Issue 12 - Dec - 2012
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Credits Publisher Hr Department
Table of Contents
Designer Bui Minh Tan
1. Joining and Leaving Buffalo Family 2. Best Staff of the Month 3. Recruitment News 4. 2011 Vietnam Tourism Top Ten International Tour Operator Award 5. Supplier Appreciation Party 6. Angkor Marathon Cycling Race 7. The Chiang Mai-Pai-Mae Hong Son Inspection Trip 8. X-Mas at IVIVU’s Office 9. A Little Noel in Saigon Office 10. Run for children in rainy day with sunny hearts :x 11. Feedback on what our staff has been doing. 12. Business Tips 13. Birthdays and Anniversaries of January 14. New born Buffalo
Staff Writers Tran Gia Bach Porjai Chaiwongyart Nguyen Thi Duc Hanh Nguyen Thi Thanh Truc Editor Tran Gia Bach Customers’s contribution Tim Swaddle Paul Stephen Reitberger
Tip of the month It doesn’t matter if you try and try and try again, and fail. It does matter if you try and fail, and fail to try again.
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Charles Kettering
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Joining Buffalo tours Mr. Ed Pettitt – US Agent Sales Team Leader Ed has been with Buffalo Tours nearly 3 years and he used to base in London before moving to Hanoi for the new and exciting role of US Agent Sales Team Leader. Ed has a wealth of experience in international business development, sales and customer service. We believe Ed will be a great team player and shall bring leadership and best practices to our US Agent Sales team. Ed will contribute to Company’s direction and successful implementation of our business plan for US market expansion.
Leaving us
Ms Pareena Saengfai (Am) worked as an Operations Executive until 15 Dec 2012. She was very lovely, friendly, and she enjoyed helping people whenever possible. Am is sorely missed around here.
Ms Sripattra Petruanthong (Joy) worked as an Operations / Administration Executive at Phuket branch, Thailand. She was trained in Bangkok office for a month before working in Phuket office. We always remember her as a helpful and efficient colleague with a big smile.
Mr. Narupon Pleanchuen (Jeff) worked as a Purchasing Executive in Bangkok office. In addition to that Jeff is an entertainer, DJ and photographer. He was willing to help other colleagues and made excellent presentations after hotel inspections.
We all will keep good memories which you gave us and wish you to success in your life after leaving BT.
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h t n o m e h t fa f of
St
Ms. Trinh Minh Hao – Online Sales Executive Hao did a great job for both new sales and actual sales in December. Hao locked in $105,000 realised sales versus budget of $60,000 and exceeded her new sales target as well. On top of that, Hao has earned many positive feedback from our passengers. Well done, Hao!
Ms. Nguyen Thi Duc Hanh – MKT Executive Hanh has done great job with recent Buffalo Tours’ Supplier Appreciation Party in Hanoi and Saigon. Hanh has been extremely efficient in sending out invitation to our key partners, confirming their attendance as well as leaving personal thank you note at the end of the day. We really appreciate the effort and creativity Hanh has put in on the presentation slides which are visually appealing and well received with large crowd of audience. We like to take this opportunity to say big thank you to Hanh who worked feverishly behind the scene and made sure that Buffalo Tours’ Supplier Appreciation event was a real success. Congratulations on her winning Outstanding Customer Service Award!
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: s w e N t n e m Recruit vGROUP TRAINING MANAGER – HANOI OFFICE ( 01) Develop, conduct and evaluate corporate training programs in Thien Minh Group entities; develop and maintain the necessary reports; audit departmental trainings and classes; assist in the quality-improvement efforts of the company • Diploma in Training & Development • A minimum of two years of experience in Training field or in tourism/hospitality industry • Good listening skills/ presentation skills/ written skills • Fluent in English and Vietnamese • Aggressive, sociable, pleasant personality, well-organized, customer-oriented and result-oriented • Willingness to travel for business vCOPYWRITER/ EDITOR – HANOI OFFICE (01) To originate and edit English language copy for Buffalo Tours’ marketing & customer communications and website. To develop Buffalo Tours online PR.
