Marketing strategy for hospitality course of citysmart hotel management company

MARKETING MANAGEMENT
PROFESSIONAL SALES AND MARKETING

2015 - 2018

INTERNSHIP REPORT
Marketing strategy for Hospitality course of Citysmart
Hotel Management Company

Internship period from March 1st, 2018 to May 29th, 2018

Name: Nguyen Thuy Tram
Class: Marketing 9
Internship Company: Citysmart Hotel Management
Instructor in University: Mr. Nguyen Hoang
Mr. La Tien Dung
Prof. Corinne Montoya
Mentor in Company: Shania Bui
Hanoi - 2018
CITYSMART HOTEL MANAGEMENT -

NGUYEN THUY TRAM

1


Acknowledgement
This internship was successful due to the cooperation and support coming from a number of people,
by which have allowed me to gain much more than what the educational aspect of the program
could have offered.
First of all, I would like to express my appreciation to Citysmart Hotel Management for enabling

me to complete this report on “Marketing Strategy for Culinary Art course of Citysmart Hotel
Management Company”.
I wish to acknowledge my company supervisor, Ms. Shania Bui, the manager of Marketing
Department and the entire Marketing team for enthusiastically sharing with me their experiences. I
am grateful to them for all of the support and guidance that they have provided me throughout the
entire internship.
I also wish to extend my gratitude toward my academic supervisors, Mr. Nguyen Hoang, Mr. La
Tien Dung, and Prof. Corinne Montoya, for assisting me with tremendous opportunities and
necessary resources required during the internship.
Lastly, I would like to give my warmest thanks to all who helped me in anyway during my
internship.

CITYSMART HOTEL MANAGEMENT -

NGUYEN THUY TRAM

2


Summary
This report of mine is called “Marketing strategy for Culinary Art course of Citysmart Hotel
Management Company”, and its purpose is to contribute my ideas to the improvement of marketing
strategies in the Citysmart Hotel Management, based on the experiences that I have acquired during
the internship.
The report will be divided into 3 different chapters. In the first chapter, I will give a brief
introduction about Citysmart Hotel Management company. The next chapter will be a detailed
description regarding the tasks that I have accomplished during my internship. And, the final
chapter will be about the evaluation of my own career achievements, alongside with the working
experience that I have gained during the internship.

CITYSMART HOTEL MANAGEMENT -

NGUYEN THUY TRAM

3


Table of content

4


PART 1: COMPANY INTRODUCTION
I.

COMPANY BACKGROUND

Citysmart Hotel Management (CHM) Company
Business name

Citysmart Education Company

Tax number

105608469

Address

Golden Westlake Building, 151 Thuy Khe Street, Tay Ho District, Hanoi

General Director

Thomas Chan

Phone

024 3728 6161

Email



Website

www.CHM.edu.vn

II.

COMPANY LOGO

III.

COMPANY INTRODUCTION

1. Business Type
Citysmart Hotel Management (CHM) is an international company under of the ownership of
Citysmart Group. It was founded in 2012 by Thomas Chan, who is now the General Director. He is
the owner of CitySmart Corporation, of which includes other systems: Study abroad consultant,
Project Consultant, International Kindergarten, CHM International School. CitySmart Group has
more than 15 years of operation in Vietnam.

2. Company Mission
CHM provides an elite educational experience that offers internationally recognized qualifications,
combining with theoretical and practical training career-focusing programs. They prepare our
students with the necessary skills to become future leaders within the aspect of global Hospitality
and Culinary Arts Industry. CHM’s mission is to increase the quality of human resources, and to
supply graduates, who already possess the required skills, with opportunities to FasTrack their
hospitality careers.

5


3. Company Vision
Their vision is to become the leader in hospitality education in Vietnam. Their highly qualified,
experienced and dedicated team of lecturers, chefs, and supporting staffs are committed to ensure
the success of all students. Their superb facilities enable them to provide the highest-quality
education in an environment that facilitates learning. They have created not only the most hands-on
educational experience in Vietnam, but through our talented and dedicated staffs, a tight-knit
community has been widely facilitated which is determined to support students as they reach their
highest potential.
4. Human Resources
Currently, the company has nearly 40 employees, the average age is from 21 to 40 years old.
- General Director: operates and manages all activities of the company.
- General Manager: obtains profit contribution by managing staff; establishes and accomplishes
business objectives.
- The company has 6 departments:
1. Human Resources: evaluates, coordinates, and recruits employees in the company.
2. Sales and Marketing Department: manages sales and marketing.
3. Accounting: oversees the company's facilities, provides capital for production, calculates the
company's finances and pays salaries to all employees.
4. Technology: administers information technology, engineering and design models, and

production process proposal.
5. Lecturer: teaches and guides in Hospitality Management and Culinary Art’s students.
6. Student Services: supports students.

