Viaglobé

Hanoi, Vietnam
+84 333235958

MotorOffice
1 S T AUGUST 2020

Table of Contents
Overview .................................................................................................................................................................................................5
Concept Description.............................................................................................................................................................................6
1. Target market: .................................................................................................................................................................................8
2. Potential customers:................................................................................................................................................................... 10
3. Meet the needs ............................................................................................................................................................................. 12
4. Competitors.................................................................................................................................................................................... 14
5. What sets your concept submission apart? How does your innovative idea differentiate from similar
products or services already in the marketplace? ............................................................................................................. 15
Additional information: ................................................................................................................................................................. 16
(MVP Design)

Conceptual draft
Overview
Region: Mainland Southeast Asia
Mainland Southeast Asia has its huge potential for tourism. The first feature of mainland
geography is the long rivers that begin in the highlands separating Southeast Asia from
China and northwest India. A second feature is the extensive lowland plains separated by
forested hills and mountain ranges. The diverse terrains of the region created biodiversity
and rich landscapes characterized by tropical monsoon climate. Also, these fertile plains
are highly suited to rice-growing ethnic groups, such as the Thais, the Burmese, and the
Vietnamese, who developed settled cultures that eventually provided the basis for modern
states. The highlands were occupied by tribal groups, who displayed their sense of identity
through distinctive styles in clothing, jewelry, and hairstyles. A third feature of mainland
Southeast Asia is the long coastline with wilderness beaches. The cultural, natural diversity,
as well as beautiful landscapes make the region a great place to travel all over on a motor
office. Besides, cost is a strong advantage, for travelers, it only costs about $35 a day and
$1000 a month averagely, while the service provider would benefit from the lower indirect
(parking lots,…) and direct costs (Van conversion, mobile internet...) .
In terms of market growth, according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the
South East Asia ‘s tourism (including island zones) has reportedly maintained a significant
international tourist arrivals growth before covid 19, at 7%, from 120 millions to 129
millions, respectively 9% of receipts growth (USD) in 2018; and to 133 millions in 2019.
While in the year of 2018 the mainland covered more than a half, at 4% of arrivals and
8.3% of receipts. Especially, data from the Global Wellness Institute indicates that wellness
tourism is worth an estimated $639 billion worldwide and is growing twice as fast as global
tourism. Also, it shows that wellness tourists are spending between 50% and 180% more
than the average tourist. However, under the influence of Covid 19, the growth has been
dramatically paced down and suffered a huge damage. Post-Covid 19, it is supposed to still
maintain a high rate due to its potential and could bounce back in the years to come.

Within a big picture of the gig economy and sharing economy, many reports have indicated
the significant growth of coworking space in regions across the world, including the MSA.
The industry accelerated in the past years, reaching around 18.7 thousand coworking
spaces in 2018 with nearly 2.68 million people working worldwide. Memberships are also
rising the fastest in Asia-Pacific, which saw a 150 percent increase in the number of co-
working spaces between the years of 2014 and 2017. This is proof of which a flexible
working trend has already been widespread globally. Although the industry has been
suffering from the negative impact of Covid 19 it is supposed to return to normal in the
near future and is anticipated to maintain the growth particularly in the MSA, and across
regions generally.
For RV rental, the growth remains dwarfed as the service is yet unpopular and lacks
facilities in the region.

Concept Description

In modern life, mental illness in the workplace has become a global affliction, affecting
work-life balance of workers as well as productivity and outcome of companies. The WHO
has issued data implying that an estimated 264 million people worldwide suffer from
depression, one of the leading causes of disability, with many of these people also suffering
from symptoms of anxiety, while in 2017, there were an estimated 1.1 billion cases of
mental and substance use disorders. A recent WHO-led study estimates that depression
and anxiety disorders cost the global economy US$ 1 trillion each year in lost productivity.
A negative working environment may lead to physical and mental health problems
including stress and burnout, harmful use of substances or alcohol, absenteeism and lost
productivity. Many solutions have been implemented in order to deal with the problem. In
particular, nature is proven to be one of the most effective solutions and has been brought
to the workplace by interior design concepts containing many natural elements.

