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both BookFest@Singapore and BookFest@ Malaysia enjoy a breezy check-out experience despite the sheer traffic volume, thanks to our POS system. BookFest has also become the platform for POPULAR’s new technologies and digital applications that will further revolutionise the way we serve our customers. In December 2018, POPULAR launched our own mobile app, “POPULAR SG”, to bring our loyalty programme to new heights. But Christine was not done with upgrading POPULAR’s retail system yet. She oversaw the launch of the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) programme for Singapore and Malaysia between 2006 and 2007. The PDA opened up exciting new possibilities for our business operations. With their tedious routine of stock management digitalised, retail and warehouse staff were free from their respective work locations. With their PDAs, they could be mobile as they recorded the receipt and shipment of goods, and do their stock-taking at any location. Managers could use PDA to issue Purchase Orders. The resulting bump in efficiency and productivity allowed our staff getting ready to ensure optimum stocks for the large-scale sales events, such as BookFest. In 2009, Christine introduced POPULAR’s Business Intelligence (BI) system to Singapore and Malaysia. Various offices are now able to identify business trends by monitoring their business performance and performing analyses. Christine and her team worked on other aspects of POPULAR’s operations, like developing many in-house systems to support the retail operations, exploring e-Commerce site, and implementing the effective annual textbook ordering system for Popular Singapore. A Keen Business Acumen In 2012, Christine was promoted to Senior Director (IT & Business) and was given two additional business portfolios, leading Educational Publishing House (EPH) and POPULAR e-learning (PeLH). As the publishing arms of POPULAR, both entities were content-creating units that play an important role in the core businesses of POPULAR. Christine then stepped into the limelight from her usual position behind the scenes. She was known for her technical knowledge in IT by then, but what caught everyone’s attention was her keen business acumen. Both EPH and PeLH were at a crossroads when Christine took over. Though EPH was the market leader in assessment books, it showed signs of losing steam in staying ahead of its competitors. Christine decided to give EPH and PeLH 蒋美金在新加坡大众担任资讯科技 与业务部高级总监，是一位优秀 能干且躬体力行的领袖。在她为大众竭 诚服务的18年里，她与公司携手取得丰 硕的成果，奠定阶段性的里程碑，鼓励 同事以开放的心态迎接新挑战，展现领 袖风范。 幕后恒有千斤力 美金在新加坡大众主管的资讯科技部， 为大众的发展扮演了重要的角色。在她 的带领下，资讯科技部研发了众多量身 定制的内部运作系统，在支援公司不断 扩大的营运需求的同时，精简业务操作 与流程，从而提高生产力，打造稳固可 靠的信息系统基础建设。这项任务实属 艰巨。 由于美金团队的工作性质隐身幕 后，他们默默耕耘所付出的心血常不为 人知。许多同事往往只是在工作上碰到 电脑技术问题时才会想到请求资讯科技 部支援。而在芸芸众人眼中，资讯科 技人员就是无所不能的魔法师，拥有解 决任何包括电脑、软件、网站、信息系 统、互联网登录、电脑病毒防护等疑难 杂症的超能魔法。 美金的团队所担负的任务之至关重 要，各个业务运作单位体会深刻。大众 书局作为新加坡最大的连锁书店，亟需 实时的营业数据和分析，才能在激烈竞 争的市场上保持领先地位。若是缺少了 这些信息，我们的零售业务将如盲人摸 象，徒劳无功。 凌云大志展宏图 新加坡大众前零售总监李惠贞曾经与美 金有过许多并肩作战的经历。当2003年 沙斯疫情在新加坡暴发时，美金积极配 合大众书局的大胆策略，及时应对，成 功助力业务走出低谷。无独有偶，如同 当前冠病疫情肆虐对各行业所带来的打 击，当时的大众零售业务也遭受严重的 26 - popularnews 131