5. Company Products
CHM has only two main products which are known as “Hospitality Management” and “Culinary
Art” courses. Both have short-term courses and long-term courses from 6 months to 2,5 years.

6


❖

Hotel Management:
•
CTH 2 Certificate in
Hospitality Practice

•
•

Provide students with specialized knowledges about Restaurant – Hotel
and other main functions in a hotel
Provide certificate for the completion of the course
Help students to develop practical skills for future career

•
Provide certificate specialized in many aspects of tourism, restaurant, and
hotel
•

BTEC 3 Certificate in Complement the career training program with academic subjects
Hospitality
•
Provide interesting studying program for college students that have decided
on the field of their careers in the future
•
Provide conditions for students to pursue higher education
•
•
•
BTEC 4, 5
Higher
Nationals in
Hospitality
Management

•

•
•

•
•
•

•
•
BSc
(Hons) Internation
al Hospitality

Management

•
•
•

7

Provide interesting, engaging and challenging learning experiences in
Hotel Management with specialized knowledge and practical experience
Provide skills and knowledge about Hotel Management to necessarily
achieve good results in the environment of global customer service
Give authority to students through topics about management, leadership,
creativity and start-up to maximize the chance of a secured career
Create opportunities to students to work and develop in the hotel major,
or to study further to have honor degree on Hotel Management or other
related majors
Create opportunities for students to develop skills, techniques, and
personal features necessary for the career
Help students to understand about the background of hotel services in
both local and global areas; while provide students with a permanent
view on the global development in the international career path
Help students to achieve certificate and degree globally-recognized after
finishing the course
Create career promotional opportunities relating to Hotel Management
for the student, with the purpose of being internationally recognized
Help students to achieve advantages in competition and learn how to
face with the discrepancies and changes of hotel service major under the
fluctuating conditions.
Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills in each specific

sphere of career
Provide opportunities for students to develop their career in Hotel
Management, or continue to study to earn a master’s degree in Hotel
Management or in any relevant field
Students will earn knowledge and update contact information in order to
ensure their chance of securing a career after graduation
Understand about the differences in cultures and prepare for career in
managing hotel services major
Maximize studying potential of students by learning with case-study,
consulting practical project, researching on business organizations
related to recently-opened hotel services, and designing effective
marketing strategies


❖

Culinary Arts:

CTH Level 2 Award in
Culinary Skills

CTH Level 3 Certificate
in Professional Cookery

•
•
•

Provide students with necessary skills in professional cookery
Enhance personal skills and increase chances of finding a job

Support personal skills and increase chances of finding a job

•
•
•

Provide students with necessary skills to work in professional cookery
Develop cooking skills
Enhance the ability to combine various skills to accomplish different
dishes
Develop the ability to assess the quality of any dish
Develop time-management skills, food health and security, and
personal hygiene as a professional cook must have

•
•
•

Pearson BTEC Level 4
and 5 Higher Nationals
in Culinary Arts
Management

Provide interesting, engaging and challenging learning experiences in
the course of Culinary Arts with specialized knowledge and practice
experience
• Provide skills and knowledge about Culinary Arts to necessarily
achieve good results in the environment of global restaurant and hotel
services
• Give authority to students through topics about management,

leadership, creativity and start-up to maximize the chance of a secured
career
• Create opportunities to students to work and develop in the cookery
major, or to study further to have honor degree in Culinary Arts or
other related majors
• Create opportunities for students to develop skills, techniques, and
personal features necessary for the career
• Help students to understand about the background of culinary arts in
both local and global areas; while provide students with a permanent
view on the global development in the international career path
• Help students to achieve certificate and degree globally-recognized
after finishing the course
• Create career promotional opportunities relating to Culinary Arts for
the student, with the purpose of being internationally recognized

6. Company goals and strategies
❖ Goals:
- CHM is now scouting more areas for their expansions in other cities (Nha Trang, Phu Quoc…)
- The company is determined to be one of the top brands in hospitality education in Vietnam, be
able to compete with both domestic and foreign company.
Future strategies:
Invest more branches in national because it could help more students are excited about CHM
have a chance to enroll the course.
- Improve the quality also the facility of the CHM to bring the best experience for customers.
- Diversity the range of products, provides more course for customer to choose.
❖

-

8

-

IV.

Increases partner commitment to a common vision.

