In a sector often driven by technical specifications and product cycles, OPPO is shifting attention to a more human aspect of the tech experience: the people who bring the brand to life for customers every day. On April 28, the company hosted its 2025 Smiling Angel Awards Ceremony in Shenzhen, honoring 163 frontline employees from its global customer service and retail teams for outstanding contributions to the user experience.
The Smiling Angel initiative is OPPO’s highest recognition for frontline staff, designed to celebrate individuals who go beyond performance metrics and exemplify a people-first approach. With more than 77,000 employees across 300,000 stores and service centers globally, these professionals play a pivotal role not just in delivering services, but in shaping how users experience the brand. The award focuses on attributes like empathy, initiative, and creative problem-solving—qualities that reflect OPPO’s broader philosophy that technology should serve people, not the other way around.
Rather than measuring success purely through efficiency or sales numbers, OPPO’s Smiling Angel program emphasizes what it calls “outstanding contributions to user experience.” This means recognizing staff who build personal connections, demonstrate cultural sensitivity, and elevate each customer interaction into something more meaningful. According to Roy Chen, who leads OPPO’s Overseas Channel and Retail operations, the goal is not only functional excellence but also emotional resonance with customers—whether in-store or online.
This focus is reflected in OPPO’s 6S Service Standard, a framework that guides the customer journey from initial contact through after-sales support. The company supplements this with a talent development strategy rooted in its “Care & Reach” service philosophy, which aims to empower staff to provide personable, professional service while continuously growing in their roles. OPPO’s field teams also regularly conduct market visits to understand customer habits and adjust service offerings accordingly. In hotter climates, for example, stores might offer cold beverages as part of a small but thoughtful local gesture.
For OPPO, these human touches are not peripheral—they’re central to the user experience. As Samuel Fang, who heads global after-sales services, puts it, lasting customer satisfaction comes not from automation or standardization alone, but from the ability to respond to individuals’ real, often nuanced needs.
More than a one-time event, the Smiling Angel Awards are emblematic of a long-term mindset. OPPO is betting that in an age of accelerating automation and AI, human connection remains an irreplaceable element of the tech experience. In that context, the frontline staff recognized through this program aren’t just employees—they’re the brand’s most visible ambassadors.
As OPPO continues to grow across global markets, initiatives like this serve to underscore a clear message: in a world increasingly dominated by smart devices and digital interactions, the company is doubling down on people.
