Thu Hoai Nguyen sells handmade, traditional Vietnamese cakes with her Hanoi-based company, Banh Chung Nuong Bac. When the pandemic hit, she realized that old-fashioned ways of working weren’t going to sustain the business and cater to the changing customer needs. Thu Hoai saw that she needed to adapt quickly to make it easier for customers to shop online.
She updated the company’s website so customers could order directly from Nuong Bac, not just through food delivery apps, and she found new ways of connecting with customers on digital platforms, including with Google Business Profile. Thu Hoai also digitized her business operations with Google Workspace so some staff members could work remotely, both saving costs and creating efficiency.
“Observing, learning and the courage to transform are essential for businesses to survive and grow in the digital era,” she says.
Results of Nuong Bac’s digital transformation were significant. Revenue increased by 20% from 2020 to 2021, and the number of new customers nearly doubled. Staff operations also ran more smoothly with the introduction of online meetings and trainings.
Empowered by sales success, a loyal customer community, and supportive relationships with other small business owners, Thu Hoai says the next challenge for Nuong Bac is to use digital to connect with international consumers.
“We understand that our business performance depends on our responding to customer needs, and the only way to survive in a changing world is to be able to adapt quickly to the new needs in a new way,” she says.
Soon, with the help of digital, Thu Hoi hopes to grow as an import business, bringing Banh Chung’s authentic Vietnamese flavors to new customers in markets such as Japan, Korea, and beyond.