COMPANY

ANALYSIS

Market environment analysis
❖

Macro environment:

• Economic:
The economic situation has a great effect on the purchasing power and the shopping habit of people
that invest on education. The economic factors include: development rate, inflation, economic
downturn, income, consumer price index, …

According to World Bank, over the past 25 years, Vietnam has enjoyed a strong economic growth
with remarkable development records. The economy of Vietnam continued to strengthen in 2016,
with an estimated GDP growth rate of 6.7 percent. Vietnam’s economic activity moderated in the
first half of 2016, with GDP expanding by 5.5 percent, compared to 6.3 percent over the same
period in 2016. This slow-down is considered as a result of serve drought-affecting agricultural
production and slower industrial growth. Vietnam has also posted its international economic
integration as it has signed a number of free trade agreements, including with the Eurasian
Economic Union, the European Union, South Korea, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. While

global integration has advanced well with Vietnam embedding itself in global value chains, the
benefits are constrained by the absence of linkages with domestic firms.
The income of Vietnamese people is also increasing, with the largest group has the increase up to
$500-$1000/month. Besides, the total house hold consumption rate of Vietnamese are considers the
highest in the South East Asia for about 70% per month.
• Ecological:
Vietnam is highly vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters, posing significant risk to
develop gains and further progress. Already, Vietnam is experiencing rising temperatures and sea
levels, stronger storms, floods, and droughts.
•

9

Social:


Human factors play an important role in the market. They include: genders, population, density,
ethnics, religions, careers, education standards, etc. The Vietnamese population is better educated
and today has a higher life expectancy than most countries with similar per capita income.
However, the poverty agenda still vulnerable, living close to the poverty line (one third of
population - equivalent to about 30 million people - fall into the ‘poor’ or ‘near poor’’ groups). The
poor and extreme poor are concentrated among ethnic minority groups. While representing only 15
percent of the population, half of the nation’s poor belong to ethnic minorities. Furthermore, these
groups are highly vulnerable to shocks from climate change, natural disasters, as weak as economic
and health shocks.
According to a draft national urban development program-me proposed by the Ministry of
Construction, Vietnam is expected to achieve an urbanization rate of 38% with 870 urban areas by
2016. This is expected to increase to 45% with nearly 940 areas by 2020.
Political:
This factor consists of the policies, regulation, and the procedure of the Government. Vietnam is

one of those countries with stable political foundation. This is considered as an advantage for the
domestic companies, since they can attract many foreign investors to the market. In addition to that,
the Government of Vietnam has showed determination for reforms. Vietnam’s 2011 - 2020 SocioEconomic Development Strategy (SEDS) gives attention to structural reforms, environment
sustainability, social equity and emerging issues of macroeconomic stability.
•

Despite of the control over retailing, this sector has now been more liberalized under the conditions
of Vietnam’s membership under WTO law and other trade agreements. Nevertheless, any given
change in the regulation and policies of the government with regard to the retail sector will bring
both opportunities and challenges to retailers. Here are a few examples of some policies Vietnam
has participated in that related to retailing.
WTO membership:
Foreign investors been allowed to own 49% of capital in joint ventures since 2008. In early, fully
foreign-owned companies could also be established and were allowed to operate in the market
independently, Vietnam will allow foreign retailer to set up businesses with 100% foreign capital
from January 2015. With their rich experience, abundant capital and structured modern operating
methods, international retail group have gained increasing popularity in the market and brought on
intense competitor for the domestic retailers, pressuring the latter to modernize in order to content
with the new players.
Other regional Free Trade Agreement (FTAs):
Vietnam has participated in a number of FTAs such as the ASEAN - China Free Trade Agreement,
ASEAN - Korea Free Trade Agreement, ASEAN - Japan Comprehensive Economic Partners,
ASEAN - Australia - New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, and Vietnam - Japan Economic Partner
Agreement, which may impact the Vietnam retail market due to tariff commitments. For example,
when companies are allowed to take advantages of lower or zero tariff rates, this arrangement
allows companies to manufacture goods in Vietnam and to export them to neighboring countries
where manufacturing cost would have been higher.
• Technological:
Long gone are the days when Vietnam was an underdeveloped country with limited access to
Internet and little technology developments. The technology of Vietnam has been growing

especially fast lately and has shown sign of stopping.

10


In 2016, the Internet users of Vietnam are estimated at about 36,140,967, which is 39% ahead of
Thailand and just behind China. Vietnamese are spending far more than ever before on
entertainment, high-tech consumer goods, and health and beauty products, also education. These
trends, among others, follow the major societal and economic transformations that have taken place
in Vietnam in the last 10 years.
• Population:
The Vietnamese population of approximately 90 million is the main driver of growth in the retail
market. 70% of the population is currently aged between 15 and 64 years, and this is projected to
continue to increase. This will spur the demand for greater choice in products, brands, and product
categories.
Younger population will also provide more opportunities for the retail sector because young people
tend to spend more money on education as they care very much about career-choice developments.
❖

Micro environment:

• Company and customer:
The main customer of CHM is the population that lives in the North and South of Vietnam. Mainly,
those, mostly students and adults, who have great passions with Hospitality and Culinary Arts. And
now, the number of customers in this group has been increasing drastically.

