Digital Transformation in the F&B Chain – Insights from ToCoToCo’s Success Story
Digital transformation is not a trend; it truly brings many benefits to businesses. And the success story of ToCoToCo is the most vivid testament to the benefits businesses gain from implementing digital transformation.
Mục lục
About the ToCoToCo brand
ToCoToCo is likely a very familiar name to young Vietnamese bubble tea enthusiasts. However, few people know that the person behind the ToCoToCo chain, with over 200 stores both domestically and internationally, is a very young woman: Amy Truong (born in 1985). This is proof that success is not measured by age and experience, but by being different.
Ms. Amy Truong – CEO of Taco Vietnam Trading and Service JSC and founder of the ToCoToCo brand – shares: “As a Vietnamese student in Taiwan, witnessing the continuous growth of the bubble tea industry there, and seeing that Vietnamese people also loved it and had to pay a high price for each cup, I began to nurture a dream of my own: Why don’t I start a bubble tea brand by Vietnamese people, for Vietnamese people, using clean, natural agricultural products from our homeland?”
Fortunately, she had the opportunity to learn the process of making delicious bubble tea. Immediately upon returning to Vietnam, Amy sought out sources of clean agricultural products from all over the country. These included sweet, aromatic tea leaves from Moc Chau, tapioca pearls from Nghe An cassava, strawberries from Da Lat, and more. Everything is sourced and processed in a consistent, hygienic, and delicious manner. Therefore, every cup of bubble tea delivered to customers is a quintessential product of Vietnamese cuisine.
The ToCoToCo logo is composed of 63 stars, symbolizing the 63 provinces of the S-shaped country. The twinkling, smiling stars also represent the founder’s wish: “To bring ToCoToCo to every province in Vietnam.”
Few people know that ToCoToCo is an interesting pictographic name: T is the straw, O is the tapioca pearl, and C represents the action of opening your mouth to bite and chew the pearls. Thus, ToCoToCo perfectly encapsulates the process of enjoying bubble tea. And the repeated action of “suck the pearl, chew the pearl – suck the pearl, chew the pearl” creates the name ToCoToCo.
At ToCoToCo, R&D (Research and Development) is considered one of the keys to the brand’s success. Launching new products or improving existing drinks are indispensable pieces of the puzzle. This is one of the factors that determines customers’ perception and evaluation of the product, as well as their decision to continue supporting or abandon the brand.
ToCoToCo constantly updates and launches new drinks. Specifically, with each “menu improvement,” product research experts directly survey the market to understand current customer preferences and tastes. Being responsive to consumer tastes is a top priority for the success of a new campaign.
Next, innovate without “losing yourself.” With the motto of using the brand’s “core values” as the foundation for product development, all drinks at ToCoToCo, whether new or improved from existing ones, must undergo a strict quality control process and are only launched once they meet the standard. In addition, the recipes need to be balanced to introduce new flavors without losing the inherent characteristics of ToCoToCo.
From the challenges in human resource management
ToCoToCo’s first bubble tea shop opened on Cua Bac Street in Hanoi in 2013, measuring only about 15 square meters. To date, ToCoToCo has a chain of over 200 stores, with a presence in international markets like Japan, the US, and more. The brand grew rapidly, with stores opening continuously, which was both an opportunity and a major challenge for ToCoToCo.
Besides the costs of rent and ingredients, people management is a crucial factor for ToCoToCo’s survival. Like other F&B chains in Vietnam, ToCoToCo often has a complex workforce, typically consisting of part-time employees and students with flexible schedules. Therefore, recruiting, training, and managing personnel faced many difficulties.
Despite having 200 stores, all personnel management and departmental paperwork were handled by the back office. Store expenses such as electricity, water, gas, ingredients, labor, etc., needed to be accurately and centrally compiled for documentation and end-of-month payments. In particular, since store work was divided into multiple shifts, the HR and administration department spent a significant amount of time compiling leave requests, managing timekeeping, and calculating monthly salaries for employees.
Using fresh ingredients daily but having low customer traffic, leading to spoilage, was also a headache for the business owners. Even with plans to reduce ingredient procurement, some items with a one-day or short-term shelf life that were not fully consumed had to be discarded, causing significant budget losses.
Previously, all announcements, regulations, policies, documents, or changes within the ToCoToCo system were communicated via Zalo and Skype groups. However, the vast majority of employees missed this information as they were busy with work, forgot to read, or the messages were simply lost in the chat.
As a Founder who witnessed the formation and development of ToCoToCo from its early days, Ms. Amy Truong has drawn many valuable lessons in developing her chain of stores, such as:
– Growth must be accompanied by constant innovation and creativity. Otherwise, you will inevitably be left behind and quickly become outdated.
– In the digital age, to manage a business effectively, it is necessary to have a systematic management tool that synchronizes departments and provides continuous overall monitoring.
Benefits of Using 1Office for HR Management in the Store Chain
While struggling to find solutions to these problems, Amy found 1Office – a comprehensive business management software. From then on, ToCoToCo was able to systematically reorganize its entire chain of stores in a scientific and meticulous manner. From selecting people in recruitment, and skills training to performing daily tasks and treating customers, everything ran smoothly like a well-oiled machine thanks to the use of 1Office.
Connecting Departments via an Internal Network
Through the internal communication network, 1Office is a place to effectively convey messages to members of the ToCoToCo system. At the same time, employees at the stores can quickly track news and announcements without wasting too much time.
1Office creates a close connection and bond between stores. Through the calendar, birthday notifications of company members are displayed so that everyone can send their congratulations and plan appropriate celebration parties.
Additionally, store employees can freely share their feelings and thoughts about work and personal matters without feeling constrained or scrutinized. The Workplace system helps bridge all gaps and creates a friendly, close-knit atmosphere for employees within the company.
Effective HR Management
1Office helps managers easily track and manage all personnel in the ToCoToCo chain. All HR information, from employee profiles, contracts, insurance, timekeeping, various financial forms, to schedules of stores and departments, is digitized on the 1Office system.
Employee Training Process
For a chain system with hundreds of stores, to maintain the brand’s principles and purpose and to prepare drinks with the correct formula, it is crucial to focus on human resource training. Employees at ToCoToCo stores receive in-depth training and undergo periodic skill assessments. Ensuring that raw materials are used according to regulations, utensils are hygienic, and preparation procedures are followed correctly are all regularly checked.
Smart Management – The Right Way
Specifically for payroll, thanks to 1Office, Amy no longer has the headache of approving piles of forms and waiting for the accountant. There is now synchronization between timekeeping, payroll, and salary payment, even sending payments to employees at midnight. Every task is digitized. Now, despite managing an entire system, Amy can travel anywhere to source agricultural products, find partners, and moreover, have time to pamper and take care of herself.
ToCoToCo’s secret to success is automating lengthy manual procedures, contributing to product care and enhancement, and learning to reach an international level. If your business wants to achieve a highly automated process like ToCoToCo, quickly sign up for a trial and experience the superior features of 1Office for your business.
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