SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN

FOUNDATION IN NATURAL BUILD ENVIRONMENT

PRESENTATION TITLE: COMPARISON OF TWO BUSINESSES
GROUP MEMBERS:
Names

Presentation / Research Report Roles.

AKIF NUKMAN

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESSES

ADAM PANDOR

SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES

ABRAHAM PENGARAH

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

ANDERSON WONG

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

RAVEENDER SINGH
DAYANG NADRAH
ALIMAN ROSLAN

KEY SUMMARY
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

ENGLISH II / ENGLISH 2 (ELG 30605 / ENG 0205)

LECTURER: GOPIGHANTAN

MYLVAGANAM

SUBMISSION & PRESENTATION DATE: 15th JANUARY, 2016.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
No.

Title

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Cover page
Key Summary
Brief description of the history of the businesses
Comparative Analysis of the Businesses Competitive Traits
Similarities and Differences
Appendices
References
Attachments
Suggested list of interview questions
Conclusion

Page
Number

2. KEY SUMMARY
We were given an assignment to compare and analyze two businesses of the similar
industry in different geographical locations. This report contains our research and
analysis based on the two businesses that we have chosen which are from the electronics
and communication field found in Bandar Sunway and in Puchong. The electronics and
communication stores that we have chosen are both distributors of two very well
established brands which is Samsung and Apple. The Samsung store is located in Sunway
Pyramid, Bandar Sunway whereas the Apple store also known as EPICentre is located at
IOI City Mall, Puchong. After completing and analyzing the report, we found out that the
Samsung store located at Sunway Pyramid is more commercially successful in terms of
business than the EPICemtre in Puchong.

3. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE HISTORY OF THE

BUSINESSES
When we were doing the interview with one of the workers from
EPICentre, we asked him couple of questions about the background of the
store but we were quite disappointed as he doesnt really know much
about the store so we had to improvise and find other useful sources
about some of the questions. So, in 2002, Jimmy Fong, started the
company which is located in The Wheelock Mall, Singapore. Today,
EPICentre is a regional retail brand with 15 stores in Singapore, Malaysia
and China with a very healthy growth-from the first year sales of S$7
million through a single store to its current highest-ever half-year results
of S$120 million sales.

4. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE BUSINESSES

COMPETITIVE TRAITS
An increasing amount of smartphones in the market has widen the amount of
competitors for technology sales. Every product is catered to the needs and growth of
technology in the society. New outcome from different brands has played a huge part in
the development of electronics. This can be seen in the chosen business comparison. For
being a distributor for one of the most common and largest manufacturers in the world, it
is no surprise that both of these selected businesses encounter great competition. Apple is
the said to be the most valuable brand worldwide. While Samsung is known to be the
largest information Technology Company. This matter is found very subjective to the
customer preferences. Viewing the brand on its own suggests that this can affect any
business of its kind. As we inquire the employees of EPICentre and Samsung store, both
stated that competition between similar businesses are strongly present. To our
acknowledgment, Samsung store does have more competitors since there is more
technology and communication store surrounding it as opposed to EPICentre where the
amount of competitors are slightly under the amount received by Samsung. EPICentre
describes having strong competitors not just by product, but revenue. This store is located
in conjunction of few technology stores where there are less passerbys. Chances are,
customers will pick one but the other.
Samsung on the other hand, is located in a much more opened area with greater
passerbys. Strong competition appears as they are various similar shops nearby including
Apple. Number of customers are more but they can be conflicted. Given the fact that both
EPICentre and Samsung store are located in a mall, technology and communication stores
are most likely opened close by. It is easy to say that when running a business, all things
are considered. Competitors do not just come by brand of product but also location and
customer. These well-known products are no stranger to customer as some users prefers
to stick with one certain brand which can cause consistency in customer. Starting a
business that distributes devices from a different region does affects the sales and running
of store.
As gather from the interview session, we have understood their products more. Knowing
that EPICentre is the distributors of Apple product, we asked the employees where their
products came from. All of their products are engineered and design in California. As this
is where they first established it. It is then assembled in China which are then imported to
Malaysia. Differing to the Samsung store, the employees stated that the products came
from Korea and which then imported to Malaysia. Samsung does not only manufactures
communication devices, but also all things electronic and electrical appliances. This is not
present in the selected business but this supports to why Samsung is the largest
Technology Company. It has also been mention by both unit that default uses and markets
are refer to their respective manufacturers. But no doubt customer service is provided in
both businesses making it easy for users.