According to the research of CHM’s Marketing Department as I have collected, we have the
customer structure of CHM as:
+ 55% customers with high income (> 20,000,000 VND/month)
+ 28% customers with stable income (10,000,000 VND/month - 20,000,000 VND/month)

+ 17% customers with middle income (< 10,000,000 VND/month)
The target customer of CHM is concerned about course quality, fee, duration, job opportunities
after graduation. The Vietnamese consumer is prudent, preferring to save rather spend. However, in
education, parents are willing to pay a lot of money for children to go to school. In recent years,
more and more international schools have been operating such as Vin school, TH school, RMIT…
The total expenditure on Vietnamese education accounts for 47% of total household expenditures.
It can be said that the Vietnamese spend money almost limitless on education because many
Vietnamese people believe that education is the key to help them and their families to solve the
difficulties of the economy.
Vietnamese parents, especially old generations, still prefer to invest for their children to study in
traditional university in Vietnam. However, with the increasing incomes and living standards, they
have become more concerned about the school which can provide modern facilities, adequate
teaching and learning facilities, quality teachers at the request of international organizations provide
educational programs and above all the knowledge, skills as well as output qualification.
• Partner:
The rapid development of the global hospitality industry has led to the growing demand for
professional hotels and tourism managements. In order to be guaranteed with a good job right after
graduation, students studying at CHM are not only equipped with theoretical and practical
knowledge at the school, but also received paid internship at the hotel system, both in
internationally and domestically. As a result, it is not only easy for students to get a job right where
they are from, but also to receive many invitations from other major hotels. CHM is constantly
developing its network of career partners to provide the best job opportunities for all of our
students.

11


Partnership:

•

Com
petito
rs:

In

recent years, the hospitality industry is growing at a fast pace and offers many career opportunities.
12


The foreign investors investing in Vietnam's tourism industry has developed rapidly in the past
decade and has the potential and prospects to go further. In line with the growth of the tourism
industry, operators in the hospitality industry, including travel industry, hotel restaurants, catering
services, are recruiting youngster resources. Hence, a lot of vocational schools are established.
Hereunder are a few notable competitors with CHM:
Huong nghiep A Au: is a vocational school and established in 2011.
They have 12 branches and school in nationwide from Northern to
Southern of Vietnam. They have Hospitality such as Front Office
course, Food and Beverage course and housekeeping course and
Culinary Arts such as Asian course, Baking course, European course,
Bartender course and many short term and long-term course suits
students.
Nestspace: is a vocational school and established in 2010. They have
7 branches in many big cities in Vietnam such as Ho Chi Minh, Da
Nang, Nha Trang, Hanoi… Netspace only has culinary art training
course with many diversity cuisine such as: European cuisine,
Vietnamese cuisine, Chinese cuisine, Japanese cuisine, Vegetarian
cuisine, Baking course, Bartender course…
Pegasus: is an International College which established in 2011, as a

part of Kinder World Education Group. They only have 2 campus in
Hanoi and Danang. Pegasus provides 2 main course is hospitality
management and culinary arts. They only have short term course
under 6 months.
V.

SWOT ANALYSIS
SWOT ANALYSIS OF CHM

1. Strengths
- CHM are accredited by Pearson Edexcel, the UK’s largest awarding organization. They provide
International Qualification with competitive price.
- CHM’s programs are taught by a team of experienced international lecturers who bring with
them a wealth of industrial experiences from across the globe.
- CHM has state-of-the-art hospitality teaching facilities with seven multimedia
classrooms, two hotel practical rooms and six different training kitchens.
- CHM hotel partnerships facilitate paid internship opportunities in famous 4 and 5-star
hotels, resorts, serviced apartments and casinos, both in Hanoi and globally.
- CHM is unique in the way that it guarantees job placement in 5 stars hotel for our students after
graduation.
2. Weaknesses
- With high quality teachings, advanced facilities, and professional qualifications, the fee of
studying at CHM will be quite high. Therefore, the main customers of CHM are usually those
who have medium or high income.
- CHM has only 2 branches located in Hanoi and Nha Trang city. And so, lots of students in other
cities have found it very difficult to enroll into either of the two branches.

13

-

CHM does not have a dormitory for students, thus many of them are concerned about renting a
house or apartment near the company as the course fee of accommodation is increasingly
higher.

