Improving deficiences in marketing skills at SDCC

Abstract

Sâm Dừa Chú Chế is a start-up beverage chain established in 2022, specializing in natural coconut–herbal beverages, a product line that attracts consumers seeking healthy, refreshing drinks in the local street beverage market. Within two years, the chain has expanded rapidly to 30 kiosks located across Hồ Chí Minh City. Despite this phenomenal physical growth, the chain is struggling with an enormous challenge at the brand-owner level: revenues are modest and unstable, limiting the ability to reinvest in brand development, franchisee services, and long-term operation. This is a familiar challenge with young franchise-based start-ups, where ambitious kiosk expansion can come before internal systems for marketing, customer acquisition, and operating alignment. This thesis adapts the Problem Solving in Organizations (PSO) framework to identify and resolve the root cause of the brand owner's revenue problem. This research is based on secondary data from existing studies on the F&B sector, marketing strategy, and start-up management in Vietnam, complemented by primary data collected from qualitative in-depth interviews with four key stakeholder groups: the brand owner, store owners (franchisees), employees, and customers. Initial internal orientation and analysis of data revealed a problem mess - several symptoms of underperformance. These were probed and verified in a systematic manner. Supply-chain issues or product availability, contrary to initial assumptions, were not significant contributors to the revenue problem, the study found. Instead, analysis revealed low customer acquisition as the main driver: the kiosks are not acquiring sufficient new customers on a daily basis, and repeat customer rates are too low to support sustainable sales growth. This pattern was shared by most locations. Under Solution Design, the analysis translated root causes into actionable design requirements with a focus on building brand awareness, increasing local awareness, and improving customer engagement. The different options were developed and assessed through a weighted scoring matrix. The selected solution is a multi-channel solution involving localized digital marketing, neighborhood activation events, and kiosk-level promotions. Finally, a piloted implementation plan was developed for the launch of all 30 kiosks, including pilot testing, stakeholder buy-in, and measurable KPIs. If rolled out correctly, this plan will drive customer acquisition, deliver revenue stability for the brand owner, and ensure long-term, sustainable growth of the franchise network.