When enthusiasm in full blossom

When placing the figures that PLX Quang Tri made all together: petrol stations account for 36%, retail makes up 65% of the market share in the locality, many people begin to be curious about the head behind Vietnam National Petroleum Group’s leading unit in retail growth.

PLX’s qualities vividly shown

On a rare occasion, I attended a meeting to review Petrolimex Quang Tri’s operation, and got chance to talk to the company’s Director Hoang Thi Hoa.

Hoa attaches much importance to petrol stations and brand, of which she and the whole leadership and staff feel very proud.

She said petrol station is the place that vividly demonstrates PLX’s qualities. Therefore, the company’s leadership has always paid heed attention to synchronously adopting three solutions: retail system, policy mechanism, and people.

Regarding the retail system there are two ways: investment and upgrade. It happens everywhere but the point is how to make difference successfully and maintain a high degree of unification of brand identity. For instance, petrol stations located on national highways must be spacious so that super-weight tractors can easily enter and leave; additionally, these petrol stations are open 24 hours so they need to light up, facilitating drivers who run at night to slow their speed and safety turn into the petrol station.

Regarding policy mechanism, it must be principle-based and flexible. It is principle-based because whoever does this or that, they must abide by the internal regulations and laws. Flexibility is presented through assignment and decentralisation to make sure that everyone has their own function, duty and authority and stays proactive to make decisions on assigned works; should only big/extraordinary issues that go beyond their authority be reported to higher levels of management and finally to the Director. Besides, it should be quick and immediate in all stages: carrying out the task, gathering information, and handling rising issues (so as not to lose business opportunities).

Regarding people. This is the first and most important element, anywhere. It matters most how we can bring into full play the activeness, and proactiveness of all members, and each particular individual – that is the work of the leader. Hoa said besides rational structure, the managers and leaders must always improve corporate management knowledge and labourers must improve their professionalism. Whit that in mind, the company has always attached much importance to furthering professional training for the staff to ensure that people will work proactively, creatively and effectively.

Petrolimex Quang Tri regards retail as a major focus and retail sales take place at petrol stations. Thus, the company determines that petrol stations are the core of its business and development. And the three solutions mentioned above target petrol stations. Petrolimex Quang Tri applies standard Petrolimex brand identity, the five-step selling process, and Egas and ERP software systems. Petrol station is where the head and its staff closely follow the selling process; and present their proactiveness, creativeness as well as knowledge learned in sales and communicating with customers.

It can be said that each Petrolimex Quang Tri’s petrol station is a reliable destination for customers and the place that vividly demonstrates PLX’s qualities, Hoa said, pride clear in her voice.

Petrolimex Quang Tri’s Chairwoman and Director Hoang Thi Hoa and staff introduce and advise customers on PLX products

Arousing consensus

After her graduation in the economics - accounting major in 1987, Hoa worked for Binh Tri Thien General Materials Company, now Petrolimex Quang Tri, and has devoted her whole life to the company since then.

She was appointed Chairwoman and Director of Petrolimex Quang Tri in 2012. Before that she undertook various jobs, being accountant, petrol retail worker, general accountant, manager, deputy director.

Such precious experiences of over 30 years plus the stuff of a Quang Tri Province native have helped her build up the breadth of understanding for things and for people.

To reach such consensus, she has made non-stop efforts in the position of a leader. She said a leader (particularly a female leader) faces a lot of pressure. “I can’t be as flowery as other people, I’m devoted to and “sacrifice” for the work so people can feel it and are supportive, working at full capacity with a high sense of responsibility and enthusiasm,” Hoa said.

For example, to encourage petrol station female workers to work 24 hours a day, she never minds working at night time or on weekends and holidays; she has visited every petrol station, sometimes at night time or on holidays. She came not to have a quick check, but to see how the staff worked and how customers were. “I’m the leader, so when I come to see them with all my heart, they are moved and understand my wholeheartedness, devotion and responsibility,” she said.

The sale of lubricants is another example. Petrolimex lubricants are of very good quality whilst lubricant market undergoes fierce competition: numerous types of lubricants with varied quality and different price/discount levels. The matter is how to sell Petrolimex lubricants since Petrolimex lubricants are sold with a price lower than imported varieties of same quality but higher than other local types/brands. She, along with the company’s leadership, officials and labourers launched a sales campaign: selling canned lubricants to develop the brand, even though it might break even/make little profit. The practice aimed to enable customers to experience the difference of the quality of Petrolimex lubricants. Selling canned lubricants would facilitate the sale of lubricant oil drum. They did that for the name of Petrolimex, and for the sake of consumers. On one day, they sold petrol, on the other day, they sold lubricants. Both the head and staff of petrol station directly transported lubricants to customers/agents/carwashes/garages.

It is hard to sell lubricants if products are put on display at petrol stations and wait for customers. Petrolimex Quang Tri directly promotes, provides advice, sells and delivers the products. Similar actions are taken for gas and insurance; though each commodity/product has a different market approach.

For the Chairwoman and Director of PLX Quang Tri Hoang Thi Hoa, petrol station is a visual representation of Petrolimex’s systematic linkage and interconnection, which showcases the Petrolimex quality - Petrolimex services - Petrolimex people – Petrolimex culture most vividly.

For me, Hoang Thi Hoa is also one of the inspirational images of the systematic interaction and connection – a typical power of Vietnam National Petroleum Group.