Meanwhile, in terms of tourism, though the desire for travel is always high, the biggest
barrier that prevents people from traveling is cost. Followingly, the workload also has a
huge impact on people’s travel decisions. In the WTTC/Bloomberg Media Group report,
Wiltrud Terlau of Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences in Germany says, “Stated
concerns do not always translate into observed behaviours, however. Barriers such as price
and inconvenience hinder action. While 30-50% of consumers exhibit intent to buy
sustainable products, this only accounts for 5% of total sales. From other perspectives, in
the same report of WTTC/Bloomberg Media Group, the desire for personal enrichment,
self-direction and community is the fuel for today’s experience-driven world. With
experiences at the core of Travel & Tourism, the sector has the potential to design
meaningful, unique, frictionless and even unplugged journeys that directly respond to these
changing values. Other reports also show the desire to have local, authentic and unique
experiences of travelers as the rising trend among millennials and Generation Z travelers.

Despite the truth that Covid 19 pandemic has dramatically changed the world by its
negative impacts and the world will face more challenges afterward especially the tourism
industry, we still see some positive signals. In particular, remote/online working (also
known as teleworking) is expected to become new normal instead of playing contingent
roles and will possibly boost the potential travel demand of working people. Recently, the
articles like “Twitter has allowed employees to work from home forever” or “Facebook
founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg told staff it was "aggressively opening up
remote hiring" in July. He expects half of its workforce to do their jobs outside Facebook's
offices over the next five to 10 years” can be found on some famous news. These examples
indicated the transformation in the workplace, especially the office occupation like
software developer, online education, marketing.

Given these points, “Work & travel behind the wheels” provides van rentals service of
which the van’s interior is designed for multiple purposes: to be used as a workplace, also
can be converted into a leisure place. Instead of having to work permanently at the office,
customers can work and live in the vehicle while traveling, especially to work immersed in
nature.

There are 2 types of van for customers to choose from: Ford Transit and Gazelle. They have
various dimensions, given different interior width, length, height and with different design
concepts but similar basic amenities:

1. 2 to 3 foldable beds (70x190cm) convertible into seats with ergonomics design,

plus 1 optional hanging bed (70x190cm).

2. Mini Bar with fridge and cooker

3. Mini toilet/shower

Each van is suitable for a group of 3-4 people and is nightly or monthly rental.
Driving, working and living on a van thousands of kilometers across the region of mainland
Southeast Asia (or would be South America, Africa, etc.) itself is an unique experience.
Moreover, scientific studies have proven that working in nature also solves mental illness
problems occurring in the workplace and enhances productivity. Travelers can rent vans
equipped with leisure and working facilities. In working hours, 3 beds can be turned into a
work desk with ergonomic-based design that optimizes human well-being while working
and change the background of by moving to their preferred or recommended locations.
Such as moving to a plateau from where they can expand the view of a vast forest area with
the river flowing below and the white sea of clouds above the high peaks; and working in
the fresh atmosphere of natural landscape. In leisure time, customers can flexibly
transform the workspace to a minibar or bed and find a mountain flank to enjoy the sunset,
have dinner together and sleep overnight comfortably in the van. In addition, the service is
a network connecting the entire region. It bridges the culture, daily life of indigenous
people with customers, bringing nature into the lives of customers. They can discover the
nature of the region as well as take part in eco environmental experiences such as hiking,
watching birds or so on; or contribute to the local community and conservation activities.
Local traditional activities like harvest cropping are also recommended for customers.

Traveling a long way, immersing in nature and participating in a lot of unique and
authentic experiences along with enjoying local food brings travelers more benefits but
with less travel stress and expenses, at reasonable price, only around $60/night for a 4-
sleeps van.

The service is also designed so customers can begin and end their trip at two different
locations without having to go back to their departure to return the van.

1. Target market:

Millennials: Millennials spent $200 billion on travel in 2018, 33% plan a spending
budget of $5000+ on their vacations (Source:
https://www.condorferries.co.uk/millennials-travel-statistics-trends)
Also, a report from Expedia indicates that 72% of millennials expect to go on a
dream holiday.
On vacation, Millennials are more likely to engage in food & beverage tours,
adventure, theatre, high adrenaline activities, and theme parks.
Generation Z: According to the CMO.com team, Generation Z forecast to be the
largest group of consumers by 2020, Gen Z'ers are digital natives ready to conquer
the world. Generation Z, defined by anyone born after 1995, comprise 32% of the
global population of 7.7 billion, nudging out Millennials (31.5%) for the top spot,
according to a Bloomberg analysis of United Nations data. The Gen Z buying power
is estimated at $29 billion to $143 billion in direct spending. While budget-
conscious, Gen Z will spend more for immersive, experiential travel that lets them
experience life as a local, not a tourist.
Also, Studies show that both Millennials and Gen Z would choose to splurge on
experience purchases during their trips, leaving the traditional travel luxuries such
as airfare upgrades behind (New Horizons Survey, 2018). Additionally, The change
in the motivation to travel is evident when we take a look at the Generation Z and
Millennials. Generally, the Millennials were the first generation to have the focus on
local connection and awareness, but when compared with Gen Z, it is clear that Gen
Z is taking this shift of motivation to travel even further from the “traditional”
motivation to visit family and friends, relax and disconnect from stressful working
days. Followingly, for Gen Z, self-improvement and self-awareness are becoming a
more significant motivation to travel compared to Millennials, and it seems that Gen
Z is more social than Millennials and values local connections more. That is, local
experiences and meeting new people plays a more important role.

