The company, which has neither an exclusive bank partner nor a foreign financial institution, is fully owned by Seamico Securities.

CEO Duangporn Termwattana said yesterday that it had made a big effort to build up its technology system and customer service. It is now about 80 per cent ready for full operation.

"Joining the industry now is a tough task. If we can't find our niche, there's no way we can run the business in an already competitive environment. Our goal is to create quality unique products that answer customers' needs," she explained.

"We won't launch any product whose features are similar to what already exists in the market. Whether it be a fixed-income fund, an equity fund or anything else, its features will be different from the others."

The Blue Ocean Strategy, well known among the business community, was created by W Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne as a way to generate value at low cost. It includes product innovation.

It is the opposite of the Red Ocean Strategy, which engaged in head-to-head competition in search of sustained, profitable growth. That strategy fought for competitive advantage, battled over market share and struggled to achieve differentiation.

Seamico Asset Management plans to approach new online investors rather than depending on its parent company's customer base.

"Customers will need to spend less than 20 minutes online to complete a transaction. They can also conduct a purchase or redemption order through our call centre, where our marketing agents will respond to their needs," said Duangporn.

As the Internet penetration ratio here is less than 20 per cent, the firm has prepared another distribution channel but is not revealing details yet.

Duangporn said the firm would build up brand awareness through the concept of "The Money Pro", categorising the investor's sophistication into three classes.

Funds launched under its Free Series will be aimed at new investors and buyers of traditional funds.

Its Advance Series will be aimed at sophisticated investors who invest in other firms' funds but are not happy with their performance.

Seamico Asset Management launched its first fund, a long-term equity fund, this month. Next month, it will launch two funds, one each from its Free and Advance Series.

Its Nova Series will include alternative investment tools, such as real estate. The company would this year launch a fund featuring an asset class that has never existed for other funds.

Its licence was the first of three granted to newcomers by the Securities and Exchange Commission last year. Its operations are expected to break even next year.

Piyarat Setthasiriphaiboon

The Nation