 was extra special, because it was my first with my favourite eCommerce platform and I got to be part of the team behind all these great deals that shoppers like myself look forward to every year. And this year, I know what it took to make the magic happen when the clock strikes midnight on 11.11.

Preparations for this biggest one-day sales event start as early as September for the seller engagement team. This year, we kicked off the preparations by setting up a resource centre for sellers on the Lazada University portal to keep them informed in the lead-up to the event. We worked closely with our participating sellers to source and ‘hunt’ for the best products, so that we could offer our consumers a variety of assortments at the best prices. Through Lazada University and our Facebook community group, we educated sellers on how to draw up ‘must-buy’ lists and promote their products. We provided trainings on leveraging livestreams and reward features, and gave them tips on using the right tools to help drive visibility and traffic.

My colleagues were telling me that in pre-pandemic days, the team would organise a countdown event in the office, and Lazadians would stay up all night to watch the sales numbers on dashboards while eating midnight meals together and celebrating when they’ve hit their targets. Even though I’ve yet to experience it this year, I’m more excited than ever to get my ‘wishlist,’ because I know all the hard work it took for that to happen!”

This profile was compiled by Chiah Siow Yen from Lazada Malaysia’s public relations team.

Nov. 16, 2021

Our “Humans of Lazada” series takes a look at the professional and personal lives of the more than 8,000 people who work at Lazada. Click here for more stories from this series.

“My story with Lazada began two years ago, when I was engaged as a freelancer to emcee for a booth game at Lazada Vietnam’s 11.11 seller conference. Some of Lazada’s livestreaming (LazLive) team members approached me and asked if I would like to become a professional livestreamer. At that time, livestreaming was only just gaining some traction in the eCommerce world, and I was still pursuing an information security degree in university, so I didn’t jump at the opportunity right away. But the team was persistent! They contacted me again about a month later and changed my mind. Looking back, I think it was meant to be.

Today, in addition to hosting livestreams, I also produce the shows. In 2020, a year into the job, I worked with the LazLive team to launch and host a new series called “Slash-It” for 11.11. It was a first for a mega campaign in Vietnam. The initiative attracted millions of viewers and, before I knew it, people started to call me the “Queen of Slash-It”! Never in my dreams did I think this would happen. Introducing shopper-viewers to the best products, engaging with them online and helping our brands boost sales are what I love most about my job. As we celebrated the one-year anniversary of “Slash-It” last week, I was just grateful and glad to be part of this journey of bringing a new way to shop for people, many of whom have been homebound for many months. This is the future of retail, and it’s exciting to be a part of this future.”

This profile was compiled by Thu Pham from Lazada Vietnam’s public relations team.

Sept. 16, 2021

Our “Humans of Lazada” series takes a look at the professional and personal lives of the more than 8,000 people who work at Lazada. Click here for more stories from this series.

“Everyone thinks the business of logistics is typically a man’s world. But in the six years that I have been working at Lazada Logistics, I have never once felt that being a woman was a hindrance to me in doing my work and doing my part to help the team.

I juggle a lot of hats. At home, I am a single mother to my two children, having been widowed five years ago when my husband unexpectedly passed away. I would say it was one of the toughest times of my life. But I make sure I do my best to give my children what they need to live simple but comfortable lives.

At work, I am a supervisor to my team. Similar to the support I give to my children, I make sure I give my team not only my guidance as their leader but also provide them with the support that they need to keep them motivated and inclined to go the extra mile.  

During these times, it is quite difficult living the life of a logistics frontliner. I worry a lot about my team’s safety and well-being, and the daily struggles that we face due to the uncertainties brought about by the pandemic. But I also believe that as logistics frontliners, we play big roles in helping to shape the everyday lives of our fellow Filipinos.

Seeing how we can help a customer live his or her life as normally as possible makes everything all worthwhile. From providing the groceries homemakers need to feed the family to fulfilling orders for people to enable their home office set-ups or helping deliver furniture to new homeowners – these are the reasons I wake up every day, rain or shine, to come to work. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’m thankful that through the years, this job has given me an opportunity to learn and grow – both as a logistics professional and as a person.”

This profile was compiled by Mina Cunanan from the Lazada PR team in the Philippines.

Sept. 16, 2021

Our “Humans of Lazada” series takes a look at the professional and personal lives of the more than 8,000 people who work at Lazada. Click here for more stories from this series.

