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BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION
GROUP 1
CASE STUDY OF HIGHLANDS COFFEE
• Trần Ngọc Hà Anh
• Nguyễn Phương Uyên
• Đặng Thu Trang
• Phạm Thùy Linh
TABLE OF CONTENTS

01 02
Company Overview Problem 1
About Highlands “A bottle of water = 60 minutes
sitting at the store”

03 04
Problem 2 Conclusion
Miscommunication between Lessons can be learned from
staff members and a foreign the case study 
customer
01 COMPANY
OVERVIEW
About Highlands Coffee
About
Highlands Coffee
In 1999, the Highlands Coffee brand was born with the
spirit of traditional and modern coffee.
Up to now, Highlands Coffee has more than 350 coffee
shops across the country.
02 PROBLEM 01
“A bottle of water = 60 minutes
sitting at the store”
Reasons to study the situation
- The lack of communication between head
managers and branches lead to serious
consequences.

- How business corrects the unverified

information speared on the social media is
important.
 The reasons for the situation
The wrong process of
business communication
When this “60 minutes rule”
had been made, there must
have not been a kind of receipt
or contract to confirm the
terms of an agreement.
 
The ineffective use of means Using an adjustment
of communication message unsuccessfully
In this case, Highland Coffee fail
A significant problem caused
to use an adjustment message
by the shortcoming of
since they did not approve their
persuasion technique and the
customer’s claim.
lack of skillful training of the
staff.
Consequences
Numerous articles were posted on
this topic and the hashtag
#tẩy_chay_highlands spread like
wildfire with hundreds of posts and
shares.

The scandal gives Highlands

Coffee's competitors an
opportunity to surpass.
 Solution
THE MANAGER TEAM THE STAFF TEAM
● Prepare basic knowledge carefully
● Take up training days for staff
before serving customers
before they get started working.
● Update information for the customers
● Make plans to respond if this
they will serve on their own initiative
situation happens

“Design-Thinking” Method:
1 2 3

Empathy Define Ideate Prototype Test

03 PROBLEM 02
Miscommunication between the staff
members and a foreign customer
Reason to study the situation
Cultural awareness is the key to global
business

Provide a solid basis for the success or

failure of communication

Respond quickly and appreciate the

values, customs and beliefs of other
cultures
YOUR
 Reasons for the situation
LOGO
The language barrier in a
multicultural
environment

It is a major difficulty that the staff face

when communicating with foreign
customers as not all countries in the world
use the same language for their business
operations.
Low-context and high-context
cultures differences 
Low-context High-context
(The foreign customer) (The staff)

Logical, analytical, More intuitive and

and action-oriented. contemplative

Depend little on the Depend on physical and

context of the situation social settings

Leave much unsaid 

Explicit, objective and Use body language, facial
efficient expression, and voice
inflection instead
 Negative feedback
The lack of language skills, as well as the
conservation of Highland Coffee services
to protect their brands.

Consequences

Customer’s attitude
The anger and disappointment of the foreign
customer for not being understood to get the
information needed. 
Solution

Respond complaint emails

Upskilling to all employees

Provide the staff with courses

on languages and global
cultures
04 CONCLUSION
 LESSONS FROM
Delivering great customers experience
THE FIRST CASE

The flows of information

Communicating better between staff and customers 

 Cross-cultural communication

LESSONS FROM Cross-cultural negotiation & conflict

management tactics
THE SECOND CASE

Develop a global mindset and

cultural awareness
 Thank you
for listening!