Journey from Boardroom to Breakthrough: The Grit Behind the Glory

Every business leader knows that a good plan is only the beginning. You step out of the boardroom, the ink barely dry on the strategy, and that’s when the real work begins. At Touch 'n Go, we weren’t just fighting for growth—we were fighting for survival. We had a plan—a bold, ambitious plan—but taking it from strategy to success would demand everything we had, and more.

The Battle After the Boardroom

What came next wasn’t automatic. Every single day was a battle. Yes, the business plan had opened a new chapter for us, but the path ahead wasn’t paved with ease. There were no shortcuts, no breathers, and no safety nets. The stakes were high, and the pressure was constant. There were moments when it felt like the weight of it all would crush us, but we refused to falter.

Our mission was clear—revenue, profitability, and positioning. But a strategy on paper doesn’t deliver results. It’s the grit and relentless execution that separates dreams from reality. That’s when we turned to Wildly Important Goals (WIGs). These goals weren’t just numbers on a chart—they became our lifeline. In the storm of competing priorities and challenges, these goals kept us laser-focused on what really mattered.

A Company Aligned on a Single Mission

Every single person in the company—every department, every team member—knew what we had to achieve. Our Balanced Scorecard (BSC) became the heartbeat of the organization. It wasn’t just a management tool; it was our rallying cry. From the executive suite to the tea lady, everyone had a role, and everyone knew their impact. The KPIs were out in the open—transparent and visible for all to see. No one could hide from their responsibility.

As the leader, the pressure was immense. My responsibility wasn’t just to set the vision but to ensure my team had the confidence and clarity to execute it. There were moments when doubt crept in—not about the plan, but about whether we could withstand the obstacles. But I knew that if I didn’t waver, neither would my team.

I still remember saying, “Even the tea lady has a KPI.” And it was true. The level of alignment was extraordinary. It felt like we were conducting a massive orchestra—every person had their part to play, and if even one person was out of sync, the entire performance would falter. But we didn’t falter. We couldn’t.

The Repositioning of a Brand

One of our WIGs was positioning. It wasn’t just about improving revenue or profitability; it was about transforming how the world saw us. The decision to change the company’s name from Rangkaian Segar to Touch ‘n Go was more than a rebrand. It was a signal that we were no longer the same company. Our “Life in the Fast Lane” tagline embodied our mission to become a leader in real-time digital payments. We weren’t just a toll company anymore; we were speeding toward the future. But changing perceptions is never easy, and we had to prove ourselves, every step of the way.

Setbacks, Pivots, and Grit

But the journey was far from smooth. Challenges hit us from every direction. Some initiatives that we thought were sure bets crumbled before they could even take off. There were internal struggles—people struggling to keep up with the pace of transformation—and external forces that threatened to derail us. There were days when the pressure seemed unbearable, when it felt like the walls were closing in.

I saw team members go beyond their job descriptions—like the Head of Special Projects, who took ownership of not just streamlining systems, but helping the marketing team execute campaigns to boost our repositioning. It wasn’t just about hitting KPIs; it was about everyone playing a role in turning the vision into reality.

But we never lost sight of our WIGs. We pivoted, adapted, and moved forward. When something didn’t work, we didn’t dwell on it—we shifted gears and found another way. That agility, that refusal to accept failure, was what kept us alive. We didn’t avoid challenges; we leaned into them and came out stronger.

The Power of a Focused Team

And let me tell you, the people challenges were real. Change is hard, and not everyone could handle the pace. But our core team—the change agents, the leaders who believed in the vision—stayed focused. We kept pushing forward, no matter what. Failure? It was never an option. Every leader, every department head, knew that success rested on their shoulders. There was no room for excuses or hesitation.

And then, after months of tireless effort, late nights, and facing down every obstacle in our path, the breakthrough came. We hit our targets. We didn’t just meet expectations—we exceeded them. For the first time in our company’s history, we paid out our maiden dividend to shareholders. That moment was more than a financial win—it was proof of everything we had fought for. It was the culmination of every ounce of sweat, every hard decision, every late night.

A Victory for the People

But the victory wasn’t just about the numbers. It was about the people. The ones who stood by the company, who gave everything they had to see this vision come to life—they were rewarded too. We didn’t just hit targets; we raised the morale of the entire team. The rewards weren’t just financial; they were emotional. After all the challenges we faced, we had proven that together, we could achieve the impossible.

A True Business Transformation

Looking back, this journey wasn’t just about achieving short-term results—it was a complete transformation. We didn’t simply reposition the brand; we reshaped the company’s culture, its operations, and its market perception. We evolved from a toll collection business into a leader in real-time digital payments, with an organization aligned behind a shared vision.

From implementing Wildly Important Goals (WIGs) to ensuring every team member had KPIs that contributed to our success, we transformed how the company worked and how it was perceived. And achieving the maiden dividend payout was the undeniable proof that the transformation had taken root, not just financially but in the spirit of the entire company.

Key Takeaways:

1. Relentless Focus is Everything When distractions and challenges are everywhere, success comes from staying focused on the few critical goals that matter. Our use of WIGs allowed us to cut through the noise and stay locked in on the priorities that would truly drive change. When you’re overwhelmed, ask yourself: What are the non-negotiables that must be achieved?
2. Everyone in the Company Matters From leadership down to frontline staff, everyone needs to understand their role in the bigger picture. With our Balanced Scorecard, we made sure every single person knew their KPIs and how they contributed to the overall success. Aligning the entire organization behind common goals creates a powerful momentum that can’t be stopped.
3. Adapt, Don’t Panic Not everything will go according to plan, and that’s okay. Some initiatives will fail, but the key is to identify problems early and pivot quickly. The faster you recognize a challenge, the quicker you can replace it with a solution that delivers a similar impact. Flexibility is just as crucial as focus.
4. Resilience in the Face of Pressure Challenges will come from every direction—internal team resistance, external market pressures, and everything in between. But the key is to stay the course. Failure was not an option for us, and that relentless drive to succeed is what ultimately pushed us over the finish line.
5. Celebrate Wins, Big and Small After months of effort, we didn’t just meet our goals—we paid out our first maiden dividend. That was a huge milestone, but just as important was rewarding the staff who gave their all to make it happen. Celebrating success boosts morale and reminds the team that their hard work is seen and appreciated.