Dublin e-learning company The CX Academy is to expand into the Asian market after signing a deal with Singapore-based RemarkAPAC. CX will now offer its online courses there, using it as a foundation to expand across the Asia-Pacific region over the next 12 months.

CX offers online professional certification programmes in customer experience. It was started last year by Michael Killeen (pictured), who is chairman, and online specialist Julian Douglas. The company delivers courses to graduates in 25 countries, including the UK, Germany and the USA but also Peru, Zimbabwe and Benin. Clients include companies such as Oracle, AXA insurance, IKEA and ING Bank.

The company says its two online courses in customer experience, a professional certificate and a professional diploma, are validated by an Industry Advisory Council (IAC) and the diploma is credit-rated by Glasgow Caledonian University. 

The IAC consists of a mix of tech giants, financial and retail firms and learning industry experts from companies such as Google, AXA, IKEA and Virgin. Training for the certificate is priced at €495, and for the diploma at €2,850.

RemarkAPAC is run in Singapore by Paul Hourihane, described as an expert on data driven marketing, who has commanded data services at Ogilvy Red Consulting and Merkle.

In Association with

CX managing director Julian Douglas said: “Over half our sales have been to international learners and we are confident that the Asian market will be receptive to the university credit-rated diploma and certificate courses we’ve developed. In Singapore, the government is actively subsidising professional online courses and encouraging companies to invest in staff as opposed to letting them go because of the virus.

“Closer to home, there are over 250,000 CX and customer-centric professionals in the UK alone who are without a qualification in customer experience, so we see significant opportunities internationally in this fast-growing sector.

“The shocking impact of coronavirus has changed the international economic landscape. However, some green shoots are already emerging in Asia and one of the key learnings which has emerged is the importance of effective online strategies. That’s where CX insights can have a huge impact, because your online service must have a human touch.”

The company has received cash support from Enterprise Ireland’s High Potential Startup unit and has also raised more than €750,000 from private investors.