Chairman of the Board of Directors at the domestically well-known Lua Viet Tourist Company, Nguyen Van My, has been delivering online orders by moped since August 2020.
“I’m not necessarily doing this because I’m broke; the company is still there”, he laughed, adding that this was just one of his many endeavors besides starting his own side business. “It’s also my way of demonstrating adaptability and perseverance to staff members during the new normal”.
Lua Viet Tourist Company owns 7 branches but most of them are now closed since traveling is limited in many regions. “A big front-facing office would only matter to companies that want to uphold a certain image. I believe tourism, like many other fields, can even function from an apartment in a small alleyway”, My continued.
Meanwhile, the Monkey In Black coffee chain which served as popular gathering venues for the youth across HCMC has been promoting their brand through existing delivery apps.
“We raised online sales by 300 percent in 6 months through platforms like GrabFood and Baemin”, said the owner Tran Thanh Tung. He had shut down all the chain's locations but one to minimize overheads.
Employees at Monkey In Black taking online orders
“Prioritizing take-aways might have been our biggest takeaway from this pandemic”, commented the manager of a sushi place whose dwindling business was saved by “going digital” – promoting online sales, cutting overheads, and expanding the menu to other dishes besides sushi.
Thanks to great disease control and signs of economic recovery, Vietnamese people are now eager to travel again, prompting hospitality and food and beverage providers to make their moves. Advertisements and promotions for fast, affordable delivery from these services can be seen all over mobile apps and social media, displaying the inevitable trend for retails in the near future.