Wellness travelers: Many people look forward to travel as an adventure and as

an opportunity to rejuvenate and de-stress. Several years ago, a survey was
conducted to ask consumers what they do to maintain/enhance their personal
wellness, respondents selected “take a vacation” as one of their top five activities. In
a recent survey of Millennials sponsored by Expedia, four in ten respondents said
that their main motivation for their most recent holiday was to reduce stress. As
more and more people pay attention to their health, they increasingly want to keep
up with their healthy habits when they travel. And a growing segment of travelers
are taking trips specifically focused on maintaining and improving their personal
health and wellbeing. This shift is driving the growth of wellness tourism. Data from
the Global Wellness Institute indicates that wellness tourism is worth an estimated
$639 billion worldwide and is growing twice as fast as global tourism. In addition, it
shows that wellness tourists are spending between 50% and 180% more than the
average tourist.

Freelancers: There are approximately 77 millions freelancers worldwide.

Freelancing is most popular in Europe, where 35.5% of the global freelancer
community is concentrated. In Latin America and Asia, there are slightly fewer
freelancers — 29.2% and 28% respectively. The remaining 10.1% of freelancers live
 on the African continent. In the USA, the growth is mainly driven by younger
generations, with 53% of working Generation Zers currently freelancing – more
than any other generation. And at the same time, more Millennials are freelancing
full-time (40%), suggesting it’s becoming a lifestyle choice rather than just a
financial supplement. A recent survey revealed 86% of freelancers work from
home during the week. Coffee shops are also popular, with 40% of respondents
saying they typically spend some time working in cafes. Working while traveling on
a motor office would probably become a favorite option for freelancers.

Teleworkers: Particularly, more than 26 million Americans —about 16% of the

total workforce—now work remotely at least part of the time, according to the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics. Between 2005 and 2017, the number of U.S. employees
who telecommute increased by 159%. Those workers tend to be older, more
educated, full time and nonunion.
Telecommuting arrangements can vary greatly for different workers. They can be
fully or partially remote; they may work from a home office, co-working space or
other location; and increasingly they may be geographically distant from the
organization or clients they serve.
In addition, Forbes reported that a 2018 Global Talent Trends study found that 51%
of employees wish their company offered more flexible work options. In a study of
273 teleworkers from sales, marketing, accounting, engineering and other
departments at one organization, Gajendran and Golden found that employees
whose jobs were highly complex but did not require significant collaboration or
social support performed better when telecommuting than when working in the
company’s office (Journal of Business and Psychology, Vol. 34, No. 1, 2019).
“Employees whose jobs require concentration or significant problem-solving often
need focused time to think deeply about the task at hand,” Golden says. “In a shared
office full of potential interruptions, that can be hard to do.”

Besides, the trend can be referred to manually via social media, such as youtube or
instagram, by the numbers of audience’s views and reactions. Also, Google Trends shows
the data of popularity of these terms among people (keywords: #vanlife, mobile office,
teleworking, coworking space, RV rental...)

2. Potential customers:

People who want to travel while working with less expenses: According to a 2018
American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) survey, the answers to the questions of
“Where should I go?” (destination), “How much is it going to cost?” (price) and “Who is
coming with me?” (availability of travel partners) are the top three factors determining
when travelers are considering a vacation. 61% of leisure travelers surveyed by ASTA
reported a “need to take at least one vacation a year” and 44% reported a desire to “travel
as often as possible.”. While another statistic shows that 73% of millennials and 68% of
generation X say their top barriers to travel is cost. Following that is workload with 34% of
millennials and 27% of generation X. Due to the increasing needs for teleworking emerging
from the pandemic, it is expected that there will be more flexible work and people will be
able to work while traveling or vice versa in the years to come.

