Microleasing accelerates digital transformation by enhancing customer service, establishing strong operational standards, developing a centralized Customer Data Platform, integrating data across all business units, and advancing AI/ML capabilities.

Overview

Today, digital technology plays a significant role in people’s lives, driving businesses to rapidly adapt in order to deliver experiences that align with evolving behaviors and prepare for constant uncertainty. Digital transformation has become essential for organizations to seize new opportunities, gain a competitive advantage, and establish operational standards that reflect the demands of the digital era.

Money & Banking conducted a special interview with Mr. Preeda Iramaneerat, Deputy Managing Director for Resources and Investment at Micro Leasing Public Company Limited (Microleasing). He shared the origins of the truck leasing business and offered insights into digital transformation and strategic technology investments aimed at supporting customer expansion in the digital age. The discussion also covered efforts to establish organizational work standards, along with the direction and roadmap for developing a Customer Data Platform to integrate data across the Group’s ecosystem.

Create business from knowledge to 2nd-hand truck loan

Mr. Preeda explained that Microleasing is a provider of hire-purchase loans for second-hand trucks. The company was founded in 2002, inspired by the vision of Mr. Thammasak Atchayawat, who has over 47 years of experience in the truck parts business. His deep understanding of the market, truck driver behavior, and challenges in accessing financial resources for purchasing or maintenance led him to identify a business opportunity—resulting in the establishment of Microleasing.

Initially, Micro Leasing set out to provide leasing services for all types of vehicles, but placed particular focus on second-hand trucks starting from 2-wheel models and above. This market had limited competition and demanded specialized knowledge and experience in spare parts. Moreover, most trucks are used in transportation services and generate income—enabling customers to reliably make their installment payments.

“Second-hand truck loans offer distinct advantages over general car loans—because no one buys a truck just to drive around. Truck loan providers must possess specialized knowledge in engines and spare parts to evaluate vehicles for approval. They can advise customers on whether the truck they’re considering is reliable, road-ready, and suitable for long-term use. This helps ensure that customers can use their vehicle to grow their business and keep it running smoothly—not end up parking it for repairs just a few months after purchase.”

Microleasing is currently listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) and has expanded its operations under an integrated ecosystem, prioritizing the management of high-quality loan portfolios and delivering comprehensive financial services. The business is structured into four key segments:

1. Used truck leasing – the company’s core business, managed directly by Microleasing.

2. Motorcycle hire-purchase – operated by Micro Plus Leasing Co., Ltd.

3. Insurance brokerage services – provided by Micro Insurance Broker Co., Ltd.

4. Personal loan services – focused on enhancing liquidity for truck drivers, managed by Micro Fin Co., Ltd.

Modern Microleasing: Safe, Standardized, and Future-Ready

Mr. Preeda shared that prior to listing on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, Microleasing prioritized building a strong foundation—anchored by robust accounting systems and clearly defined operational standards. In 2018, the company invested in a Multi-Hybrid Cloud infrastructure, selecting Nutanix solutions to modernize its IT systems. This upgrade enabled fast, secure, and stable customer service across both online and offline channels.

The new infrastructure also transformed data management—replacing paper-based records with fully digitized files. As a result, loan approval times were significantly shortened, enhancing efficiency and customer experience.

“Our business is different from other lenders. Wherever the customer is, we go to meet them, talk directly, and observe their actual behavior. To support this approach, Microleasing equips our employees with personal tablets for data collection. If a customer wishes to submit documents, they can simply use the tablet to take photos and send them to the head office for review. This eliminates the need to transport paperwork back and forth—allowing customers to receive results much faster.”

Microleasing has also invested in Business Intelligence (BI) systems to automate data analysis processes—laying the foundation for a robust IT infrastructure that reduces long-term system management costs.

Mr. Preeda added that improving IT infrastructure ensures consistent operational standards across the organization, reinforcing its strengths and positioning the company to seize new business opportunities. Additionally, Microleasing has conducted in-depth studies on data security in compliance with ISO 27001 standards, aligned with PDPA and international regulations. This ensures that customers’ personal information remains protected and will not be used without explicit permission.