“The storm came on a morning when I had a lot of parcels to deliver. It was very sudden, the wind was extreme, and soon after, it rained heavily. Luckily, I had just delivered a parcel and was at a customer’s apartment building at that time so I was able to take shelter there. The wind was so strong and so loud that I did not realise that my motorbike had toppled over until I looked out and saw some parcels on the ground. I ran out to pick them up and tried to get my bike standing again. But the wind was so strong, it nearly blew me away! Other delivery riders ran out to help me, and residents on the upper floors also helped by directing us to items that had been blown a little further away so that we wouldn’t lose anything. What a day it was!

I had never thought I would be a delivery rider. Before the pandemic, my two brothers and I worked in the factories while my sister was a teacher. The fixed shifts at work made it difficult for me to take care of household matters. About six months ago, my father fell very ill, so I had to find a job with a more stable income but also more flexible working hours that would allow me to take care of him. That’s how I started working at Lazada Logistics.

A lot of people ask me if I’m afraid to deliver during the pandemic. Yes, of course, who is not scared? But I think love overcomes fear. Firstly, it’s my love for my family. When COVID-19 happened, my sister and brothers all lost their jobs. I became the sole breadwinner in my family of 10. So whether I’m tired or scared, I still choose to go to work. My family depends on me.

Secondly, it’s the love for our customers, who also depend on us. These include consumers who have to stay at home waiting for goods to be delivered and businesses who have gone online to try to survive. That is what motivates us as riders to try our best to deliver as many orders as possible, no matter rain or sun.

A day after that stormy morning, I woke up to see myself on a TikTok feed. A clip of me and the other riders in the rain trying to pick up the parcels and my bike was going viral with more than 600,000 views and lots of positive, encouraging and empathetic comments about my profession. It really touched me. It made me realise how much the community appreciates us. For me, that’s the best reward.”

Watch the TikTok clip of Dang Van Toan:

@yianntaoo

Sự lương thiện trong xã hội vẫn luôn tồn tại ạ ❤️ trân trọng ##2021 ##mưa ##shipper ##lazada ##cáchly #ahamove ##fyp ##saigon ##vietnam ##chienthang ##hope

♬ Sài Gòn Cố Gắng Lên – Dee Trần

This profile was compiled by Linh Chi Nguyen from the Lazada PR team in Vietnam.

Sept. 16, 2021

Our “Humans of Lazada” series takes a look at the professional and personal lives of the more than 8,000 people who work at Lazada. Click here for more stories from this series.

“‘Don’t worry. It’ll only last for two weeks.’ That was what I told my mother, confident that I would return to see my family in Pasir Gudang, Johor, after 14 days. Little did I know, weeks turned into a month and then it turned into many, many more.

It was on March 17 last year when my mum told me to come home. She was worried, since news broke that Malaysia was going to implement a movement control order to try to stop the spread of the coronavirus. I told her not to worry and that it would blow over soon. As the breadwinner of the family, I was determined to stay in Singapore and continue driving for RedMart. Do I regret my decision? No. My parents are old and they have always been there for me. Now it’s my turn to provide for them.

For years – probably a decade – I had been commuting to Singapore daily. When the pandemic hit and the borders closed, I had to stay in Singapore. In the years that I’ve been working at RedMart, it’s always been the little acts of kindness from customers that brighten up my day, and this is especially true now when I’m away from my family. Some customers provide bread and snacks by their door and some would offer drinks.

It’s definitely not easy being away from my parents and siblings. I can’t even begin to describe the sadness and uncertainty over when I can finally see them again. It was hardest during this Hari Raya, since I wasn’t able to celebrate the holiday with them for a second year. I felt really homesick. When I do video calls with my parents, they sometimes refuse to show their faces because they don’t want me to see that they are crying and that they miss me a lot.

What will I do if the restrictions are lifted tomorrow? I will drive home, appear at the doorstep and surprise my parents. I can’t wait for that day to come.”

Featured photo above: Maswandi Bin Basir (fourth from the right) and his family.

This profile was compiled by Norasikin Bte Ahmad from the Lazada Regional Communications team.

Aug. 17, 2021

Our “Humans of Lazada” series takes a look at the professional and personal lives of the more than 8,000 people who work at Lazada. Click here for more stories from this series.

“So you think you can dance?

If you had known me in my teens, my answer to that question would’ve been ‘no’. I was shy, awkward and quiet. Four years ago, a college pal was starting a dance crew, and for some reason, she asked if I wanted to join. Given my lack of confidence, I was hesitant but decided to give this a chance – more on a whim than for any other reason. As it turned out, saying ‘yes’ to her and picking up dancing was probably one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. It transformed me and gave me the confidence I never thought I had – a confidence that I carried into my work and adult life today.