People who look for new, unique and authentic experiences: In an era of “tech burnout,”
travelers are beginning to seek refuge from their screens in favor of real-world
experiences. Darshika Jones, Intrepid’s Director of North America, told Skift, “We are seeing
an increase in those more remote destinations where you get that opportunity to unplug
and reconnect.” The Adventure Travel Trade Association’s Senior Director for Strategy and
Impact, Christina Beckmann, observed in an April 2019 report: “Modern travelers focused
on having local, authentic, unique experiences often can’t help but to become aware of
environmental or social issues in the places they visit.” Especially as they are finding new
ways to access local guides, their insight into local topics is enhanced. As well, our research
has shown us that travelers want to learn and establish meaningful connections when they
travel; this motivation aligns well with the trend toward more ethical behavior.”
Statistically, a consumer survey from McKinsey & Company across 60 countries found 66%
of consumers say they will pay more for environmentally-friendly products. This is
especially true for younger generations. 73% of Millennials say they would pay more, and
65% of Gen Z say they research the origins of products before buying.

People who want to escape from or avoid mental illness in the workplace: Mental health
issue rates vary from 4 percent in Singapore to 20 percent in Vietnam, Thailand, New
Zealand and Australia. And with rising diagnoses of mental health problems in China, India,
Japan, Korea, Thailand and Malaysia, mental health will remain a concern for many in the
region. The Willis Tower Watson 2017/2018 Global Benefits Attitudes Survey found 56
percent of close to 9,500 workers across Asia-Pacific’s largest 1,141 employers suffered
from elevated stress. Additionally, according to WHO, an estimated 264 million people
worldwide (In 2017, there were an estimated 1.1 billion cases of mental and substance use
disorders, by Global wellness institute white paper) suffer from depression, one of the
leading causes of disability, with many of these people also suffering from symptoms of
anxiety. A recent WHO-led study estimates that depression and anxiety disorders cost the
global economy US$ 1 trillion each year in lost productivity. Unemployment is a well-
recognized risk factor for mental health problems, while returning to, or getting work is
protective. A negative working environment may lead to physical and mental health
problems, harmful use of substances or alcohol, absenteeism and lost productivity. This
information sheet addresses mental health and disorders in the workplace. It also covers
difficulties which are not mental disorders but which may be created or exacerbated by
work such as stress and burnout.

Nonetheless, in the WTTC/Bloomberg Media Group report, Wiltrud Terlau of Bonn-Rhein-

Sieg University of Applied Sciences in Germany says, “Stated concerns do not always
translate into observed behaviours, however. Barriers such as price and inconvenience
hinder action. While 30-50% of consumers exhibit intent to buy sustainable products, this
only accounts for 5% of total sales.

3. Meet the needs

Test Card
Test Name Deadline

Assigned to Duration

STEP 1: HYPOTHESIS

We believe that

Critical:

STEP 2: TEST

To verify that, we will

Test Cost: Data Reliability:

STEP 3: METRIC
And measure

Time Required:

STEP 4: CRITERIA
We are right if

Copyright Strategyzer AG The makers of Business Model Generation and Strategyzer

We will do the customers interview in order to test whether our concept idea really meets
the needs.

The interview will be based on the following assumptions:

1. People will monthly rent a van to live and travel across the region of Mainland
Southeast Asia while teleworking
2. 3 to 4 people will share a van
3. People will love to work in a beautiful natural landscape
4. People will look for unique and authentic experiences along their route.
5. People will participate in nature conservation activities.
6. People will tend to travel one way rather than to take a rebound trip
7. People will contribute to the local community such as volunteer, charity…
8. This concept design is most suitable for working people who love to travel during
their work
9. Work and travel this way make travelers/workers healthier and more productive
10. People would prefer a van to a desk in coworking space and a room to stay in the big
crowd cities.
11. If many people choose this way of travel, then they will tend to gather to build a
professional community.
12. People want their employers to support the rental fee.
13. This way of travel cost less than others

Method: Via Test Web: https://viaglobe.hanoi-time-travel.com/home

A test web is created and included with an interview form which basically contains the
above assumptions. Our potential customers will be introduced about the concept, design
and the benefits; and answer our questionnaires in the form. The result will reflect the
needs, desire of potential customers.
Channel: Facebook.