vOPERATION EXECUTIVE – HANOI OFFICE (01) To operate the tour to booking process. To ensure guides and drivers and suppliers comply with SLA. To implement approved policies, standards and procedures. • Fluent in Vietnamese and English • Good knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel • Personal and professional travel experience of Buffalo Tours products in Vietnam • Undergraduate degree v For detail job description, please visit our website at: http://www.buffalotours.com/action/45/Careers.html Please send us email to: nhanh@buffalotours.com if you would like to apply or if you know any qualified candidates. Thank you
• Graduate • At least 1 years’ experience in copywriting and editing • Native English speaker • Computer skills including fluency in Microsoft Office vONLINE MARKETING SUPERVISOR – HANOI OFFICE (01) To manage and develop http://www.buffalotours.com to optimize usability & user-friendliness and maximize bookings. To plan, manage and evaluate all aspects of online marketing to optimize website visibility, response and bookings. • Graduate • At least 01 years’ experience in online marketing • Computer skills including fluency in Microsoft Office
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m s i r u o T m a n t e 2011 Vi en International Tour Top T
d r a w A r o t a r e Op
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O
n Saturday 8th December, The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) and the Vietnam Tourism Association jointly held a ceremony in the Hanoi Opera House to present the Vietnam Tourism Awards 2011 to 52 leading tourism businesses. The awards honour tour operators, hotels and hospitality service providers that have strived to overcome difficulties in the context of global economic downturn and contributed to the success of Vietnam tourism sector in 2011. This is the second year in a row that Buffalo Tours have been able to break into the top 10 of the International Tour Operator category as traditionally many government
owned companies usually dominate the awards. For Buffalo Tours, this award represents success in many different areas including financial growth, tax contributions, creativeness and commitment to making the country an attractive destination for international tourists which were all parts of the selection criteria. Mr Bach Tran accepted the award on behalf of the company and acknowledged that this award was a direct result of the strong commitment from all staff, management and the executive team and we look forward to climbing closer to the top position next year. Tran Gia Bach - GM Inbound
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r e i l p p u S ’ s r u o T Buffalo Appreciation Party
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D
ecember 2012 witnessed Buffalo Tours’ Supplier Thank-you Party first time ever. The event was initiated by Mr. Kien, our CEO, with the aim to recognize invaluable contribution from our key supplier partners and celebrate our mutual achievements in such a challenging year. The event was held at Hilton Hanoi Opera Hotel on 12th December and at Renaissance Riverside Saigon Hotel 14th December. Attracting more than 150 representatives from tourism and hospitality industry nationwide, the event presented great opportunity for networking and relationship building for our Buffalo Tour team and local partners. During the event, certificates of recognition were awarded to top hotels and transportation agencies as Buffalo Tours’ most-preferred suppliers in 2012. The event has definitely made good impression on our key partners and helped strengthening our mutual partnership well into the coming year. Nguyen Thi Duc Hanh – MKT Executive
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e a M i a P i a M g n a i h C e p i r Th T n o i t c e p s n I n Hong So T
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he Chiang Mai-Pai-Mae Hong Son inspection trip took place from 7th to 12th December 12 with 8 staffs from Bangkok office (Sales, Reservation, Operation and Purchasing) and Chiang Mai Branch office (Branch Manager and Operation).
We started our trip from Chiang Mai to Kalayaniwattana district which is the natural and adventurous tourist attractions. We did soft trekking and learnt about hill tribe culture. We stayed at Karen Hill Tribe Lodge which has Karen style house and simple accommodation with 10 rooms and sharing toilets/bathrooms. Almost staff here are Karen people. At night, we enjoyed Karen dance performance and music show. The following day, driving to Pai district of Mae Hong Son province and Mae Hong Son town, we visited a temple on the way, Yunnanese Village as well as hotels inspection and stayed the night in Mae Hong Son town. On the third day, we took a boat trip along Pai river to visit Long Neck Karen Village and drove back to town to visit important temples which are Shan & Burmese style. Continuing on road to visit another Karen village which is very remote area and supported by Royal Project. We stayed overnight in Mae Sariang district of Mae Hong Son province. The hotel is located by the river. The following morning, we woke up early and visited local market in Mae Sariang. Then we took a 4 wheel-drive car to the village lying between Thailand and Myanmar border called “Mae Sam Lap”. The boat trip along Salawin River was very nice and we also visited border village “Ban Tha Ta Fang”. Afterwards, we had a good local lunch in town and visited the temples and museum. Driving along scenic road to visit Ob Luang National Park and then onto Mae Chaem, the charming district of Chiang Mai province. The last day, we visited a town and leant about cotton weaving and brass hair pins which are very popular style weaving and hair pin of Chiang Mai. We visited northern style temples in town before driving up to Doi Inthanon National Park. We were fit enough for soft trekking at Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail. It took about 2-3 hours walking along nature train in the rainforest jungle. We finished our trip at Chiang Mai town with short hotels inspection and bid farewell Bangkok team at Chiang Mai airport. Porjai Chaiwongyart – Chiang Mai Branch Manager
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n o h t a r a M r o k g n A e c a R g Cyclin O
n 1st December our Buffalo Tour Cambodia team set off very early for the annual Angkor Marathon bike race around the Angkor Temples. This is an annual event for the team and is used as team building as well as raising money for a worthwhile charity. Our team except Michele not being able to join due to sickness were competing in the 30 km race. Having recently leaded two Inspired Adventures charity cycling challenges through Cambodia, Vuttha decided to do the more challenging 100km
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race instead. Unfortunately, Vuttha had an equipment failure towards the end of the race and completed around 95kms, while the rest of us did very well in the 30km race. After the race, the team went for late breakfast together to celebrate our achievements on completing the race and discuss who would be fit enough for the 100km race next year.
