Zalo: Supercharging conversational commerce localization and AI

For many years, messaging channels were used by brands as broadcast tools to inform customers about new product launches, features, offers, promotions, and more. It was largely a one-way form of communication, where brands did the talking, and customers were expected to listen.

However, with changing consumer preferences, this model is no longer effective in driving engagement and conversions, particularly across the APAC region, where digital adoption and mobile-first behaviors are accelerating rapidly. Today, customers prefer brand communications that are instant, personalized, and localized. 

To explore how these communication trends are evolving in APAC, we sat down for a conversation with Truong Duy Nguyen, Director- Business Development at Zalo Business Solutions.

Zalo is a leading messaging platform developed by VNG Corporation, Vietnam’s first unicorn, which specializes in game production, game studios, and digital payment apps such as Zalopay.

From Broadcast to conversations

APAC is a region where super apps play an important role in the communication landscape. People use apps like Zalo to communicate with each other and interact with businesses.  

“Today consumers are surrounded by digital noise, juggling multiple devices, screens, and apps throughout the day. Brands can no longer just push messages or promotions. They need to communicate with consumers and create a deeper connection, making each message feel personal, as if it’s meant only for them.” says Truong Duy Nguyen, Director- Business Development at Zalo Business Solutions.

Conversational messaging delivers measurable results for brands, driving higher engagement, especially in mobile-first markets like Southeast Asia. 

According to our Messaging Trends Report, there has been increase in the number of interactions on our platform on conversational messaging apps.

Transforming messaging into a conversation engine

As conversational engagement accelerates, the customer journey is being redefined. Discovery, evaluation, purchase, and service are no longer separate steps scattered across platforms. Instead, they’re converging into one continuous, seamless experience often happening within a single chat interface.

“Before, brands believed that simply having a presence on an OTT messaging app was enough, but now everything is about conversion. Businesses cannot just put some money to build awareness or brand presence on OTT platforms and expect results. The end goal of the customer journey is helping people purchase more easily,” says Truong Duy Nguyen.

Flexibility and convenience are important factors impacting conversions. According to a report of Morgan Stanley, 77% of U.S. consumers cite convenience as a key factor when making purchasing decisions. Users no longer want to jump between apps, websites, and payment platforms. So, you must ensure that everything needs to happen in one place, such as searching for products, viewing details, making a purchase, receiving order confirmation, and even getting post-purchase support. This journey not only needs to be seamless but also tailored to your customers.  

“On Zalo, for example, users can browse products, complete purchases, leave ratings, and re-engage with brands through official accounts, all within a single interface,” says. Truong Duy Nguyen.  It’s a win-win situation for both brands and customers.

For brands, this means fewer drop-offs, faster decision-making, and deeper insights into customer behavior. For consumers, it delivers better user experience and greater convenience at every stage of the journey. 

Balancing AI and automation with human empathy

Businesses are quite familiar with automation, and most of them use it in some form or other in their processes. However, with AI gaining traction, the real challenge lies in balancing AI and automation with human touch. Although AI is helping businesses in multiple areas, such as processing large order volumes, managing customer interactions, and reducing workload, it does not mean that humans have no role to play.

“Even when companies like Microsoft or Google talk about AI, they always emphasize the role of humans in training and guiding it.”, says Truong Duy Nguyen.

Research consistently shows that consumers still prefer human support for complex, emotional, or high-value interactions.  For example, if a customer is having a problem and they want to know they can get in touch with a real person, they should be provided with the option.

In practice, this means designing conversational journeys where AI handles routine interactions seamlessly, while humans intervene at critical touchpoints to add judgment, empathy, and personalization. Therefore, businesses must maintain a delicate balance between automation and human touch.  

Winning APAC with a localized messaging strategy

Localization is a must-have for brands operating within the APAC region due to its diverse cultural preferences. Although most businesses today aim to adopt a localized approach, they often face challenges in managing different regional strategies for customers. Truong Duy Nguyen highlighted two important actions brands should take when it comes to localization: 

• Tailoring strategies: Since one approach does not fit all, brands must adapt their communication strategies to suit different regions
• Choosing a local partner: Businesses should collaborate with local technology players, as they are better positioned to understand and address the needs of local consumers. 

“For example, in Vietnam, Zalo shares the market with Meta, TikTok, and Viber. However, we deeply understand Vietnamese users. We create a unique experience tailored specifically for them on the Zalo chat app, designing features and filters that are closely aligned with Vietnamese digital life and local user behaviors.”, says Truong Duy Nguyen.

Infobip x Zalo: Partnership that delivers results

With so many technology companies nowadays offering similar solutions, it is often challenging for brands to choose the right partner. For Zalo, localization was one of the strongest factors for preferring us. Truong Duy Nguyen appreciated our understanding of the Vietnamese market and our capability to create local strategies for brands. 

“Infobip acts as a bridge for global companies entering Vietnam, using their solutions to interact with local users via Zalo. It enables them to fully understand the market and deploy an execution plan that fits both the local demand and the strategic direction of the global company.” says Truong Duy Nguyen. 

Some of the significant results observed by Zalo include: 

• Many large corporations and companies are using Zalo as their primary OTT platform to interact with customers
• Significant growth in both message volume and sales over the past one to two years

Truong Duy Nguyen mentions three reasons why global companies should use Infobip’s solutions:

• Strong domain expertise: Infobip partners with global technology companies such as Meta and Viber, enabling it to provide local guidance to companies looking to start operations in Vietnam. 
• Efficiency: Infobip is a forerunner in adopting new technologies and features. For example, whenever Zalo launches new features or product updates, Infobip quickly understands them and integrates them into the execution plans of global companies. 
• Continued trust: Both Infobip and Zalo share the same vision of using solutions responsibly, without spamming or creating negative user experiences. 

In our five-year partnership with Zalo, we play a key role in promoting Zalo’s products, such as Zalo Official Account and Zalo Notification Services, integrating them into brands’ omnichannel strategies, and resulting in better interaction with end users.