Measurement:

1. Never
2. The least option (no if there are better options)
3. It depends (50/50)
4. More yes than no (60/40)
5. Yes but I’d expect a little more (80/20)
6. Ready to use/Definitely
4. Competitors
RV rental market has been developing immensely in North America, Europe and Asia
Pacific (mainly Japan, Australia and New Zealand), notably, North America being the
biggest market, in which, the key players like USA RV Rental, EL Monte RV... have been
competing harshly for the market shares, or playing the dominant role like Fuji cars Japan.
Peer-to-peer platforms like OUTDOORSY, INDIECAMPERS…have also been showing its role
in terms of connecting individual owners and customers.

In consideration of global expansion, the barriers to entry to the EU, North America or Asia
Pacific markets would be capital costs, limited market, economies of scale and experience
curve (also known as learning curve). Firstly, capital costs are fixed expenses incurred on
the inventory, buildings, and equipment, would be higher and require more investment in
comparison with the MSA region. Secondly, Once there are too many players (including
individual and enterprise) in the market, the market shares become limited and would not
maintain the growth of the business in the long run. Compared with the in-operation
players, economies of scale is the cost disadvantage that a new entrant has to encounter.
This is due to the size of the players. In case of RV rental, a new entrant, for example, is
capable of running 50 vehicles at the cost of $100, at entry level, whereas, in-operation
service could be operating 100 vehicles at only $50. Lastly, the experience curve is also a
barrier to prevent new entrants. Unlike the old players, the new one has to create a
network with the local businesses and organizations as well as exchange their lack of
experience and knowledge in the market with a high rate of costs and time.
Meanwhile, in the Mainland Southeast Asia where we aim to deploy firstly, the competitor
to be listed is Campervan Thailand, a service based in Thailand. In terms of competition,
though it would be the main direct competitor, its marketplace is limited within the
Thailand territory and the service is narrowed down to traditional RV tours. Besides,
indirect competition would arise from the coworking space industry, hotels and homestays.
Workers/travelers could reserve accommodation and a desk in a coworking space located
in the local centralized city and plan to go discover at the weekend.

Currently, there is no company running the same service (combination of Workspace, RV

rental service and experience tours) in the MSA region, as well as Africa, South America or
Siberia.
5. What sets your concept submission apart? How does
your innovative idea differentiate from similar products
or services already in the marketplace?

The coworking space term is often known as a physical place where professionals,
freelancers... Gather to work, but in fact, it is not just about a physical place, but a
professional community. The locations should not be limited within the big crowd cities, it
could be anywhere outside urban areas where members can still build their networks as
well as enjoy the stress relief atmosphere of nature. Hence, the idea is to put the
“coworking space” on the wheels; and to give people a new “dimension” of working that
they could have never been through before. In other words, our service is a combination of
recreational vehicle, workspace and experience tours.
Van’s interior design is the core of the service. In contrast to traditional recreational
vehicles/campervan of which the interior is mainly home-like designed, the factor of
ergonomics makes the difference by renovating the van into more workable and
comfortable space but still suitable for leisure by a slight adjustment, in other words, it is a
multi-functional design. While working in office could prevent a worker from traveling as
he/she is locked in a city building and would not be able to get off until there is free time, a
van could easily get workers to the desired location/landscape without having to consider
a workplace or a stay, in a local area. Despite workers can book transportation as well as
stay, and travel while working, they would face travel stress and more when it is difficult to
find a suitable option in a remote area.
On the other hand, many researches have revealed that nature has a positive effect on the
mental health of humans, it enhances work productivity by improving short memory, spark
inspiration, reducing stress, concentration enhancement, creativity and positivity boost
and increasing mindfulness. For workers who are stuck in the workplace the whole day
and get exhausted at the end of the day, traveling while working in a mobile office and
immersing in natural landscapes could be an effective solution.
Furthermore, driving to work in nature and gathering together to build a professional
community is new in the world. At the same time, when people tend to move to the
suburbs, this will also help the under tourism areas to have an additional number of
tourists.
Additional information:
About the internet capability, mobile network plays the top important role in the service's
infrastructure. We are also researching on the coverage of mobile network in the remote
areas lacking signal towers and also the regional deployment progress of 4G & 5G , in the
process of service design. The area's mobile network coverage map can be found at:
https://www.gsma.com/coverage for Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and
https://opennetwork.viettel.vn for Vietnam

Also, air pollution is an immense environmental issue for the long-term development of the
business. Thus, in order to avoid it, we also consider electric vehicle as the substitution and
the production capability of the local manufacturer.

Obviously, beyond all considerations, the reactions from customers is the first and most
important. So, next, we will reach 30 to 40 people of our potential customers to determine
whether the sample supports our concept idea.