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s a M X at iVIVU S Offif ice This is our favorite time of the year, Phuc in Marketing team has come up with an interesting idea for this year. We used mostly colour paper and fiber rope to create many colourful stars which are really simple and easy to do. Especially, we love the moments everyone laughed, chatted and folded stars together. After displayed them around our office, it looks so cools. We really appreciate how warm and welcoming it feels like after all our fun work. Doan Phuong Thao
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e c i fi f f O n o g i a S h t i w l e o A Little N A little Noel party with huge of fun where each person has being Santa Claus of someone through gift exchange game. Our laughters sound better than any bells ringing in this festive season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Saigon! Nguyen Thi Thanh Truc – Buffalo Tours Saigon
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RUN FOR CHILDREN RAINY DAY WITH WITH SUNNY HEARTS :X Continuing the first successful Terry Fox Run in Ho Chi Minh City, we were so proud to participate in the second event on 2nd December at Thien Quang Lake in Hanoi. With the slogan “Run For Children” of the 16th Terry Fox Run, all staff of Thien Minh with more than 10 thousand people joined the event enthusiastically despite the cold and rainy winter in order to raise funds for children with cancer in Vietnam. Let’s look what we did via all photos below:
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n o e b k m c e ba f m
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nd nt a e l l e c an e ex wer e and D g. We s s e l d stin Gui hoo d Hu our i An an o intere kery sc T r ds Ho . Ou coo day Hai in pful an ed the i l o , h hel e lov City the ing i Minh were so and w g n .” ls rra Ch ey ents in a in Ho em. Th he hote m p l e e t g h m and h f t rran tful alo our had Ta e with th all o a y h r e g i i o h s e f m uff n ith t uch ours. W ding ti eased w al, i and B w n m s o i u l o T n ntry elp fess re p spe alo ou s with pro eir cou an h nk y to Buff njoyed . We we e c r a ons nam e i u h h t t t T o w e i . a . y m . s h at • “.. a cred really m the Viet vers bot iver e th e . e con tory of hat we d dr ride in n n i wer noi. W uch fro Cruise nd hop a es dp so t a y ging e his a s guid dge an in H ed so m ng Ba 2014 nga and th events t take r e u e o o e n n a r f l l t i , r e h o a a s a t w n i r o le the H etur t Sap ide rde nd w of h , kn r . No rs m a oi and e the o tour gu ach siasm as. g e and ope to le – E n i h . t t d n g u le f c e d h stan travel erfe eir enth as it w each o d in Ha e chan privat We Swad t p u s o h th ga wa dw ith llow any vide suc ere - Tim rary . It was away table w an pro ggeste f havin rs w any fe lo......M e u n i o u o d t r e m T s o r i roun r tim t D lat, s uffa alo the omf .Ou tha a perk Buff o were with B • “.... to be a ade ou came c stories ee in D of the y b y to trip ed a jo s that m ickly be ing the City. L as one end but so etnam m nw M r r u i d m a u C H cou dich co ovide heir V To boys q ed he e h n e r i v w i d , v t, a ect tion s pr ed t Our . We lo rovide he rain oda service o book resp d insigh reat p r t e i m s h e d i a s e e l in e o th om eg acc with th s that a s to provid ies wer n we n Ch le to av tion. t a d s h n o t i a ale dh ivit also er, stio ppy pos e ab urs s an s, they ed act sugge howev wer in his nts, to han ha d and W e d i n t e a rs; gu ts; lan one or u prid estaur e more Zealan reat tions f f the p n. The