Day 4 - Vigor Kobo

Vigor Kobo was our last site visit for this CEP Learning Journey. 

Vigor Kobo

     

     Vigor Kobo's Male Mascot

  

Vigor Kobo's Female Mascot

Before we were brought around the site to visit, we had a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) activity whereby we made our own pineapple tarts. I have always love participating in DIY activities as such activities give me a sense of satisfaction upon completion.

Before the DIY Pineapple Tarts Activities

Tools and Ingredients for making our own Pineapple Tarts

While in the process of DIY-ing

My DIY Pineapple Tarts are inside!

After we were done with the tart-making activities and while our pineapple tarts were being baked, we started on our journey through the factory.

While making our way up to the second level on the escalator, I was impressed by the Company's marketing strategies. Along the stretch of escalator placed the Company's mascots and fragrance smell of pineapple tarts surrounded the place when travelling up to the second level. We were showed the whole process of making the pineapple tarts and were each given a piece of fresh tart to try. Vigor Kobo uses the most up-to-date technology to manufacture its food products and strict hygiene standards are observed.

On the Escalator Up to the Second Level

Mascots along the Escalator

Pineapple Tarts Manufacturing Machines

All products made by Vigor Kobo are Halal-certified which means that Muslims can enjoy them too. The Company is also brilliant in its sales strategies. For example, in order to increase the brand and product awareness, Vigor Koko provides Company-labelled cartons for overseas customers who buy in bulk so that they can check in the cartons together with their luggages. When the customers wait at the luggage claim area to retrieve their cartons, the cartons which state 'Vigor Kobo' will be visible to the rest of the passengers which may make them curious as to what is inside the cartons. 

In order to differentiate itself from its competitors, Vigor Kobo has engaging activities to cater to visiting customers such as DIY pineapple tarts activities. Any left-overs in the manufacturing factory of Vigor Kobo will be used to feed pigs to minimise food wastage. 

I feel that my Company can focus more on its branding and marketing strategies online. Online methods such as marketing and responding frequently on social media platforms can be considered. By doing so, the Company's brand will be able to be made known to a larger group of target market which in turn can create a bigger loyal customer base.

Group Shot outside Vigor Kobo

And this marked the end of our 4D3N CEP Taiwan Learning Journey! Much feels and sadness. However, I have learnt alot during this whole trip and I definitely admire and salute those people working in the service industry.

Woohoo!

Time for my trip extension! Adios~

Day 3 - Les Enphants

Les Enphants was founded in the year 1971 by Mr Lin Tai Sheng. Its main target market is in China with more than 2,300 sales points and an estimation of 5,000 employees all around Asia.

Les Enphants

Les Enphants' Mascot

While we were being guided through the Company's introduction, I cannot help but to be amazed by their cultures and business strategies. Les Enphants' culture is 'Focus on Team's Spirit' and its business philosophy is 'Children is Our Lifetime Business'. With these cultures and philosophy in mind, the employees will keep them in mind when working.

The Company's Human Resource's philosophy is '用人, 展人, 留人' which means if employees are hired, they should be given chance for personal development, which will hence retain them. Les Enphants will place and fit its employees to the right job position and they will be given chances for their personal development growth. For example, if employees feel like changing departments, the Company will give them a chance by restructuring their jobs. By doing so, the Company feels that employees will be retained. 

Les Enphants has 1,000 employees in Taiwan with 100% Taiwanese, and no foreigners are hired. This helps to ensure that Taiwanese aka their own people in the country will have job opportunities in the Company. 

With 44 years of operation, Les Enphants has this belief that the whole Company needs to know all their products from top to bottom so that consumers will have confidence in the Company. Its target market for users is the Generation Z children whereby the target market for buyers is the parents.

Les Enphants' branding and marketing strategies include organising kids' sports day whereby competitions such as crawling, baby-walkering and cycling will be held. Families can do the registration online conveniently instead of heading to the physical stores to register. Doing such activities will help to promote Les Enphants brand and allows customers to hold on to the brand deeply and unforgettably as kids will be reminded that Les Enphants accompany them throughout their childhood period.

