MANILA, PHILIPPINES, 21 June 2023 – Grab Philippines unveils a range of cutting-edge tech solutions and merchant partnership packages at the GrabNext Conference 2023. Among the new digital consumer touchpoints is the discoverability platform Find & Dine, which serves as an in-app virtual resto guide for dine-in consumers. Grab also launched the Marketing Manager, a merchant-partner exclusive portal that allows MSMEs to manage their digital marketing with no added cost. 

Grab Philippines Senior Director for Deliveries kicks off the GrabNext Conference 2023, sharing insights on past achievements and exciting plans for Grab Deliveries in the upcoming year.

The leading superapp also highlighted the growing adoption of its online-to-offline (O2O) solutions Scan-to-Order and Self Pick-Up, showcasing consumers’ shift to a hybrid lifestyle in the post-pandemic environment. 

In light of the relaxation of health protocols in 2022, Grab conducted a comprehensive regional survey to gain deeper insights into evolving consumer behavior. The leading superapp’s research identified a key trend in the post-pandemic era: consumers now anticipate the ability to explore, interact, and make purchases through some form of digital touchpoint. Notably, an overwhelming 9 out of 10 consumers across Southeast Asia express a strong preference for brands that offer an integrated online-to-offline (O2O) experience.

Grab Philippines Senior Director for Deliveries Anton Bautista shares, “We remain steadfast in our commitment to empowering MSMEs and businesses in the Philippines. By continuously reinventing business models, tailoring innovative solutions, and introducing industry-leading tools, we help safeguard the scalability and sustainability of our merchants as they navigate an O2O environment.”

Intensifying Tech Enablement

Grab remains at the forefront of championing tech enablement for MSMEs to enhance their adaptability to the evolving market landscape. As consumers continue to embrace a hybrid lifestyle, Grab unveiled pivotal innovations that allow its merchant-partners to continuously thrive with greater confidence and agility.

• Find & Dine is Grab’s dine-in discoverability platform that serves as a virtual guide for consumers exploring culinary offerings within their vicinity.  Users gain access to comprehensive restaurant profiles, complete with operating hours, menus, dine-in reviews, and contact details. In a strategic move set for the second half of 2023, Grab will introduce Dine-In Deals, enabling users to pre-purchase discounted deals for in-store dining. 
• Scan-to-Order (STO) enhances the in-store dining experience as it enables dine-in consumers to effortlessly scan menus, place orders, and make payments while seated conveniently at their favorite restaurants. This seamless consumer experience can boost the merchants’ front-of-house efficiency by 15%. Grab is also preparing to launch the Buzzer Experience under STO. Through this upcoming feature, merchants can easily alert diners when their meals are ready for collection. 
• Self Pick-Up (SPU) allows users to remotely place orders and make payments, skipping queues for a hassle-free to-go experience. Notably, SPU orders doubled in Q4 2022 compared to Q1 of the same year, showcasing its growing popularity among users. 

Grab also accelerates its digitalization efforts for its merchant-partners with a range of new features. Among these advancements is the new Marketing Manager, a powerful desktop-enabled feature accessible through the GrabMerchant portal. With the Marketing Manager, merchants like non-tech savvy MSMEs are given better control and easier access to robust capabilities in amplifying their online presence. 

Chef Kim Baquiano-Hit and Jashmine Baquiano-Rufo, the sister founders of Grab Signatures merchant-partner Thai Mango, shares how GrabAds and the actionable data on the platform have helped them strategically increase their brand awareness and market reach.

One standout feature of the Marketing Manager is the ability to create a single ad campaign that reaches all store locations, streamlining marketing efforts and maximizing reach. Moreover, Grab has integrated a Forecasting widget within the Marketing Manager. This real-time tool enables merchants to visualize the potential outcomes of their ad campaigns based on selected audiences and allocated budgets.

Optimizing Online Marketplace Operations

Grab also introduced the new Grab Merchant Partner Packs, allowing entrepreneurs to choose the best support model that aligns with their business goals and income stream.

The Grab Merchant Partner Packs are available in three tiers: Basic, Platinum, and Premium. Each tier provides merchant-partners with essential tools and services carefully tailored to meet their specific needs. Included within each Merchant Partner Pack is a designated delivery area, optimized delivery fees for consumers, Grab-funded promotional campaigns, and visibility in the GrabUnlimited – the sought-after Grab subscription plan. 

“Leveraging our regular engagements with our merchant-partners, we have refined and enhanced our partnership packages to offer unparalleled support to each and every one of them – regardless of their size, as we futureproof their success in the dynamic deliveries space,” Bautista highlights.