3. Opportunities
- Tourism and Hospitality industry is increasing in its own potentials. Many hotels and
restaurants are opening recently.
- Hanoi and Nha Trang are famous tourist cities in Vietnam.
- Not many companies have training programs in the professional cookery.
- People living standard is much higher, and parents want to support their children in education
by providing all the necessary and available resources to help them advancing on the labor
market.
4. Threats
- CHM has strong competitors in the same market such as Huong nghiep A Au, Netspace,
Pegasus… These companies have been trading for a long time, and they also have many
branches in Vietnam. It is very difficult to compete with these rivals, as they are already famous
in many cities.
- The needs of hotel recruiter are changing constantly. The requirements to improve the quality of
student are increasing also. Therefore, CHM must focus on the curriculum in teaching students.
➡ SO: The company can take advantage of the sources of capital to focus on the research and
development of new courses. Thanks to the higher living standards as well as parents are
always available to support their children in education in recent years, the company receives
more opportunities and finds it easier to reach out to everyone. The development of hospitality
industry is also the factor that attracts potential customers.
➡ ST: Although many big competitors are entering Hospitality and Culinary Art training and
causing increasing pressure, CHM can still totally compete with these rivals as they are capable
of coming up with appropriate strategies as well as innovative measures for themselves to adapt
the rising needs of customer and the growth of the industry. Moreover, CHM is the only

company provides international certificate and diploma accredited by Confederation of Tourism
and Hospitality. Today, the majority of new students comes from the recommendation of old
students of CHM. Thus, the company needs to keep in touch with those students as well as to
maintain the student services for new students.
➡ WT: The challenge lies in the threat of occupying the market of big competitors as the numbers
of hotel and restaurant are increasing. This forces the company to adopt new business strategies
in order to develop all of its potential, strength and growth within the service system.

14


➡ WO: CHM can organize the trainings for employees in the company, especially for the student
service department and sales department to enhance their levels of expertise as well as to
acquire more knowledge in service, teaching, short-term trainings abroad for lecturers and
managers. CHM should also consider expanding its branches to other cities such as Ho Chi
Minh, Da Nang… and building up dormitories for students of each branch.
Conclusion of SWOT analysis in CHM
S

-

SWOT

-

O

-

Hospitality is increasing.

Hanoi and Nha Trang are
famous tourist cities.
Do not have a lot of
competitors.
People living standard is
higher.

T

-

15

Despite of less
competitor, the
competitors are strong.
The needs of the hotel
recruiter are changing
constantly.

W
Provide international
certificate in Hospitality
industry.
International lecturers
with lots of experience.
Partnership with 5-star
hotel.
Guarantee job placement
for students after

graduation.

-

Course fee is high.
Do not have dormitory for
students.
Lack a sufficient number
of branches.

SO
- Parents are available to
support their children in
education.
- Higher living standard
help the company to
penetrate customers
easier.
- The needs of hospitality
are increasing as well as
the growth of its.

WO
- Expand more branches in
other tourist cities.
- Train lecturers and senior
staffs to bring the best
service.
- Build up dormitory for
students.

ST
- Provide international
certificate as well as
accredited by
confederation of tourism
and hospitality.
- Adapt to the needs of
customer and the growth
of the industry.

WT
- More and more
competitors provide the
same courses with more
competitive prices.


VI.

DESCRIPTION OF THE TASKS GIVEN DURING THE PERIOD OF THE INTERNSHIP
In order to improve the efficiency of marketing, we did a prior research on the market including the
area and demography (gender, age, career choice, household income, consumer’s preference and
investment on education).

1. Market segment
Participants mainly involve construction side investors or supervisors.
Questionnaire and interview are implemented to collect data through direct communication with
CHM’s customers.
• Advantages:

+ Low costs of data collection.
+ Highly reliable:
+
Convenience in data collection from far location through email, fax or phone interview.
+
Highly level of accuracy in analyzing data.
+
Validity for a small - medium group of participants.
•
+
+

Disadvantages:
Interviews need to guarantee a sufficient number of interviewees.
The interviewees can hesitate to give honest answers about their business.

QUESTIONNAIRE
PERSONAL INFORMATION:
Full name:………………………………………………………………………………………
Gender:…………………………………………………………………………………………
Address: .......................................................... .................................................. ........................
Phone number:.............................................. ...................................................... ......................
Email (if any): ............................................ ......................................................... ......................

General Customer Information:
Question 1: Would you please tell us your age?
A. 18 to 30 years
B. From 30 to 40 years old
C. Over 40 years old
Question 2: What is your current industry?

