Real experiences from financial professionals navigating Vietnam's evolving budget landscape. We share what we've learned through actual client work and market observation.
We talked with twelve companies in Ho Chi Minh City about their early-year budget adjustments. Some patterns emerged that surprised us—particularly around digital investment priorities and how they're thinking about cash reserves differently now.
Based on what we've seen work for businesses in Vietnam's market. Not a rigid formula—just observations from actual experience.
Most companies we work with spend this time looking at what actually happened versus what they planned. It's less about judgment and more about understanding patterns. One client found they'd been overestimating marketing returns for three years straight.
This is when reality hits planning documents. We help businesses figure out which assumptions need updating based on actual Q1 performance. Sometimes it means shifting resources faster than expected.
About half our clients do significant budget revision work around this time. Not because they planned poorly—just because markets move and priorities shift. We've learned to build flexibility into systems from the start.
Earlier than many expect, but companies that start planning in early fall tend to have smoother budget cycles. They have time to gather input, test assumptions, and build realistic scenarios before year-end pressure hits.
Budget Trend Analyst
Three years ago, most companies I worked with kept minimal cash buffers. That's changed significantly. Here's what the shift looks like and what's driving it.
I've watched companies struggle with rigid twelve-month planning. Some are experimenting with rolling forecasts instead. Mixed results so far, but interesting patterns emerging.
There's a balance between adapting to change and losing all structure. We've seen both extremes cause problems. Finding that middle ground is trickier than it sounds.
Tracked how 40 companies allocated digital budgets from 2023 to 2025. The category definitions changed, priorities shifted, and some assumptions proved completely wrong.