Chapter 280 Beijing and Tianjin
Travel is definitely a rare opportunity for Chinese people in the early 1980s.
Due to restrictions on grain and oil vouchers and income, ordinary people have almost no possibility of leaving the city where they live and going to other places.
If this happens, there are generally only two reasons.
Either the couple who are living apart go to visit relatives, or the person who has official duties goes on a business trip.
Therefore, people in this era are full of longing and yearning for traveling far away.
Once the opportunity comes, I am very excited.
Before going out, I have been thinking about it for a long time.
After this is over, go somewhere to have fun, go somewhere to buy something, anyway, both public and private matters.
This is probably the earliest prototype of tourism in our country.
But having said that, if you really embark on a journey, you will often start to suffer.
Queue to buy tickets, traffic congestion, huge crowds, and many inconveniences were common conditions at that time.
Watching for a seat, going to the toilet, finding a hotel, going to a restaurant, etc., you will inevitably be annoyed by unfamiliar places.
It can be said that on the road, all day long, there is nothing to worry about from beginning to end.
Many times, a small oversight can cause big trouble for yourself.
Even in cities like Beijing and Jinmen that are not far apart, there is no way to avoid the consequences of traveling between the two places.
This is called "It's good to be at home for a thousand days, but it's difficult to go out for a while."
But after all, this is about the situation of domestic people, and it is completely different for foreign guests.
I stayed in a foreign-related hotel with excellent conditions. When I went out, I either took a plane or a soft sleeper train.
The consumption power is not even a little bit higher than ours.
Especially foreign businessmen like Wang Dadong who are rich and well-established and invited by big leaders are completely different.
Whether traveling or staying, the official will provide special care.
To put it bluntly, even if tickets or housing are limited, no matter how difficult it is to book, priority must be given to him.
So in fact, Mi Xiaoran accompanied Wang Dadong and Zhao Hanyu to do market research this time, but he didn't suffer at all.
Although the schedule was quite urgent, they spent three days in Beijing and four days in Tianjin, running almost non-stop.
Not only did he visit almost all of the busiest business districts in the two cities, but he also took the time to visit the leaders of Tianjin’s business-related departments.
Having good food, good accommodation, and private transportation made Mi Xiaoran feel quite happy and fulfilled.
Even for Mi Xiaoran personally, it has greatly broadened his horizons, increased his knowledge, and gained a lot.
So much so that when she returned, she was completely different from the inside out, including her attitude towards life.
There is no exaggeration in this statement.
Because a person's success is often inseparable from the guidance of famous teachers and the help of noble people.
Many people can only fumble around all their lives. In most cases, it is because when they first enter the society and everything is possible, no one tells them how to make the right choice.
On the other hand, if at this time he could meet someone far beyond his own realm and provide some valuable advice,
then maybe the outcome of his life would be completely different.
Ning Weimin is like this.
If he hadn't had Kang Shude's guidance, I'm afraid he wouldn't have completed primitive accumulation today.
Don’t say that you can’t save much with Monkey Ticket, you can’t even touch the calligraphy and painting worth hundreds of billions.
There is no way to grasp the gift package of time travel given by God, and I can only be left with helplessness, pain and annoyance.
The same is true for Zhang Shihui.
Thanks to meeting Ning Weimin, he was able to get out of the quagmire and embark on the bright road.
Otherwise, let alone become the first to get rich, marry a wife and start a family without regrets.
Maybe if I owe a lot of debt and go to Huacheng to fight to the death, I may not be able to get it back.
Similarly, it must be said that Mi Xiaoran was able to meet Zhao Hanyu first, and then Wang Dadong, and was invited to accompany them on such a trip.
Because even if it only takes a few days, the person who is close to the vermillion will be red and the one who is close to the ink will be black.
This was enough for Mi Xiaoran to be influenced by their words and deeds, and her soul was touched.
This comes from the description and introduction of various aspects of Western society while chatting with Wang Dadong and Zhao Hanyu.
It also comes from the lifestyle and affluence of advanced Western countries that they introduced her to.