reat tou th boa the g r e w e w o r a o e o g as b e c l Th were lia, N d” er w and lo ions. Al neymo re both eat on where r e e y a l v e r l B t n g r o s o we cat Aus ll invo itber and le h ople pot as g , Ty, p out s ctive lo gettab ur. They staff w d 45 pe from ks to a en Re m i e h n ma es T hel nfor esp d to The tha l Step guid id they to the r is an u i Islan p size. ause it u r u a -P i Ph r to ly d bec rou e th on f ou Not on ormati ff mad the Ph f the g r boat o 3 s o l . f u a in Al st to se ies rsu • “… and cit l world d their Bay ve r becau i Island gain” n a a s a h u trie and re tours a ng Ng Bay to e Phi P hanks , T a h o e . a vic Buffal the Ph g Ng s on t eople n e p and was for he Pha sardin eld 18 t e h d k d i y l a re h nl lt avo e fe at o we f ever, w ay bo B how g Nga Kavita n a nd Ph in a m e -J
eFwheadt our staf
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Birthdays
Birthdays:
Pham Thanh Hai Tran Dinh Huong Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao Son To Laki Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tien Ta Van Quang Le Viet Hung Do Van Hoi Pham Tien Trung Hoang Van Giang Nguyen Nhat Thang Bui The Hiep Le Quang Thuy Nguyen Huu Duc Do Thanh Phuoc Nguyen Bui Dinh Thuan Tran Thu Trang Tran Gia Bach Nguyen Thanh Linh Le Nhat Anh Thu Mr. Sayan Jharoenlhao Phung Thai Binh
&Anniversaries THE CON TRĂ‚U TIMES
1-Jan 1-Jan 1-Jan 1-Jan 2-Jan 2-Jan 2-Jan 3-Jan 3-Jan 11-Jan 12-Jan 13-Jan 14-Jan 16-Jan 17-Jan 18-Jan 18-Jan 21-Jan 21-Jan 28-Jan 30-Jan 30-Jan
Tour guide Driver Corporate Travel Team Leader Tour guide French Sales Executive Tour guide IT Architecture Tour Leader French Sales Executive Tour guide IT Developer Operation Executive Tour guide TE Driver Tour guide Tour Leader French Sales Team leader GM Inbound TE Driver Operation Executive Asst. IT manager Inbound Operation Executive
Anniversaries: Supawadee Saiyasilp Thepjinda Boonchai Sasima Pianskool Vo Nguyen Hoan Ngoc Thuy Nguyen Lam Thy Le Nhut Anh Thu Nguyen Thi Tam Phung Thai Binh Le Viet Hung Do Van Long Dinh Thi Thu Trang Tran Thi Hai Nguyen Thi Thuy Van Nguyen Thi Thanh Xuan Luu Trung Kien Nguyen Thi To Uyen Doan Thi Lan Phuong Dinh Thi Doan Trang Pham Van Trang Le Hong Hanh Pham Thi Loan Bui Anh Tuan Do Van Hoi Le Van Din Nguyen Minh Thang Pham Thanh Hai
Branch Manager Phuket Sales Executive Reservations Team Leader Travel Agency Manager Operation Supervisor Operation Executive Tour guide Inbound Operation Executive IT Architecture IT Project Manager Corporate Development Account Receivable General Accountant Payable Accountant PA of Operations Manager Purchasing Executive VET Executive Australia Agent- Sales Team leader Agent Sales Executive BTA Travel Consultant HR Executive IT Manager Tour guide Tour guide Tour guide Tour guide
01 year in service 01 year in service 01 year in service 07 years in service 04 years in service 02 years in service 07 years in service 03 years in service 03 years in servce 01 year in service 01 years in service 07 years in service 05 years in service 02 years in service 05 years in service 04 years in service 04 years in service 09 years in service 01 year in service 05 years in service 03 years in service 06 years in service 07 years in service 05 years in service 05 years in service 05 years in service
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New born Buffalo
1.Congratulation to Ms. Tran Thi Minh Tam – Sales Executive in Saigon Office – on the birth of your beautiful baby on 21st December 2012. Her name is Dao Minh Anh.
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