Another marketing strategy of Les Enphants is that employees will go around the flagship stores during public holidays to conduct interaction between the parents and children. This is because as parents are busy working during the weekdays, they may not have much time to interact with their children. Hence, public holidays are the best periods to foster the bond deeper. This activity conducted by Les Enphants will help to gather both new and existing customers, and at the same time, promoting the brand to them.

Les Enphants has a factory that is opened for public viewing, which parents and children can explore the place, Do-It-Yourself (DIY) activities and buy the products at the same time. This strategy will help to encourage family interaction and also market the Company's products.

Manufacturing Factory

Do-It-Yourself Activities

One of the many areas for Parents and Children to explore 

Full of Les Enphants' Mascots

Bigger Version of Les Enphants' Soft Toy Mascot

In conclusion, as a Human Resource Management Associate, I have seen how high the labour turnover rate in my Company is. I feel that one method to retain employees is to develop their personal growth in their jobs. The Company can focus on upgrading the staff by allowing them to attend training courses related to their job scopes.

Group Shot at Les Enphants

Day 3 - L'elan Enterprise

L'elan Enterprise is an innovative company whose target market is the minor-disability senior group who can still live by their own. 

L'elan Enterprise

Mr Keen Chang, who is the founder and chairman of the Company, founded the Company 8 years ago in August. After 3 months of founding, he launched the website for L'elan Enterprise before opening the first physical store in Taipei in June 2008. 

One notable business concept that L'elan Enterprise has is that it started e-commerce first before opening a physical store. Most companies will do otherwise whereby they will focus on physical store first before moving to website. The reason of Mr Chang launching the website before the physical store was because he wanted to build up a platform, test the market and also evaluate the customers' buying behaviour. 

The company created many items to cater to the daily use of the target market. These items focus on dinnerware, clothing, home and safety, mobility, shoes and footcare, fitness and toys, hearing aids and visual aids. Mr Chang also made sure that the sold items have beautiful designs as he wants the senior citizens using the products to feel that they are being treated with respect. 

Toilet Bowl that is equipped with handles for users to hold onto

Bed that caters to users

Telephone with big number keys and photos of family members on buttons should the users forget the telephone numbers

One item that was explained to us was the bath tub whereby users just need to open the door to enter the bath tub instead of climbing into it. There is also a seat for them to sit on and avoid slipping down while bathing.

Exterior of Bath Tub

Interior of Bath Tub

Training tools are also sold to the elderly users for them to exercise their limbs and keep active. One example is the interesting 'Taiji' ball whereby elderly will have to keep the ball on the track and such movement will be in the form of 'Taiji'.

Mr Chang demonstrating the use of the 'Taiji' Ball

'Taiji-ing'

Another innovative item is the walking stick cum umbrella. You may ask what is so interesting about it. Back in my studies days, I had also thought of such innovation but wait, look at the photo below. 

Walking Sticks cum Umbrellas

Mr Chang demonstrating the use of the Walking Stick cum Umbrella

Me dismantling the Umbrella

To become both a Walking Stick and Umbrella!

Besides being able to either use as an umbrella or walking stick, it can double up as both! That is one aspect which I did not think about. Initially, I thought such product can be used as 'either or' but not as 'both'. However, Mr Chang thought of it and created the item.

Mr Chang focused on two different groups in terms of buyers and users. He focused on the younger generation (Generation X and Y) online as they will want to source for and buy the products online for their parents who are the users (Baby Boomers). Hence, he targeted the Baby Boomers generation offline. This Baby Boomers generation is the need-based customers as they will want to buy the products when they need them. Mr Chang mentioned that his purchases can be seen as 20% online and 80% offline.

One of the marketing strategies of L'elan Enterprise is that the Company will work hand-in-hand with 7-11 stores in Taiwan by placing the advertisements in the stores. In order to market and expose his brand online, Mr Chang bought keywords in the search engine and also participated on sponsored advertisements.

