LEADING ASPAC OPERATORS: CHINA NATIONAL SERVICE CORPORATION


CNSC vows to make up for lost time as it targets new openings


As the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic continues in China, CNSC is well positioned to capitalise and reap the benefits from a number of initiatives implemented over the past few months. Andrew Pentol reports.


Above: A shot of the company's flagship Shanghai downtown duty free store.


A


s China continues its recovery from the deadly coronavirus (Covid-19), the


China National Service Corporation for Chinese Personnel Working Abroad (CNSC) is vowing to make up for lost time and press ahead with some key projects this year. Last year, CNSC, which


serves passengers returning from overseas for up to 180 days on presentation of their passport and other valid documents, concluded the build of several new stores. These include a 2,000sq m


downtown store at the Olympic Plaza in Dalian and the company’s first inbound duty free cruise port store at Tianjin International Cruise home port.


“Although some related work processes were delayed due to the pandemic, everything has basically returned to normal. We are trying to make up for lost time.”


Evita Qu,


Deputy General Manager, CNSC


42 TRBUSINESS


In conversation with TRBusiness late last year, Evita Qu, Deputy General Manager, CNSC alluded to the planned opening of the retailer’s new 1,800sq m Beijing downtown duty free store in the middle of this year. The store is located in the Beijing


‘Fun district’, just 100 metres from Tiananmen Square and adjacent to the Palace Museum, National Museum of China and other famous cultural sites.


Beijing and Qingdao to open “Although some related work processes were delayed due to the pandemic, everything has basically returned to normal,” says Qu in an exclusive interview conducted for this issue of TRBusiness. “We are trying to make up for lost time. “According to the company’s plan,


some of our stores [in places such as Beijing and Qingdao] will open for business later this year.” Over the past few months,


when the virus was it its peak in China, CNSC introduced a series of measures to boost sales and ensure the safety of employees and consumers. Qu explains: “Firstly, we set about increasing publicity. Our Dalian duty


free store, for example, launched a new ‘Live Online’ concept, while our Hangzhou duty free shop placed advertisements in WeChat Moments [a function of the WeChat smartphone app] to increase traffic and raise awareness.” Secondly, the company strived to


improve the services available in its downtown duty free stores. “Several of our city duty free stores


now offer a courtesy reservation service and our duty free store in Hangzhou has introduced a free car call service.” During the period of home


quarantine in China, CNSC staff undertook various marketing activities,


including thematic


initiatives for International Women’s Day on 8 March. “As the market recovers, we will continue to launch a series of holiday marketing activities. The measures undertaken so far have given us real sales impetus,” says Qu. While the Government and


residents alike now consider Covid-19 to be relatively under control in China Qu recalls the sudden emergence of the virus and the strong element of concern among those who knew little about it. From an operational perspective,


MAY 2020


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