Brisbane, Australia – 6 October 2022
12 TJM Dealers and Distributors from across Southeast Asia participated in a tour like no other. The team not only strengthened their understanding of the product, but they leveraged cultural diversity to drive innovation for TJM.
Late August, Dealers and Distributors from across Southeast Asia descended on Australia to take part in a unique road trip hosted by 4×4 adventure brand TJM. Taking the lead, were teams from Thailand, The Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and of course TJM Australia.
The tour was in both Melbourne and Brisbane over a two-week period. The trip finalised in spectacular Moreton Island where the team enjoyed four wheeled driving on the beach, night kayaking, sand boarding down the dunes and some amazing Asian style cuisine in the remote and pristine wilderness of the Island.
The aim of the tour was not only for dealers across the region to get a better understanding of TJM products. It was also to bring a diverse group of people together to improve communication within the organisation and to encourage different ways of thinking to further enhance a global approach to product innovation.
Whilst in Melbourne, the team headed off to the 4×4 Outdoors Show to see the TJM brand in action. They also discussed ideation across the region and the cross-pollination activities that underpinned business growth in each of the countries. In addition to this, they undertook factory tours and experienced some of the more unique aspects of four-wheel driving in Australia.
Shamsul from TJM in Malaysia spoke about the experience and what they took away.
“It was the first time I had been to Australia and had the opportunity to camp on the beach, Moreton Island was simply stunning and if I have the opportunity I’d love to go back.”
“For me, one of the best things about this trip was the factory tour, understanding more about the unique strengths of TJM products and learning about how they’re sold in the Australian market.”
“At home in Philippines we have been working with TJM products for about 5 years, and we’ve seen our business go from strength to strength. I can’t wait to implement the ideas, strategy, and knowledge that I gained from the tour and continue to see our business grow.”
Group General Manager Greg Kelly from TJM parent company Aeroklas Asia Pacific Group discussed the tour and importance of bringing diverse groups of people together to foster innovation.
“To be at the forefront of our industry, we need to be constantly working on ideas that will enhance the off-roading experience for our four-wheel drive customers. To achieve this, we need to explore different ways of thinking about our products and services. Bringing dealers from across the region offers a host of perspectives and sheds a whole new light on how we develop, manufacture, distribute and market our products.”
“We’ve found if we embrace diversity and work hard to connect and communicate, we can unlock real innovation and develop products and services that are unmatched by our competitors.
“I’d like to thank all the dealers that took part, and I look forward to seeing some of the great ideas developed during our time together come to life.”
“We’re already planning next year’s dealer tour and will be taking it off-road once again to another outstanding destination.”