The physical stores of L'elan Enterprise have Care-Fit certification pasted on the door to indicate that the employees in the stores are trained to handle the target market customers should they have any enquiries or require assistance physically.

Care-Fit Certification

Mr Chang is a risk-taker which all entrepreneurs should be as he started a niche market and created many innovative items for a unique customer base.

Group Shot Outside L'elan Enterprise

Day 2 - Ding Tai Fung

Up next for the day was our dinner at Ding Tai Fung and we were the mystery shoppers for the branch that we visited.

The cute Legendary Mascot of Ding Tai Fung 

Taipei 101 in far sight

The queue outside Ding Tai Fung in Taiwan is as long as that of Singapore. This shows that the global branding strategies of the Company are successful no matter which Ding Tai Fung outlets we go worldwide.

We were directed to a private room whereby there were sockets for the customers to charge their phones. However, there was no carrier for us to place our bags unlike in Singapore, maybe because the room was quite small. 

The servers serving our tables were very passionate in their service and they served us in wide smiles. They would take note of our tea and helped us to refill every now and then. The dishes were also served consistently to ensure that we did not had the food cold if they were to be served fast.  

Dinner started serving

Xiao Cai Oriental Salad in Special Vinegar Dressing

I feel that I prefer the taste of Xiao Cai back in Singapore as it caters more to me. But still, Taiwan's version tasted good too!

A few of our dishes

Xiao Long Baos

Fellow Mates

When I went to the restroom, the cleaner auntie told me to be careful of my steps as she was afraid of me slipping due to her cleaning of the floor. I was so touched by her gesture that I commended her and she thanked me back. 

Long Queue outside Ding Tai Fung at night

For the past 2 days in Taiwan, I truly appreciated how friendly and passionate the Taiwanese are in terms of their service no matter which industry they are working in. This is something that the service staff in my Company can work towards to.

Day 2 - La New International Corporation

La New International Corporation is in the retail industry and besides selling shoes, it also customises shoes. 

La New International Corporation's Brand Logo

Welcome Note by La New

Shoes can be custom made for people with special requests and this is what makes the company unique in its selling point. For example, if a customer has a distorted heel due to accident and wishes to buy a pair of shoes to wear, he or she can approach La New, whereby the customer will undergo a series of machines and tests to have the feet analysed and from there, a personalised pair of shoes will be made.

One of the Machines to capture Customer's Soles

Another Machine to test out the Pressure of the Customer's Soles when walking

The Company is attentive to details and is very intensive in its research in terms of comfort, design and health. Each pair of shoes undergoes stringent tests and analysis in order to ensure that all customers feel comfortable when wearing and that the shoes bought by them are worth the value. When we were brought to the test lab centre, we saw various machines for different functions. For example, there was a machine testing out the durability of the female shoes by knocking against the heel for millions of times. This is to ensure that the heel will not fall apart easily after the customer buys and wears it for long.

Physical Performance Test Lab Area

Heel Testing Machine

One of La New’s key values is to make sure that all pairs of shoes have to meet the company’s standard of procedures (SOPs) before releasing them to the market to sell. This shows that the company is very serious about its products and will want to provide the best for its customers. If La New does not accept the shoes that are manufactured, it will not sell to the customers at all.

La New markets itself as a retailer that sells shoes that are good for health. La New has also came up with a product that differentiates itself from its competitors in the market. That is the ‘Odour-Killer’ socks. We were each given a free pair of such socks that would not give out smelly odour even if we wear them for 7 consecutive days. This product is something that differentiates La New from its competitors as we were given 2 pairs of socks to compare, one pair from La New and another pair from its competitor. And after 2 of our fellow mates' experiment, it indeed showed the results. 

After visiting La New's Headquarter, we were brought to one of their retail outlets to shop. The employees were very passionate in serving us and there was even one coffee area for the customers to rest and enjoy the free beverages provided.

One of La New's Retail Outlets

Coffee Area

Group Shot outside La New's Headquarter

Group Shot outside one of La New's Outlets