Gifu Kogyo Vietnam Co., Ltd. is one among the small contingence of software companies in Vietnam which are run by 100%-Vietnamese staff – from managers to lower members – although it is a wholly Japanese owned investment by Gifu Kogyo Group. The company seeks to triple the human power to realize its upcoming ambitious plans.

Pham Dinh Luat, director of Gifu Kogyo Vietnam (GKV), recently represented the company in his trip to Japan where he received the Success Story Award from HIDA/AOTS – a Japan’s non-profit organization in training cooperation. GKV has recently won the Top Enterprise of the Year 2014 Awards from Quang Trung Software City (QTSC) for its outstanding performances in developing business and human resources. The two latest awards of GKV have testified to the effectiveness of its human resources development policy.

In fact, since 2011, GKV has made its personnel 100% Vietnamese. As Luat has put it, Japanese leaders from the group completely has put trust in and felt secured about the local staff.

Entirely Vietnamese

Ten years ago, in July 2005 Luat was one of the four Vietnamese employees who were sent to Japan for training. In October 2006, the batch came back to Vietnam to prepare for the establishment of Gifu Kogyo Vietnam. Luat was also one of the first employees to take part in the company’s long-term program which sends employees to Japan for training of technology and working style. Every year, four or five engineers fly to Japan to conduct projects transferred by the mother company and other partners.

Staff members join a training course at Gifu Kogyo Vietnam

This business philosophy has helped GKV grow steadily over the years. As of 2011, it could stand on its own feet, operated by a 100% Vietnamese staff that is confident in carrying out projects transferred by the mother company and other customers.

Later this month, a group of seven employees will go to Japan to join training courses on underground girders, architecture, bridges and ships and pre-engineered steel buildings. Three out of the trainees will study and work at the facilities of the customers GKV is working with.

Apart from overseas training in Japan, GKV has also conducted in-house training programs. Every new recruit receives a training course lasting from three to six months. They will learn Japanese, Japanese culture, corporate etiquette and quality analysis. “They will spend all their time learning,” says Luat. According to him, following the course, trainees will need one more year to adapt to the working process.

Effectiveness and development

GKV’s training programs have gained trust from its clientele which now numbers 20. The customer list has kept growth as new clients verify the company’s competence via existing customers. “Japanese companies highly appreciate deadlines and quality,” Luat says. “Our company has won customers’ confidence because we have matched these two requirements very well.”

In 2007-2011, GKV’s total revenue was derived from works transferred by its mother company in Japan. Since 2012, the company has gradually reduced the dependence on its mother company thanks to seeking the direct clientele. At present, 60% of the clientele is transferred by GKV’s mother company with the rest being direct partners. Operating independently is arguably the company’s key to success. However, according to Luat, such independence is truly a challenge. GKV has to earn a firm foothold on the market, including building customer trust and market expansion.

GKV plans to increase its staff to 300 from the current 100 within the next three or five years. “We are going to open more offices in other provinces in addition to HCMC,” says Luat. “The best employees at our company will be the core elements in training newcomers.” When the plan is fully implemented, the company’s headquarters in HCMC will be able to carry out more complicated projects. Projects requiring not so high skills are transferred to provincial extensions.

Larger personnel also helps meet the company’s plan of seeking new clients in Europe and America. “Of course, we must have a team that is fluent in English to carry out projects in these markets,” says Luat. “I’m strongly confident in this goal because over the past eight years, the local personnel have gained trust from Japanese leaders.”

“Time – Quality – Aftersale service” is the Gifu Kogyo Vietnam’s continuous commitment to its customers./.

VNF/Saigontimes