A. Student
C. Government employees
B. Business
D. Other
Question 3: What is your or your parents monthly income?
A. Under 5 million
C. Between 10 and 15 million
B. Between 5 and 10 million
D. 15 million or more

Questionnaire about the company and the hospitality industry :
16


Question 4: Are you interested in Hotel management and Culinary arts?
A. Yes
B. No
Question 5: Which one do you prefer?
A. Hotel Management
B. Culinary Arts
Question 6: Which is the most important factor lead to your decision when you register a course?
A. Fee
C. Quality
B. Career after graduation
D. Facility
After collecting and evaluating the results from the questionnaires and the interviews that we
conducted at some locations, here are the final results:

According to the outcome, it can be seen that the target customer of CHM is those from 16 to 30
years of age, most of them are high school students, or passionate adults toward hotel management

and culinary art. With such ratio in the age of these target customers, their average income is above
10 million, and has a great priority in spending on education.
Through some surveys, the rate of unemployment of college students after graduation in Vietnam is
quite high. As a result, though they are interested, these target customers worry about having a job
after graduation, alongside with their concerns over the course fee and the quality of teaching.
As can be seen, the course Hotel Management is being chosen more than Culinary Arts, due to the
fact that Vietnamese people believe working in a kitchen will demand more workloads, which can
lead to sleep deprivation. Especially, according to the investigation, the number of college students
enrolling in the Hotel Management course in CHM is much higher compared to the Culinary Arts
course as many of them chose Hotel Management over Culinary Arts because of the mentioned
concerns.
2. Market research
❖ Situation:
CHM has gone into operation since 2012 with its only facility located in Hanoi for those who are
interested in following the Hospitality major. Under the survey, this major is having a tremendous
growth in touristic cities like Da Nang, Nha Trang, Ha Long, Ho Chi Minh… as more hotels and
resorts are being invested into Vietnam recently. And so, CHM has decided to open another branch
in Nha Trang starting in July 2018.
To create the most suitable course for customers in the South, especially in Nha Trang, CHM has
decided on doing a market research for human resource in 3 to 5 stars hotels, through methods of
calling to the HR office, or searching on hiring websites like Hoteljob.vn.

17


From the graph, as can be seen, the most hired position in a hotel is reception, following by
housekeeping and other positions in the kitchen, and lastly is table services in the restaurant. From
investigation, the reason for such insufficiency is because most of the hired employees are not
professionally trained for their positions. Moreover, to this major, the problem of high pressure and
discipline also makes employees to quit their jobs shortly after a period of time. Therefore, to train

a person about Hospitality, CHM needs to adjust their teaching methods to make the course
becomes more suitable in accordance with the social circumstances.

According to the Ministry of Tourism, Hotel – Restaurant – Culinary Art are trending majors that
have hugely contributed to the economy of Vietnam. Specifically, in 2013, the revenue of these 3
majors has reached 20.000 billion dong, and is estimated to reach 19-20 billion dollars in 2020,
which would create 3 million jobs.
However, there are 90% of college students, with a degree in either hotel management or culinary
art in Vietnam, still looking for a job. One reason is that the majority of the training program are not
practical and underdeveloped comparing to the advancement of the world. Companies have found
out that college students after graduation still lack necessary skills to work, especially language
skill – an important factor to tourism. From 3 stars hotel to higher ones, especially to positions in
reception and restaurant services, this is an essential demand, following by the importance of
physical appearances. And many big hotels would even require their employees to be able to speak
Chinese, French, or Russian.
Furthermore, in every opening position, hotels want those who are specialized in a certain field like
reception or housekeeping or staff members in the kitchen. Therefore, CHM has changed its shortterm courses specialized in a specific field in the Nha Trang branch in order to train the college
students in the Southern part of Vietnam with more suitable approaches.
Preparation:
Print flyer, Brochure, survey, folder, paper bag, bracelets.
Contact High Schools in Nha Trang.
Research the competitors in Nha Trang (their courses duration, fee, facility…)
•

-

Implementation:
After market research in Nha Trang, team marketing visited the high schools to promote CHM’s
programs and collected data from final year students, also building up relationship with schools in
Nha Trang.

With the permission of the headmaster, marketing team has joined every course to give advices and
guidance to the students for their upcoming interviews on career choice, and also to give an
introduction about CHM. After that, marketing team also did some researches on their competitors
with CHM in Nha Trang, and has found out that Huong Nghiep A Au and Netspace are the two
biggest competitors of CHM.
❖

❖

Evaluation:
•
Advantage:

18


-

-

•
-

-

Raises awareness to target customers, in which it would include having partnership with
many high schools in order to connect with the 12th grade students through career
workshops and conferences.
Researches on the environment, circumstances and needs of the area surrounding Nha
Trang to adjust the product.

Understanding the operation of its competitors for the purpose of adjusting marketing
plans to be more appropriate for the CHM’s branch in Nha Trang.
Disadvantage:
The location of the branch is quite far from the center of Nha Trang city, which is not
convenient for transportation.
The spending preferences of people in Nha Trang is also different as they do not invest
too much on education. And so, they also do not aim for their children to study at majors
that would require a high cost of tuition or any other external fee.
Its competitors already have a long-standing brand positioning in Nha Trang.