“Microleasing is a provider of financial products. Its operations must strictly adhere to established standards to ensure that all services are reliable, transparent, and compliant with applicable regulations. To support this, the company utilizes highly efficient, flexible, and scalable solutions—capable of managing large volumes of data. Employees across the country can simultaneously access the company’s core application, enabling the credit underwriting department to operate seamlessly from any location, at any time. This approach also reinforces the professional image of the organization.”

Building a Customer Data Platform: Unlocking Insight & Satisfaction

Mr. Preeda shared that Microleasing’s next step in its digital transformation journey is the development of a Customer Data Platform (CDP). This system will integrate customer data from four business units, enabling the company to gain deeper insights into customer behavior and deliver more personalized, efficient services.

The platform will also support future business expansion by improving data analysis capabilities and allowing tailored product offerings. For example, if a customer who previously used truck leasing services wishes to lease a motorcycle, the credit underwriting team can immediately access existing data—eliminating the need to resubmit documents or repeat processes. This streamlines operations and reduces redundancy.

Moreover, customers with strong installment payment histories can be proactively offered additional financial products. The CDP also helps minimize the risk of non-performing loans (NPLs). By integrating Business Intelligence tools to analyze behavioral data, Microleasing gains actionable insights before approving new credit lines. If any irregularities in payment behavior are detected, that data will inform future lending decisions—enhancing both service quality and financial stability.

“Without a CDP system, the data stored within the company holds little value—comparable to unused clutter—because it cannot be effectively leveraged. This not only limits business potential but also wastes the investment made in data storage infrastructure. By integrating and connecting data, companies can unlock its full value, turning raw information into actionable insights that benefit both the organization and its customers in the long term.”

Mr. Preeda further explained that the Customer Data Platform (CDP) begins by segmenting large datasets into smaller groups, known as data marts—such as installment payment behavior, customer profiles, employee records, and financial data. This structure enables the Business Intelligence (BI) system to efficiently analyze targeted sets of information. Microleasing has already completed this foundational step.

The next phase involves integrating these data marts from the broader data lake into a unified system using data integration techniques. Once connected, the system allows seamless data sharing across departments. For instance, if a customer requests an additional personal loan, the system can immediately retrieve existing data—such as repayment behavior, income history, and personal details—from relevant data marts. The BI system then analyzes this data and delivers actionable insights to the credit underwriting team for informed decision-making.

Microleasing is currently collaborating with Nutanix to develop the data integration framework. The goal is to complete the system by the end of 2023, supporting projected group-wide growth of 20%. The integrated platform will also enable future connectivity through Open APIs—allowing seamless collaboration with business partners across the ecosystem.

“In the past, determining the total amount of previous loans took several days due to fragmented data collection and processing. Once the Customer Data Platform (CDP) system is fully developed, all relevant information will be instantly accessible, with Business Intelligence (BI) tools automatically summarizing the data.”

Mr. Preeda further shared that although the Customer Data Platform (CDP) system is not yet 100% complete, initial feedback from customers has been very positive. Previously, loan approval took 7 to 10 days—but with the new system, the consideration period has been reduced to just 3 days, with even faster turnaround expected once the CDP is fully implemented.

In addition to developing the CDP system, Microleasing is actively exploring new technologies and business channels to identify its next S-Curve. Areas of interest include virtual banking, digital assets, logistics, and factoring. The company also plans to integrate artificial intelligence and machine learning into future data analytics strategies.

“Microleasing positions itself as a non-bank financial service provider. In the future, if new channels emerge that enable us to offer more comprehensive financial services, we’re prepared to explore them—creating new business opportunities and product formats that better meet customer needs, while continuing to advance our technology to be modern, safe, and reliable,”

• Preeda Iramaneerat

Source: 🌐 MoneyandBanking