COMPANIES need to embrace and be in touch with the advancements in technology or risk losing out to the competition, says PKT Logistics Group Sdn Bhd group chief executive and managing director Datuk Michael Tio.

He believes this is one of the main challenges facing CEOs today. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that the logistics company has invested significantly in the field of technology.

“The management of today has changed so much with the progress made in technology. After we had decided to compete in the MNC (multinational companies) market, we found that we needed to equip ourselves with technology,” Tio tells StarBizWeek.

He says the company has already spent some RM3mil to install and upgrade its warehouse management, transportation management and enterprise resource planning systems.

“We even have a specially tailored GPS (global positioning system) for our trucks to calculate kilometre per litre of gasoline used,” Tio says, adding that PKT also spent RM1.1mil to upgrade its security systems.

“Our security system is like that of a Las Vegas casino’s,” he enthused.

“Today’s Gen-Y employees are good at adapting to technology. We therefore transformed our workplace by incorporating ICT (information and ­communications technology) elements into our operations,” he says, adding that the company has also made it compulsory for all of its employees to have a Facebook (FB) account.

“Our cleaners and guards have FB accounts too. We continue to innovate new ways of working via FB.”

“Here, we post all the latest vacancies available in PKT and soon our corporate clients. Reason is, we generate so many interest from people who want to work for us and the queue now stands at 600 FB fans. Our human resources department is helping them connect with our corporate clients who have vacancies.”

Tio will be speaking at the Star Business Awards (SOBA) Learning Series workshop in Kuching on June 29.

He will speak on What Makes PKT Different and Challenges Faced by Modern CEOs. The company bagged three awards in 2011, including gold for Entrepreneur of the Year and silver for Business of the Year.

“I must say we truly deserved to win the awards as we have worked very hard to be leaders in everything we do. SOBA is truly an event we look forward to as it generate tremendous exposure.

Tio says the company’s business grew by more then 50% last year, partly due to the exposure it gained from winning big at SOBA.

“Today, our One Logistics Hub (which comprises three buildings – The Ship, The Waves and The Lighthouse) is the most talked about warehouse in the industry!”

On what makes PKT different from other logistics companies, Tio says: “We serve with passion. We also motivate our staff to the level that they think they’re better than other MNC employees.”

This year’s SOBA promises to see some significant enhancements. For one thing, the awards are divided into two broad categories – the top-of-the-class awards and outstanding achievement awards. There are eight sub-categories for the former and three for the latter.

Now in its third year, the awards will reward winners with almost RM1mil worth of advertising space and airtime.

Exim Bank is the presenter of the awards, supported by Bursa Malaysia. The Royale Chulan Kuala Lumpur is the official hotel partner. Red Tomato is the official Chinese newspaper, while the official radio stations are 988FM and RedFM. The awards auditor is BDO.