3. Direct marketing
❖ Situation:
Direct marketing occurs when businesses address customers through a multitude of channels,
including mail, e-mail, phone, and in person. Direct marketing messages involve a specific “call to
action,” such as “Call this toll-free-number” or “Click this link to subscribe.” The results of such
campaigns are immediately measurable, as a business can track how many customers have
responded through a message’s call to action.
With the initial market research and its following results, CHM has directed its aims toward
customers residing in high living standard cities near Hanoi such as Bac Ninh, Hai Duong, Hai
Phong, Quang Ninh… These cities have been highly industrialized in the field of hotel in recent
years.

Implementation:
Team marketing and sales visited the high schools to promote CHM’s programs and collected data
from final year students, also building up relationship with schools in these cities.
❖ ❖

With the approval of the headmaster, marketing team has joined every class to give advices and to
answer interview questions of the student regarding their future career choices as they are being
introduced to CHM.

Provides flyer, brochure, and survey to students.

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Promotes 2 majors: Hotel Management and Culinary Arts at CHM.

❖

Evaluation:
Advantages:
- Raises awareness about CHM as many students have looked for information through
Facebook and CHM website after the event of direct marketing at their schools.
- Collects more information for telemarketing team.
- Becomes partners with many high schools.
- Can deliver detailed information on our products, services and prices unlike other forms
of advertising.

•

Disadvantages:
Using leafleting or paper-heavy can be bad for the environment. Moreover, printing
leafleting, or brochure costs a lot of money.
Direct marketing response rates tend to be around 1-3%. When I reach a consumer, who
isn’t interested in our products of services, it wastes money and they are likely to find it
irritating.

•
-

4. Event marketing
❖ Situation:
Event marketing is a promotional strategy that involves face-to-face contact between companies
and their customers at special events like concerts, fairs, and sporting events. Brands use event
marketing entertainment (like shows, contests, or parties) to reach consumers through direct handto-hand sampling or interactive displays. The practice works because it engages consumers while
they’re in a willing, participatory position.
According to a 2012 study by the Event Marketing Institute:
•
58% of event marketing participants purchased the marketed product after the event
•
86% of these consumers became regular customers
A successful event marketing campaign provides value to attendees beyond information about a
product or service. A discount, free sample, charity alignment, or fun event will make customers
feel like they are receiving a benefit and not just attending a live-action commercial.
In contrast to traditional advertising, which blasts millions of consumers with the same general
television, radio or billboard message, event marketing targets specific individuals or groups at
gathering spots, in hopes of making quality individual impressions.
As the product of CHM is academic courses relating to the study of hotel and restaurant, many high
school and college students with great passions are still concerned about the infrastructure of
facility and the quality of teaching, as there exist many worries in these two majors. To help the
student to have the best experience and the most suitable career choice, CHM has constantly
organized events which allow them to have a visit and a free trial course at CHM.
❖

Implementation:
Sales team will directly call and communicate with the target customer, which are the
students and their parents coming from the direct marketing campaign of certain schools.
Later, marketing team will plan and provide a clear timeline for the event (writing PR on
Facebook, or running ads location at the area of these target customers for that event):
-

•

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Event at CHM:


There are many cases where the students have no idea about their preferences, passions or abilities
for future career choices after high school graduation. Most of them would choose a popular, or a
random major that comes to their minds. And that situation will later make them to forget about the
necessary conditions to help finding a suitable career.
In advance countries, school and family would together provide guidance toward career choices for
children since they were still studying in kindergarten or elementary school, rather than waiting
until secondary or high school to proceed with such guides. Usually, career-choice guidance would
be conducted through parents and students, schools and students, or students and previous
successful alumni or spokespersons.
Always considering career-choice guidance as a long-term goal, CHM frequently organizes active
events that assist in career-finding for the youth, especially for students in high school that have
special cares and interests to know more about the 2 majors: Hotel Management and Culinary Arts.
Specifically, free trial courses about careers regarding of European cuisine, Vietnamese cuisine, and
baking cookery (for Culinary Arts courses), or reception and room service, or restaurant gourmet
(for Hotel Management courses), will be regularly organized at the main facility of the company
located in Hanoi, for which will attract many young people to sign up for free experiences.
In the period of the trial course, customers will:
•
•
•
•
•

•
•

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Learn more about the major Hotel – Cuisine and opportunities to develop careers
both domestically and internationally
Listen to the experience story of presenters and professionals in the field Hotel –
Cuisine
Visit a 5-star modern practicing room
Experience free trial courses in CHM
Have responses on every concern about the courses from the school representatives
Get a brief background information about the training program, degree, and
scholarship of CHM
Participate in gameshow and receive rewards


