Ben Chan and Bench

 Case study 2

Instructions: This article is about Ben Chan and Bench. To facilitate an interesting classroom discussion of this article, additional research can be done on Mr. Chan and Bench for further knowledge and information.

Ben Chan and Bench

Bench is the founder of a large clothing chain, Bench under Suyen Corporation. Known for being hardworking and innovative, Ben Chan has expanded his clothing chain in the international markets.

The word bench which means “long seat,” now connotes a different meaning in the business world. The word Bench stands for a clothing store offering fashionable clothes.

Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, (his father, Chan Lib, put up Liwayway Marketing and his brother expanded it), Ben Chan established Dimensione, a modern furniture store and Finale, an art gallery.

In 1987, Chan started a T-shop in SM department stores in Manila. This marked the beginning of Bench.

Aside from Dimensione, Suyen Corporation has diversified to Fix Salon for hair salon services and Human for the hip-hop fashion conscious market.

By 1994, Bench opened its first fashion store in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, then followed by another store in Shanghai, China. Another one was built in Kuwait.

In 2007, Bench had established stores in Eagle Rock, Los Angeles; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Bahrain; Guangzhou, Xian; and Dubai. The primary location, however, is still China with 27 company stores and 19 franchises.

Some questions for analysis:

1. How did Ben Chan make a difference in clothing/apparel through Bench?

2. What makes Bench click?

3. In your own analysis, how has Ben Chan scanned the environment where Bench operates?