Mr. Nguyen Huy Thinh, General Manager of McDonald’s Vietnam, tells VET about the opening of the second restaurant in Hanoi and the use of digital technology.
Can you tell us about the second McDonald’s restaurant in Hanoi?
The second restaurant officially opened on April 17. Located on the first floor of the Diamond Flower building in Hoang Dao Thuy Street, Thanh Xuan district, the restaurant covers an area of 400 sq m. This is a prime location with many offices, businesses and banks. It is also very close to the National Convention Center, with Big C Thang Long supermarket and Hanoi Landmark 72 building nearby, as well as arterial roads such as Pham Hung, Tran Duy Hung and Le Van Luong, which have large populations. We believe that the opening of a McDonald’s restaurant on Hoang Dao Thuy Street will meet the huge demand among customers in the area.
How did McDonald’s prepare for the opening of this second restaurant after more than a year since it opened its first in Hanoi?
After opening the first restaurant by Hoan Kiem Lake, we spent a lot of time understanding consumption habits in Hanoi in particular and the north in general. McDonald’s therefore offers the most appropriate menus, dishes, promotions, and customer care services, receiving support and positive feedback from customers.
Over the past year, we have also studied the central and suburban areas of Hanoi to plan development in the medium and long term, as well as the direction to take in marketing and market development in accordance with the culture and consumption habits of the northern region, to best meet customer expectations. An understanding of customers was the main reason we selected Hoang Dao Thuy as our second location in Hanoi.
Why is McDonald’s opening new restaurants in Hanoi at this time? What are the differences in terms of market and customer habits between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City?
McDonald’s has a serious investment and a thorough understanding of new markets we want to develop. Hanoi in particular and the north in general will be an area where McDonald’s Vietnam invests strongly in the future. Therefore, our first steps are cautious, ensuring we bring products and services that meet customer expectations.
In 2017 and 2018, we spent a lot of time recruiting, training, and developing talent because when expanding the network, managers and employees are a key factor in determining success or failure. We also researched and successfully launched new items under our “Localization” strategy, with dishes more suitable for Vietnamese tastes at affordable prices, to bring convenience while ensuring “gold” quality under global McDonald’s standards. After nearly two years, the staff and menu have been completed, and now is the time to open new restaurants to serve customers.
McDonald’s recently received the title of “Sustainable Enterprise” after applying EOTF (Experience of the Future) standards in restaurant operations and customer service. How will EOTF technology be used in this new restaurant?
Thanks to our business acumen and a business development strategy based on technology, McDonald’s is proud to be a pioneer in the service industry and our restaurants use technology to improve service quality and provide new experiences to customers.
When visiting McDonald’s Hoang Dao Thuy, customers will experience an automatic ordering service through Self Ordering Kiosk (SOK) and service at the table, with support from a Guest Experience Lead (GEL). Technology hardware is combined with “heart-ware” to bring the best experience, because when lacking this second element, technology is just lifeless machines.
What are some of the key highlights in McDonald’s Vietnam’s strategy in the Hanoi market in particular and the northern market in general?
In preparation for expansion in the northern market, we prioritized the development of supply networks. We also trained experienced staff to be ready to take on important positions in the system. Understanding the strategic locations and meeting the requirements of the market and consumers is also one of the things we need to do to be able to succeed in new markets like Hanoi and the north.
Source: Vneconomictimes
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