Phan Văn Mãi, chairman of the city People’ Committee, addresses the ceremony to recognising High-Quality Vietnamese Products of 529 businesses in HCM City on March 14. — Photo courtesy of the organiser

HCM CITY — Chairman of the HCM City People's Committee Phan Văn Mãi has urged businesses to pay more attention to planning and investing resources for digital and green transformation, and affirmed that the city will always support them in their green transformation and sustainable development journey.

Speaking at a ceremony held by the Business Association of High Quality Vietnamese Products to present the High-Quality Vietnamese Goods certificates to 529 firms operating across various sectors this year in HCM City on Thursday, Mãi said the city at the end of last year issued its strategic framework for green growth until 2030.

“The city is focusing on building a policy framework for fostering green growth to submit to the People's Council in July. We hope that the association, experts, and businesses will contribute their opinions and join hands to bring the policy to life,” he said.

He suggested businesses pay more attention to outline plans and set aside resources for digital and green transformation.

He emphasised that investing in digital and green transformation to keep abreast of development trends and international standards is not only necessary for the survival and future of businesses but also for that of the city’s and the country's economy.

“The city will always support businesses in the journey of green transformation and sustainable development," he affirmed.

He congratulated the 529 businesses that received the 2024 High-Quality Vietnamese Goods title and thanked the business community in general and the association’s members in particular for their great contributions to the city’s development.

He also appreciated the High Quality Vietnamese Goods programme, saying that for nearly 30 years, the programme has not only brought direct benefits to enterprises but also contributes to building brands and enhancing the competitiveness of Vietnamese products, thereby contributing to improving the brands and competitiveness of the city and the country's economy.

He expected that organisations and individuals to continue to support the programme as well as join hands with the city to realise its green - clean - digital goals.

Vũ Kim Hạnh, the association’s chairwoman, said the association will focus on four main pillars this year – supporting businesses in digital and green transformation and building brands while promoting green standards; supporting firms in selling their products as well as organising programmes to provide them with knowledge and skills; continuing to connect businesses with international markets; and enhancing communication about policies such as the city's new digital and green transformation policies for businesses.

Selling goods in the digital age

Prior to the awarding ceremony, a conference on Using New Tools and Technology in Selling Goods and Conquering Billion-People Markets was held.

Speaking at the conference, Đặng Tiến Hoàng, also known as livestreamer ViruSs, suggested Vietnamese businesses engage more in livestream sales, because “it is the cheapest and most effective method.”

To do livestream sales, businesses only need to spend about VNĐ40-50 million for all equipment, much cheaper than investing in a physical store, while livestreaming's productivity is superior to traditional sales methods, he said.

Livestreamer ViruSs Đặng Tiến Hoàng speaks about sales trends in 2024 at a conference held by the Business Association of High Quality Vietnamese Products on Thursday. — Photo courtesy of the organiser

He highlighted that businesses don't need to hire famous people; it's too expensive and ineffective. It is more effective when CEOs themselves or employees of companies sell, he said.

He noted that the current trend is shoppertainment, a marketing strategy that combines shopping with entertainment to create a more engaging and enjoyable experience for consumers.

While Chinese businesses are always eager to test new sales tools and technologies as soon as they are launched, a worrying trend in Việt Nam is that businesses seem to be afraid of technology, he said.

If businesses fail to adopt livestream sales technology, they will lag behind, he said.

Many people are concerned about how they can livestream on Tiktok and Facebook when they are old, but that is a wrong perception, he said, adding: "I have trained many people who are 40, 50 or even 60 years old but they can still set up very productive livestream sales channels."

Nguyễn Lâm Viên, CEO of Vinamit, is also supportive of sales trends that use new tools and technology.

He said this is a period of booming sales on e-commerce platforms and social platforms of both large and small businesses. Therefore, Vietnamese people in general and Vietnamese businesses in particular need to get acquainted and try buying products on platforms like Taobao, for example, to see how they do it, so that they can also sell, using the same method.

“We now have to think about sitting in Việt Nam and using live streaming to show our products to Chinese and Indians. To do that, just like ViruSs said, we have to get used to and practise livestream sales right now," he added. — VNS