Translated by Song Phuc
Be good in marketing… be different!
TTT is the largest corporation in architecture and construction, and Le Ba Thong is also a well-known person, but he just said repeatedly in the interview, “Don’t write about myself, write about our belief – TTT Corporation’s belief.” What he shared with us might not be new, but it is never redundant for those who want to be real businessmen.
Article by Nhu Hao
TTT is known as the leading designing, construction, and interior decoration corporation in Vietnam but it has never appeared on the press and in the media in its pure mentioned roles. It is very unusual!
LBT: TTT has never advertised on the press or TV for the last 17 years. We have been on a different way of marketing. We do not advertise ourselves,“over talk” about ourselves, and call for customers in the normal way. TTT has only one “trick”, that is to build the prestige of our brand name in our customers’ hearts.
The prestige of brand name - a really long and hard phase?
LBT: In 1992, there were only three people and USD150 with TTT. And now, we are proud of being a successful firm, but TTT’s assets are not just 1/10 of our brand name value. Seventeen years which are considered as a long time of stable development to a Vietnamese company, have helped us to reap an intangible asset – our brand name. Hence, what we are doing is to maintain and develop further TTT’s reputation. For me, that is much more powerful and precious than whatever assets in the life. And not only I but also our colleagues, who have been with me for 17 years, are well aware of the value of TTT in our lives.
So, what is your “trick” of marketing?
LBT: We do what the others find it absolutely different from… designing, construction, and interior decoration. After all, however, what we determined to do also aim at designing, constructing, and decorating our life to make it more beautiful and meaningful. We know our customers. We want to touch their souls in the most creative, romantic, and intimate manner, rather than simply talking about ourselves. In 2007 and 2008, TTT organized “Breath and Smile” retreat – an initiative for the meeting and exchange between Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, and Vietnamese entrepreneurs. The word of “Heart” – the ethical principle – is very important in doing business. The word of Heart is highly appreciate in Buddhism . Many Vietnamese businessmen understand thoroughly the word of Heart as taught by the Zen Master. Once people attend the retreat, they would understand that TTT places much weight on the word of Heart. If they still hesitate to join hands with us, it is time for them to think again, because there is nothing more secure than to be work with a devoted and sincere partner.
In 2009, TTT co-organizes Green Painting Contest for 264,000 children, including disabled ones. In the contest, we see the miserable lives, painful stories, and mental values that will never be dateless. In 2010 and the following years, we will continue organize the Green Painting Contest for Vietnamese talents to take wing to their ambitions and dreams. When mentioning TTT, I want to remind everyone of an organizational culture which is imbued with humanism; that is our motto.
When did you think out this different way of marketing?
LBT: When TTT was five years old, I decided not to “swim” in such a big ocean. We restructured TTT from a firm constructing “everything” to one specializing in designing, contruction and interior decoration. I am more romance, literature lover and inner beauty lover than big money maker. Officially I got an MBA in 2002, but I often turned those lectures into my daily pratice at TTT since 1997.
There is a challenging question at TTT that, “who is in charge of marketing for TTT?” The answer always is “Every TTT member”. There were times when we mobilize all resources for TTT to be publicized.
You are such a vagabond seller!
LBT: In 2008, TTT finished 272 big and small projects in Vietnam. You can say, TTT finished one project a day, apart from Saturday and Sunday. That says something about our art of selling. When meeting a partner, I often ask a “trite” question, “Tell me 10 corporations or groups you ever know in Vietnam?”. And nothing is more happy than 7, 8 of them being TTT’s customers. That’s nothing more I want to say.. Is it not an efficient way to sell our service? Our business is not in the words, it is in the belief and happiness.
Must TTT be a different working environment?
LBT: When I was taught that the matrix model in company management was crazy I immediately set up… a matrix for TTT right on the following day. It is this initiative that enables TTT to be the first firm in Vietnam that has used ERP (enterprise resource planning) and later CRM (customer relationship management). At TTT, the boss does not command his staff, but the computers do. That helps the staff from pressures of the matrix model under the boss’ commands. TTT staff work hard and play hard. On the December 31st of every year, we hold a party to say goodbye to the old year and announce our business strategy for new year. Our staff’s families are invited to join us. That is an opportunity to tell our excellent staff and their families’ members that: TTT appreciates their efforts. In the new year, we will have to strive more and devote ourselves more. So, we ask those husbands, those wives and those children for their sympathies for rush breakfasts and late dinners, and be with TTT to share success . It’s a big TTT family..
How could you do that?
LBT: I see that in myself and I know what my staff are in need of. They can smile or cry with me, or even quarrel with me for anything in life out of working time. The corporate culture is something I have taken great pains for building up, and I will maintain it with my best. At TTT, I am a letter T of culture; another T is “the measurement of the beauty”, and the last T is “the composer of colors”. We promote each other advantages but do not put on the other’s shoe. That is why the three Ts have always been together for the last 17 years.
So where do you hide your tiredness?
LBT: I love music and literature since I was I child. Without my love for those, I would not had been success in business. I bring the joys to my colleagues and customers with my guitar performance, the songs, and the humorous meaningful stories. I bury my troubles in music to see every day is a new day. And I impart my new will and belief to my staff on the following day.