It also comes from their meticulous working methods, resolute efficiency, meticulous evaluation methods, and calm and sophisticated communication skills when doing serious things.
All of this was an eye-opener, allowing Mi Xiaoran to see another strange and colorful new world.
And this influence and inspiration is subtle.
Mi Xiaoran was unknowingly impressed by Wang Dadong's humor, cunning and agility, as well as Wen Guang's extensive knowledge and rich life experience.
And because of this, she began to compare it with everything in the country. She couldn't help but feel ashamed of the backward appearance of the Republic, and she couldn't help but feel inferior to her own ignorance in the past.
As a result, more admiration and desire for the modern and powerful Western world naturally grew. Even rethink the direction of your life.
She was a little unwilling to live in a muddle anymore, and she didn't want to go back to the ordinary life in the past.
The most crucial conversation was on the way back to Beijing.
At that time they came to the dining car to eat their dinner.
Since there are only a few soft-seat passengers on this train, most of the tables in the dining car are empty, with only vases and menus on them, which is perfect for chatting.
They ordered a spicy chicken, a marinated prawn, a cold dish and wine.
The food is not much, but three people can eat it and they are already rich.
It was at this time that Wang Dadong raised his glass and called on everyone to drink to the successful conclusion of the investigation.
Then the final decision was announced. He was willing to invest and try to open a Western-style fast food restaurant in China, and the city he chose was Tianjin.
"Jinmen? Why? Why not the capital?"
Mi Xiaoran screamed when she heard it. She felt really strange.
“You said that the dining environment in Beijing is better than that in Tianjin. Tianmen does not have any conditions for making Western food, the quality of bread is not thick, and beef is not easy to buy. There is not even the coffee you drink... ”
Zhao Hanyu was equally puzzled.
"Uncle, the capital is the capital. Have you ignored the significance of this matter? All government orders come from the capital. Only by opening a store in the capital can we cover the whole country. Didn't you always emphasize that doing business must be strategic? Eyesight?"
"Yes, you are right."
Wang Dadong nodded and said calmly. "But catering is a high-risk investment. No one has ever opened a fast food restaurant in the Republic. I must act cautiously and consider everything comprehensively."
After a pause, he explained in more detail.
"The most prominent features of the fast food industry are convenience, economy, and cleanliness. The prosperity of this industry is mainly based on changes in lifestyle. Only when more people eat out and fewer people eat at home will this industry be suitable The social situation in the mainland is generally not good, whether in Beijing or Tianjin. People in the mainland are still used to eating at home in order to save money. Investment. "
"The only saving grace is that young people in the mainland are full of curiosity and eager to improve their leisure taste. I have noticed that imported things are always more popular, even if they are a package. Cigarettes and a piece of imported sugar can also arouse the interest of countless people. So from this perspective, Tianjin's disadvantages have become its advantages."
"The population of the two cities is not much different. There are two Russian-style restaurants, Moscow Restaurant and Xinqiao Restaurant, as well as Chunming Food Store, which can make European-style sausages, Korean-style Yanji Restaurant, and Jingqiao Restaurant with Southeast Asian cuisine, and even Yili Food Factory provides relatively high-quality dishes. Bread. There is only one German restaurant in Tianjin, Shilin. From this point of view, the consumer market for my second fast food restaurant is still relatively large.”
“In addition, the governments of the two places have invested in me. The level of emphasis on this matter is different. After all, the Beijing side is the capital and does not attach much importance to my investment of hundreds of thousands of dollars. However, the commercial department here in Tianjin pays more attention to it and provides greater support. The key to the catering industry is location selection. I think the leaders of Jinmen will try their best to help in this regard. With a suitable location, my fast food restaurant will be half successful.”
Wang Dadong's words did make sense, and Zhao Hanyu basically felt at ease after hearing this.
He found that his uncle was still the shrewd uncle, so he smiled and nodded.
But after all, Mi Xiaoran didn’t know much about the fast food industry. He was half curious, half suspicious and still digging into the details.