A year into dancing, I had the opportunity to spend some time in the United States for my college exchange programme. During my year-long stay in California, I got to experience the dance culture there. People were truly comfortable with their own bodies – the dance community is very tight-knit and supportive. That further encouraged me to come out of my shell – I learned and did moves, such as cha-cha basics and even twerking, that I never thought I could pull off. I was becoming less self-conscious about performing in front of an audience and even took part in public showcases with over a thousand people in the audience!

Upon my return to Singapore, I wanted to ‘pay it forward’ by helping people to grow through dance. Since then, I’ve become the captain of my dance crew and taught many folks from all walks of life, including Lazadians from my department. It’s always so rewarding to see people’s faces after a dance session because, invariably, I can see in their smiles that they’ve found something in themselves – just as I had.

Remember the question I asked at the beginning? Without a doubt, yes, I can and love to dance! I also believe that everyone can be great dancers as long as one is willing to give it a try, work hard at it and have discipline and patience. I have an ‘ABCD’ mantra, which is short for ‘Any Body Can Dance’! It’s not about becoming Beyoncé, BTS or Black Pink – although that would be pretty awesome – but it’s about taking that step forward (literally!) and discovering what you can do.”

Hear Skyler tell his story here:

This profile was compiled by Fiona Poh, a senior manager in Lazada’s regional communications team.

Aug. 17, 2021

Our “Humans of Lazada” series takes a look at the professional and personal lives of the more than 8,000 people who work at Lazada. Click here for more stories from this series.

“I love that at work, no one calls me boss. Instead, I am seen as the big brother to some 100 younger colleagues in the category that I lead. I am by far the oldest person in my team, with others being in their 20s and 30s. I am aware of the generation gap and the potential problems it can create with my teammates, so when a 22-year-old intern approaches me to ask for professional advice or openly share their personal issues, I know I must be doing something right.

Just recently, a young colleague shared that his wife had been complaining about him not spending enough time with his family because of work. I told him that being a perfectionist, as he was, could be a double-edged sword. He needed to learn to trust his subordinates, empower them, delegate work and carry out initiatives that shorten the workflow. When he was able to do that, his productivity increased and his family life improved.

As the ‘big brother, it’s important to me to make everyone in the team feel at home. I remember that when I was a child, my grandfather always told me to genuinely care for and look after others and to put ourselves in others’ shoes before we make any decisions. That has become second nature to me. Even though we are mostly working from home these days, I try to ensure that I can still take care of my team – whether it’s through sending care packages or being available over the phone or through messages or video conferences. I hope that one day we can meet again to grab a beer, enjoy some local dishes and catch up in person, just like we used to.”

Featured photo above shows Lazada Vietnam’s electronics category team. Canh Ky Huynh is pictured in the centre wearing a blue áo dài.

This profile was compiled by Bao Uyen Bui, who was from the Lazada PR team in Vietnam.

June 15, 2021

Our “Humans of Lazada” series takes a look at the professional and personal lives of the more than 8,000 people who work at Lazada. Click here for more stories from this series.

“You know the saying ‘never judge a book by its cover’? Well, this rings true for me quite often because a lot of people wouldn’t peg me as a guy who does parkour. People would say to me, ‘I can’t imagine you jumping over guard rails and leaping across rooftops.’ It must be my glasses – they probably make me look more corporate than I am.

The fact is it’s been more than 10 years since I’ve been involved with the sport. I instantly fell in love with it the very first time I did it. At the beginning, I thought the idea of doing parkour itself was cool since it instantly became a topic of conversation. However, I quickly realised that the sport also helps you overcome your fears and empowers you to confront them. It doesn’t matter if you are 15, 35 or 55, when you are ‘in the zone’, nothing matters except the obstacle and technique. You focus on what you want and break it down into achievable steps. It’s very much like how life is.

I started MoveParkour in 2017 to teach others the sport as a way to make it more accessible. When the pandemic hit, it was certainly a challenge because parkour is such a physical sport, and no one had ready-made obstacles they could use at home. We began recording online tutorials by using everyday things, such as chairs and books. We even showed how you can train on flat ground.

To this day I’m still amused by the surprised looks on people’s faces when I talk about parkour. I explain to them that the sport benefits you not only physically but also mentally. It teaches you resilience, discipline and risk management, and it improves mind-and-body coordination, or as I prefer to call it, connection. These are all useful skills to help a person navigate the real obstacles in life.”

This profile was compiled by Anoushka Bhar from the Lazada PR team in Malaysia.