Changing Mindsets One e-payment At A Time
GHL Systems Berhad deploys products and services to big and small merchants within the ASEAN region from various industries. Over the years, GHL has formed a solid reputation for revolutionizing the ASEAN payment industry, as it shifts to a more digital approach. Some of GHL’s payment solutions include payment acceptance devices, internet payment services, payment network solutions, loyalty and prepaid e-Wallet solutions, card payment services, and next generation payment services.
The 25-year-old company was established in Malaysia in 1994, and now has more than 1,000 employees spread across offices in Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Australia, which makes localization a challenge. To overcome it, GHL has a local unit based in these countries to represent the business as a whole, and to maintain local business relationships with other business partners or merchants.
GHL processes more than RM1 billion in transaction value per month, a steep growth from the RM6.8 million mark that it previously processed in 2016. The company is accredited by organizations and governing bodies such as VISA, MasterCard, JCB, MEPS, SIRIM, and the Line Encryption Working Group, with its clientele ranging across industries like banking and finance, oil and gas, retail, F&B and telecommunications.
With the company’s total percentage of human capital turnaround for the region coming in at a stellar 24 percent, it is not surprising to learn that GHL stresses career opportunities and growth for all employees. Specific initiatives and customized development plans have been put in place to support growth of high-potential staff within the Group. The HIPO (High Potential) Programme focuses on talent development and talent retention by identifying high potentials for key leadership positions to meet the Group’s current and future requirements. Learning and development initiatives have been implemented in GHL to enhance capabilities ranging from increasing knowledge on compliance, building technical, professional abilities, to soft skills and leadership competencies. In 2018, 117 employees attended 357 hours of training. This year the company will launch GHL Payment School, catered to the public, merchants, and GHL talents, to educate about the payment industry.
GHL insures that offices in each country it operates in focuses on the specific needs of selected non-profit organizations. This year GHL Malaysia conducted a blood donation drive in response to an urgent call by the national blood bank to replenish dwindling supply. The GHL Thailand team cleaned and donated school supplies to the Wat Sawetsilaram School in the Ayutthaya province, while GHL Philippines donated hard hats and school chairs to Silahis ng Katarungan (SIKAT) Elementary School, as part of the Philippines Department of Education requirements for all schools to provide hard hats to students in the schools’ emergency kit.
While transaction value has grown across the region, GHL notes that cashless adoption in ASEAN is still low, with many SMEs not yet fully embracing the cashless movement. To overcome this challenge, GHL will help educate SMEs about the importance of the cashless approach in today’s business environment, and work on instilling confidence in payment solutions providers.