"Ah? That's your decision. Don't you think the risk is quite high? Just rely on a good address and novel taste? What if everyone doesn't like it? You are so confident ? Don't be afraid of ten thousand, just be afraid of the worst..."
Unexpectedly, Wang Dadong was made to laugh by her.
"Msimi, thank you for your kind reminder. I didn't expect you to be such a cautious girl. In this case, for your kindness, I will tell you again. In fact, in my opinion, the differences between Eastern and Western cultures and business philosophy This gap is the source of my confidence and certainty in running a successful fast food restaurant.”
“First, the mainland pays attention to century-old restaurants and secret recipes passed down from generation to generation, while the Western world requires rapid changes. Seek innovation and change. Let me give you an example. The best example of a century-old store with secret recipes is dog skin plaster."
"Believe it or not, dog skin plaster is a very popular thing in the United States. It's a very good thing. I use it often. It's very good when I have back pain, but it is a secret recipe passed down from generation to generation and will never be improved."
"Although the medicine is good, it sticks to the meat. It was all black and ugly, and it would have been fatal to remove it. But it would not change. It was like this a hundred years ago, and it is still like this today."
" But if you look at Coca-Cola, its most successful packaging in the early days was its glass bottle packaging. Later, due to the advancement of aluminum cans, it abandoned its most valuable packaging and replaced it with aluminum cans. Now there are still soda machines that sell loose wax paper cups. Soda, it’s all about innovation and change.”
"Let me tell you this, if I want to open a fast food restaurant, not only will the employees be required to serve with a smile, but even the size of the tables and chairs will be the size and color that the customers feel most comfortable with. I will continue to research and introduce the dishes. New products, but only the ones that customers like the most will be retained. Those whose sales volume does not meet the standard will be eliminated by themselves.” If you want to eat, come here. No matter how long the queue is, come here if you like. The Western business philosophy is to make a lot of money. How do you translate it into a chain operation? ”
“This is completely different from the mainland. If I open a store, I can only own it, not you. If you rely solely on yourself, your development will be very slow, and Western chains will limit themselves. I opened this store and I know how to make money, so I let you do it, and everyone will make money in the end. In this way, it will grow quickly through everyone’s efforts.”
“Do you think that with these two general directions, I will still lose? To those restaurants that barely have half of the items on the menu, the waiters never smile, and I wish you wouldn’t come to visit?”
There is no doubt that the answer is yes.
At this time, Mi Xiaoran had suddenly become enlightened and couldn't help but hold his hands and laugh.
“I understand, you want to maximize your utilization and maximize profits. This is actually the most effective way to save costs. It can be said to be small profits but quick turnover in disguise. Well, I think These two items of yours are indeed good. Now I really believe that your plan is fine and the investment will be successful.”
For this reason, Wang Dadong couldn’t help but praise.
"Msimi, I can actually see that you are really talented in business. After getting in touch with you in the past few days, I have to say that you are the most outstanding business person I have ever seen in the mainland. Girl. You are not only very beautiful, but also very smart. I think it is necessary to suggest that you go abroad..."
After saying this, Mi Xiaoran He was very surprised, as if he heard some nonsense.
"Ah? What? Your suggestion is to let me go abroad?"
"Why not? Wouldn't it be good to learn more useful knowledge while you are young?"
"I...I will go abroad. Can you study? "
"Of course, you can go to college. I know that the study environment in the mainland is not good, and there are very few people who can go to college. But it is completely different in foreign countries. Go out and see, your future will be very promising, which is much better than burying your talents at home."
"You are just kidding, going abroad is not that easy for me..."
"But it's not that complicated. Your foreign language foundation is very good. Now that the Mainland has the TOEFL test, you should try it. The language barrier is not difficult for you. And if you are willing, I can be your guarantor. And funding part of your tuition is a reward for saving Danny. The key is, what do you think? Are you willing to re-recognize yourself, accept challenges, and work hard to explore your potential..."
Mi Xiaoran was really stunned now and could hardly say a word anymore.
And Zhao Hanyu turned his attention to her, with that expression on his face, he really hoped that she would agree immediately.
(End of this chapter)