Business on an island paradise. Is Bali the Dubai of East Asia?

We managed to do just that less than a month ago. We presented retrofit, savings in air conditioning, design elements for hotels. We also agreed to set up our new franchise in Singapore.

But of course, I have also been enjoying and savouring Bali.

Asia is an incredible world for us electricity lovers. You see a man in flip-flops using a pair of pliers to untangle a ball of coiled wires on a giant ladder. You know it from Vietnam, Thailand – not to mention India – but it is still a hardly believable scene for a European.

Where is the protective equipment? Who trained these people in occupational safety? Will it turn out well? All sorts of questions and scenarios run through your head, but then the guy gets off the giant baton, throws it over his shoulder and rides off on his scooter to the next pole.

Asia in general is incredible when it comes to logistics. Every driver is both a taxi and a freight forwarding company. People carry their entire family, their dog and their weekly shopping on scooters. Stacks of straw are transported, as well as cupboards. That’s why crossing the island from one side to the other is a day’s work.

Thoughtfulness and a smile

But on the other hand: people are considerate of each other. Despite the fact that you’re driving with other cars within centimetres, you feel safe. People don’t have a predatory streak in them. They want things to go well.

And that’s what I enjoyed about Bali.

I’ve loved Dubai for years. For tech geeks and smart enthusiasts, there’s no better incubator of trends and innovations. At the same time, there’s no better place to meet people who have their own global business. Many things we only talk about are being created here.

But it’s the best of all worlds. The biggest, the fastest, the most sophisticated, the most hi-tech. When you go to a hotel or a restaurant, you see absolute professionalism. But the staff are more likely to tick off items on a ‘happy guest list’ than they really, deep down, want you to be happy.

Bali is similar to Dubai in many ways.

The whole world is here too. There are digital nomads and successful businessmen. And along with them, logically, the biggest brands in the world have customer potential here. The locals also genuinely love technology. There’s no place that doesn’t have superfast internet. But at the same time, they don’t have a ‘shark’ in them. They don’t need to win at everything and you’ll find a piece of sincerity and authenticity in their concern for you.

It’s not just perfect service by items on a list, but because they want to give it to you.

China doesn’t come first

And unlike in many other Asian countries, it’s not cheap Chinese products that rule the roost here. If you look at the cars, you’ll find mainly Japanese, but also British cars.

If you look at our industry, there are established western (or perhaps better global) brands like Lutron. The locals are reserved about Chinese products. The first choice is American or European, but of course they hear a lot about price here too.

Our trump card, as in Middle Eastern countries, is sustainability and the associated savings. The Balinese have also recently experienced a wave of rapid energy price increases – so they are really thinking about how not to throw money out the window for unnecessary expenses.

And they have a sense of sustainability through tourism. Today, Bali has to deal with how many tourists this beautiful island can accommodate. It is already impassable and dirty. When you can smell the smog even on a beautiful beach in remote Uluwatu, it’s a bit of a bummer. That’s why investments and new projects are already being made today, always with the goal of making it work years from now.

That’s why it’s good that we’re on projects right now, because this is where we really have something to say and many things to improve.