During our interview, we also managed to spare time to ask a few more questions.
One of the question was what is the crucial point to look when hiring a trainee?
A few answers that we highlighted was that the trainee must have a good understanding
of the product he or she is selling, because they need to provide a sufficient explanation
to the customer about their product and clients interests. The trainee must be humble and
able to accept clients comments and complaints. Trainees cannot lose their temper with
customers because store rating will drop drastically and resulting big loss for the store.
Being humble can improvise their weakness and attitude towards customers. Next, check
their social background for juvenile or criminal records. Hiring without proper
background check will cause unnecessary loss and product stock to be cut short.
Background checking will allow us to identify potential employee or burglars for our
company. The trainee must also have a sufficient amount of knowledge in business so
there will be no minor mistakes that will cost the store to go bankrupt. Trainees must hold
strict with the store policy by not doing anything forbidden and doesnt take any bribes
from the customer. Lastly, trainees cannot complain about their payment fee for their
service.
We were also able to ask their sold product that enter and exit the store. In Samsung
Store at Sunway, by using their strategic location, they were able to attract more
customers. Even though their location is challenged by many other competitors, due to
their cheaper price for electronic products, they were able to sell more than 10 products a
day and for each product sold they receive rm50 as commission. Sunway Pyramid is a
commercial place with a high rating of people that come every year. As for the EPICentre
store at IOI Mall at Puchong, its location wasnt too strategic to attract many customers.
Even though the store doesnt have many competitors, there wasnt much gadgets and
electronic stores at the mall, there arent many customers that pass by the store. This is
probably because the mall doesnt have many people that visit it due to its lack of
popularity unlike the other store. During holidays, the store will provide a special holiday
discount for the customers that purchase their products during that limited time. Most of
the people will try to purchase the gadgets that they desire during this time which will
result in too many people coming into the mall and causing it to become very packed.
As we interviewed the two respective technology stores of our choice, we have
also asked them a few more questions of their paying customers whom they have attract
throughout their current sales. For the Apple Store which we interviewed, we have asked
for their most usual customers or key customers who have been purchasing their products
in their current sales. The employees who we interviewed states that they have their
customers come in random amount of varieties in age. They have made their recent
purchases of product with customers of all ages from youth to the elderly. The reason for
the Apple Store that we had interviewed to have these type of results in their sales is
because of the varieties of gadgetry which the store is selling, stretching from
communication uses to entertainment uses. Some of their products provides child friendly
purposes such as video games. As for the other age group which is adults and elderly,
they have their uses for some of their products for their leisure such as communications

and for news reading. Then, as for the Samsung store which we had interviewed, they
have a specific type of paying customers which they have received in their current sales.
There are also some other customers of other variety of age too. As for their business
which they usually receive, they have stated that their key customers are usually at the
age range of adults and or working men and women. The reason for their amount of
customers to be distributed to having the adults to be the highest amount of customers is
because of the selling products they have. The products they have are more suitable for
job related work which would aid some of the users which are adults. This would have
them to be a convenience to them as well. The products which are sold by the Samsung
store are also more systematic. In the world of business and trades, there are bound to
have some challenges which lay ahead. For this we had also asked the employees we
were interviewing of the two stores about their own competitors who they have usually
faced within their business. For the Apple Store which we had interviewed, they have
stated that they have a common rivalry with the Samsung stores. The reason of the Apple
Store having a competition with that store is because of their similarities of the products
which both of the stores are selling, which is phones and other gadgetry. As for the other
store which we had interviewed, which is the Samsung store, the employees which were
interviewed had told that their business and sales are sometimes affected by the other
stores nearby. The stores which is in the surrounding area with the Samsung store, could
lure the customers away from them which cause them to manipulate and also influence
the sales which then will be turned against them by reducing the number of visitors to
come to their store.

5. SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES

Samsung, Sunway Pyramid
Based on the interview
conducted. The location of
this shop is way more
strategic thus attracting more
customers, increasing sales
and also profit
Lot F1.27, 3, Jalan PJS
11/15, Bandar Sunway,
47500 Subang Jaya,
Selangor, Malaysia

There are many other

competitors and well
established shops nearby

Mobile devices, laptops,

speakers, televisions, mobile
assecories

Cheaper compared to Apple

because its products are
imported from Korea

Difference and Similarities

ANUAL REVENUE

LOCATION

COMPETITORS

TYPES OF
PRODUCTS SOLD

PRICING

Epic Store, IOI Mall Puchong

Due to the not so strategic
location of the shop, many do
not pass by it therefore causing
sales to be difficult

Lot E27 & E28, Ground Floor,

IOI Mall, Jalan Puchong, Bandar
Puchong Jaya, 47170 Puchong,
Selangor, Malaysia

There are a few electronic shops

around the area but not as many
as compared to Samsung

Mobile devices, laptops,

speakers, televisions, mobile
assecories

More expensive compared to

Samsung as most of their
products are made in California,
assembled in China then
imported to Malaysia

6. APPENDICES
Interview, questions and answers for Epic Store in ioi Mall, Puchong.
1. When was the business founded?
- The business was founded in 2009
2. Who are the key founders or the business?
- Steve jobs
3. Whats your main product and services?
- iPhone, iPod, iMac and all other apple products and accessories available in Malaysia
4. Who are your customers?
- Personal of all ages, the range of customers we get are not stable
5. Who are your competitors?
- Samsung, all other phone competitors but mainly Samsung is giving a though
competition
6. Is your business constantly facing strong competition?
- yes
7. Where do your products come from?
- Build in California, assembled in china
8. Approximately how much do you make daily?
-Depending on the amount of customers, for every sale i as a trainee will receive a
commission of rm50.
9. What are some of the crucial point to look at when hiring a trainee?
- has to have good understanding about the product
10. Do you believe in advertisements?
- Yes, Of Course!

Interview, questions and answers for Samsung Store, Sunway Pyramid.

11. When was the business founded?
- The business was founded in 1998
12. Who are the key founders or the business?
- Byung - Chull lee
13. Whats your main product and services?
- All Samsung products in Malaysia but mainly the new Note 5 mobile phone.
14. Who are your customers?
- Mostly all Adults
15. Who are your competitors?
- Dont really have a direct competitor but the surrounding shops are a competition
16. Is your business constantly facing strong competition?
- Yes
17. Where do your products come from?
- Korea, Made in china
19. An average of how many customers do you get daily?
- 20-30 customers on an average day
18. Approximately how much do you make daily?
-Around 10 products sold per day
19. What are some of the crucial point to look at when hiring a trainee?
- has to have good understanding about the product
20. Do you believe in advertisements?
- Yes, It attracts more customers!

7. REFERENCES
Our Story | EpiCentre Singapore. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20, 2016, from
http://www.epicentreasia.com/epicentre-holdings/our-story/
About Samsung | Samsung. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20, 2016, from
http://www.samsung.com/my/aboutsamsung/
(n.d.).
Retrieved
January
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung

20,

2016,

from

(n.d.).
Retrieved
January
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung

20,

2016,

from

8. ATTACHMENTS

9. SUGGESTED LIST OF INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

1) When was the business founded?

2) Who are the key founders?
3) What prompted the founders to start this business?
4) What are your main products?
5) Who are your customers?
6) What is the business annual revenue figure?
7) How many branch offices/stores do you have (if applicable)?
8) Can you provide us a brief history of your business and its most recent developments?
9) Do you have many competitors? Who are they? Who are your top 3 competitors?
10) Is the business constantly facing strong competition from other competitors? What
strategies have they used to compete with you?
11) How much capital is required to start this business? What, if any, specialized field of
knowledge do you need to run this business?
12) Generally, do you feel it is easy or hard to enter this market? Why?
13) How do you compete with your competitors i.e. what strategies do you employ to
divert customers away from your competitors?

14) How often do you release a new product (this assumes the business sells
differentiated products)?
15) Are your pricing decisions strongly affected by your competitors?

10. CONCLUSION
In conclusion, throughout our process of performing this assignment, although there were
many ups and downs, we managed to perform this assignment significantly well though
we had some time constraint issues. The initial plan was to interview two great beverage
companies namely GAB and F&N but due to some reasons beyond our control, we had to
make drastic changes in the very last minute in order to interview two new companies.
Therefore, we decided to interview two electronic business namely EPICentre and
Samsung. We conducted our interview after thorough research and came up with
questions to ask them. In the beginning, both companies were refusing to have an
interview with them but we somehow managed to convince them into partaking in our
activity. Hence, they decided to give us a small interview with some of their interns.