The event is organized right at the main facility of CHM in Hanoi and will occur frequently at the
weekend, which is quite convenient to students, parents, and those who wish to have a visit or a
free trial course to easily join. To the target customer that lives in the surrounding area of Hanoi,
CHM will provide transportations to pick them up at a certain location in the center of that province

in order to relocate them to CHM in Hanoi. However, to the target customer residing in Hanoi,
there will be no transportation to relocate them to the facility directly. Below is an example to the
timeline of an event at CHM:

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Activities

Time

Description

Check-in

9:00 - 9:30

- Check-in table in lobby and giving welcome pack to
30' customers
- Leading the customers to the event room

Opening &
Warmup

9:30 - 9:50

20'

Words of CHM

9:50 - 10:00

- MC introduce Students Academic Service Manager of
10' CHM: welcome the customers, introduce CHM, company’s
visions, & our programs

Group Division

10:00 - 10:05

5'

- MC welcomes the customers and introduce about the
event and Warm-up game

- MC wrap up the opening and inform the customers about
the next activities then divide the customers into 2 groups
Group 1:
- Stay in Hotel Management trial class and enjoy the

Group Activities
Round 1

10:05 - 10:50

45' Group 2:
- Gather in lobby then visiting around the school and join
Culinary Arts trial Class in Demo Kitchen and Training
Kitchen

Break

10:50 - 11:05

15'

- Let students rest for 15'
- Cleaning class room for next lessons

Group 1:
- Gather in lobby then visiting around the school and join
Culinary Art Trial Class in Demo Kitchen

Group Activities
Round 2

11:05 - 11:50

Lunch Break

12:00 - 13:00

60' - Customers were served a meal for lunch.

13:00 - 15:00

- Closing game:
- Alumni(students) share with the audience their experience
120'
in the industry (training and working)
- Customers conduct survey about the event

Closing

45'
Group 2:
- Gather in open space then move to Hotel Management
trial class

Before any event, the preparation of budget, logistic and human resources is very important. For the
event to run in the smoothest manner, the sales team will have to report the exact number of
participants a week prior to the event, so that the marketing team can have an estimation on the
domain of that event. With these events, the number of participants will usually be limited to be
under 80 people.
With the needed budget, the expense will range from 15 to 20 million including the money for
decoration, tools for 2 free trial courses, transportations for far-away customers, lunch meal for
participants, and payment for presenters.

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The expense may seem insignificant for an event, but the gathered result and feedback were
relatively positive. Comparing to other means of advertising, the trial course events will allow
target customers to have a clear and detailed understanding on the school and the course, also to
build trust and to attract the enrollment of the courses.
(Culinary Arts trial class)

(Hotel Management trial class)

Event at career-guiding conferences in the provinces:
To events that occur in other provinces, CHM still emphasizes on the actual experiences of two trial
courses of Hotel Management and Culinary Arts.
•

Generally, the process of transportation within a day for target customers, who come from the faraway regions like Ha Long, will be quite difficult as it would take 4 hours of traveling by cars. And
so, participating in the trial course fully at CHM is almost impossible. Therefore, CHM organizes
events directly in those regions for the purpose of socializing with those high school target
customers for their career-choice guidance.
Mostly, CHM has created partnerships with many high schools through the method of direct

marketing from before. Thus, partners of CHM have always been willing to support by assisting in
finding the location, and advertising the event to the target customers of these regions.
(Event organized in Ha Long)
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Budget for these events are often higher that those organized directly at CHM. To be able to have a
successfully organizing plan, many unintended logistic preparations occur such as arranging
projectors, speakers, background screens, backdrops… and adding more personnel to participate in
the event from Hanoi to these regions. Moreover, there is still a need to have cars to transport and
deliver potential customers that are unable to reach the event.
The schedule of an event organized in these provinces is often conducted from 9 am to 3 pm, as in
accordance with similar events at CHM.
At these events, customers will not be able to visit the offices of CHM, so the amount of time to
find out more about CHM will be increased. Advance lecturers and staffs at CHM, current students
and alumni will also be introducing about the majors, alongside with the studying and working
process at CHM and other big hotels. As a result, this makes the students to be very interested and
curious about the courses.
•

Event at career-choice guidance in Hanoi:

Normally, annually from February to April, the Ministry of Education and the Office of Education,
along with other universities and high schools would
organize career-choice guidance conferences for high
school seniors. These conferences are usually to help
students to have a vision of their future careers, also
to assist them in finding suitable majors and
universities to their own likings.
Choosing careers is a quest of searching for a longterm, committing and extremely difficult career path.

It requires every individual to spend lots of time and
energy in learning and choosing a field of works, for

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