Viettel Deputy General Director: “Customer Experience Is the Most Sustainable Competitive Advantage”

At the launch event of Viettel Customer Service, Viettel Deputy General Director Do Minh Phuong highlighted the defining features of customer experience in the digital age and set out strategic tasks for the new company.

On March 27, Viettel Customer Service was officially launched, marking the start of a new business line and elevating the customer experience for both domestic and international markets.

Viettel Family respectfully presents to all colleagues the full speech delivered by Viettel Group’s Deputy General Director, Do Minh Phuong, at the event, so that Viettel employees can gain a deeper understanding of the role, mission, and ambitious goals that Viettel Customer Service will pursue in the years ahead.

Distinguished leaders, honored guests, and fellow colleagues,

Today, we witness the official launch of Viettel Customer Service. This is not merely a meaningful event marking the birth of a new member unit. More importantly, it is a strategic beginning, affirming that customer service is no longer just about doing what we have always done well. Beyond that, it has now become one of the Group’s new business sectors, carrying the mission of “Creating for People” in the digital era.

In a world of constant technological change, where products can be copied and prices can be competed away, the experiences and emotions that customers receive are what truly make the difference—and represent the most sustainable competitive advantage.

Delivering excellent customer experiences is not only a necessity, but the core objective of any business seeking long-term survival and growth. There is a famous saying: “Customers may forget what we said, but they will never forget how we made them feel.” Rather than simply stopping at selling a product, let us build relationships that create loyal customers—long-term companions.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Although officially launched today, the decision to establish Viettel Customer Service was made on October 15, 2024—exactly 20 years after Viettel began its mobile telecommunications business. This date also marks a proud historical milestone in the journey of customer care at Viettel.

Starting in 2004 with nearly 40 operators at the Lang Fortress area, whose main task was to receive and answer customer calls, the Customer Support Center—also known as the Call Center—quickly expanded in scale and improved in quality in step with the boom of telecommunications services.

As Viettel rose to become the No.1 digital telecommunications company in Vietnam, the Call Center also became the largest Customer Care Center in the country, with more than 5,000 employees. It was no longer just a place for answering customer inquiries. It became a hub for proactively, decisively, and comprehensively handling customer issues, systematically identifying problems to recalibrate our organization, processes, quality, and all aspects related to customer experience. It evolved into a structured, professional customer care model with rapid response capabilities supported by advanced software systems and technological tools.

Many Viettel employees will never forget the familiar small mirror placed on the desks of Call Center staff in the early days, inscribed with the words: “Smile, customer can hear you.”

Hình ảnh về Call Center của Viettel những ngày đầu. Trên bàn làm việc của các nhân viên ở đây đều có 1 chiếc gương với dòng chữ "Smile, customer can hear you"

It has been the sincerity, dedication, and love for the profession, for customers, and for Viettel’s products and services that have been the driving force behind the Group’s continuous growth and resilience over the past two decades, both in Vietnam and in the international markets where Viettel operates. This has helped bring to life the philosophy that, “no matter who they are or where they are,” every customer deserves to be respected, listened to, understood, and served in the best possible way.

Viettel is now in its fourth stage of development, with the stature of a global technology group. Therefore, our customers—whether individuals or organizations, at home or abroad—must be cared for through smarter, more modern experiences, anticipating their needs sooner, as a global technology corporation should do—through intelligence, technology, emotion, and the speed of the digital era.

Today, we are not witnessing the birth of a unit that simply listens, calls back, and responds before ending the interaction. Nor are we creating a unit that only serves our existing customers. Today, we are launching an organization that is always ready to connect, proactively create, and elevate customer experiences—a new business sector that will spread the best values not only across Vietnam, but around the world.

This is an extremely challenging task. Therefore, on behalf of the Party Committee and the Board of Directors of the Group, I request the leadership of Viettel Customer Service to focus on steering and leading all staff to successfully accomplish the following key missions:

First, to turn customer service into a “new standard” for the service industry in Vietnam. Not only good, but different and outstanding. Not only meeting requirements, but exceeding expectations—building trust and leaving lasting emotions in customers’ minds.

The Group assigns you the task of redesigning the entire customer journey, from the first point of contact to after-sales service, with clear quality standards. You must also soon develop a 5-year business strategy to elevate the company to a new level and unlock the immense potential of this market.

Second, to turn technology into a service advantage. Viettel Customer Service must become a pioneering, technology-driven company in this field. With the Group’s resources, you must leverage and apply new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and increased automation to analyze, forecast, and serve customers proactively.

Third, to develop a diverse service ecosystem for B2B customers, effectively applying data to deliver personalized experiences, and creating flexible business models—from end-to-end solutions to providing customer care platforms as a service. These are experiences, knowledge, and strengths that Viettel has successfully applied in other business sectors.

Fourth, to expand service capabilities internationally. Viettel operates telecommunications businesses in 10 countries. It is time for Viettel’s customer service to be exported beyond traditional markets. The company must standardize its operating systems so they can be adapted and customized for international markets, suited to different cultures, education levels, and languages. Only in this way can new business space be truly unlimited.

Fifth, to urgently strengthen the organizational structure and build a strong, united team. Viettel Customer Service does not start from zero. It inherits a 20-year foundation, with leaders and employees who have devoted many years of service, full of passion and rich in experience. But from today onward, you must adopt a completely new perspective—a perspective that looks outward, with the pioneering spirit to explore new territories and bring sustainable growth to the company.

I urge you to unify both awareness and action, promote Viettel’s cultural values, combine them with the energy and vitality of youth and the aspiration to affirm the position of a new organization—thereby achieving breakthrough growth in the coming years, towards the goal of USD 100 million in revenue by 2030.

Once again, on behalf of the Party Committee and the Group’s leadership, I would like to congratulate you on the official launch of Viettel Customer Service. I wish you a strong, creative, and successful journey ahead in achieving all the goals you have set.

Wishing all distinguished guests and colleagues good health, happiness, and success.

Thank you very much.