Chapter 641 Pingyao
Liang Lu gently pulled the corner of his clothes and said, "It's good to let the children hear it. This company will also be related to them in the future." Qi Tongwei reluctantly acquiesced. Dawei approached the account book with a sharp look and said, "Dad, why is the marketing fee so high last month? The effect of the event is not good. Is there something fishy?" Qi Tongwei quickly flipped through the documents and found loopholes in the promotion contract. The partner falsely reported expenses and funds were leaked like an undercurrent.
Xiaowei was also busy, pointing to the inventory report: "Dad, the food inventory is overstocked and deteriorating, and the kitchen order and procurement are not well connected, so the accounts on both ends are confused!" The tender voice of the child touched Qi Tongwei's heart. He thought that there was indeed something wrong with the supply chain connection, and the confusion at the source caused the cost to get out of control. The past negligence was exposed under the child's questioning, and the hidden disease that was thought to be hidden was easily exposed by the innocent eyes.
The father and son sat together and reorganized their thoughts. Dawei suggested: "Dad, our school has a business club that knows about new media marketing. I will gather my classmates to form a volunteer team to do online promotion for the company. The cost is low and the effect may be good." Qi Tongwei hesitated, but was moved by his enthusiasm and acquiesced to the trial; Xiaowei patted his chest and said: "I will help to keep an eye on the kitchen inventory. I will take inventory every day after school and record it on the electronic table. It is clear and understandable!" Looking at the two sincere faces, Qi Tongwei's eyes were red. He used to protect his children, but now he relies on his children to support the crisis. Fate is a trick, but there is also a glimmer of hope.
Under the shadow of crisis, the whole family mobilized. Liang Lu put aside her pride as a rich wife and went to the market to negotiate with the vendors, using soft and hard tactics to regain some price advantages with her gentleness and tenacity; Qi Tongwei rushed to the bank to ask for a loan extension, and negotiated with creditors to postpone the deadline, shamelessly and smiling, just to fight for a chance to catch his breath; Dawei's team came up with many creative ideas, live-streaming food on social platforms, and the two brothers took the stage, with their childish commentary and delicious food, attracting countless fans and increasing orders; Xiaowei stayed in the kitchen, shouting clearly, directing the flow of ingredients, and sorting out the chaotic inventory.
However, the market was not over yet. Competitors took advantage of the situation and poached the chef, and the signature dishes were in danger of being leaked. Rumors were rife that the company's food hygiene was worrying, diners were panicking, and customer flow plummeted. Qi Tongwei stood in the empty store, as if he was in an ice cellar, full of despair, but he saw that his child had not given up. Dawei stayed up late to edit a rumor-refuting video, and Xiaowei took the neighbors to explain door to door. At that moment, he understood that even if the will of heaven is unpredictable, people can still change their fate.
After learning from the painful experience, Qi Tongwei made a desperate move. He hired a new team of chefs with high salaries, developed new dishes that were kept secret, and studied them behind closed doors for more than a month. The "Secret Fresh Extract Series" was launched with innovative mix of ingredients and unique taste. He paid a lot of money to invite a third-party quality inspection agency to move in, live-broadcast the entire process of testing, and hung the hygiene report at the door of the store, dispelling rumors. He also deeply tied up with the agricultural base, invested in a joint venture, and ensured that the ingredients were exclusive, high-quality and low-priced, and the supply chain counterattack became an advantage.
After the cold winter, spring buds quietly sprouted. The financial statements turned from deficit to profit, and the rising figures seemed like new hope; the store traffic picked up, and new and old customers came in droves, and praises replaced doubts; at the company's conference table, there were more people reporting marketing creativity and Xiaowei talking about inventory optimization, and the immaturity and professionalism were integrated, and the company culture was injected with fresh blood. It is no longer just a business engine, but a melting pot of family beliefs. After being tempered by the fierce fire, it is indestructible and sails to the other side of rebirth. The past difficulties have all become medals, shining on the way, illuminating the endless journey, and the future picture is unfolding again, waiting to continue the legend, fearless of wind and frost.
Liang Lu rolled up her sleeves and plunged into the kitchen. Her hands, which had been well-maintained in the past, now wielded the spatula skillfully. The smoke was lingering, and the aroma of food was lingering. She carefully stewed the old-fashioned soup that Qi Tongwei loved to drink, and the ingredients released their mellow flavor under slow cooking; she carefully baked the snacks that the children were greedy for, with crispy crusts wrapped in sweet fillings, and she devoted her wholehearted care to each dish. At the dinner table, the family sat around, and the steaming food dispelled the cold outside and warmed each other's hearts. Qi Tongwei tasted the familiar taste, and his heart was bitter. He knew that this was Liang Lu's silent support. The past conflicts faded in this warm moment, leaving only the tacit understanding of working together to overcome difficulties.
But the market is treacherous and the situation is changing again. A new catering trend is coming, "molecular cuisine" and "vegetarian aesthetics" are sweeping the taste buds of diners. Qi Tongwei's restaurant dishes are outdated and customer flow is declining again. In the Internet age, public opinion is like a knife, and food bloggers are strict in their comments. A negative comment can instantly set off a storm of public opinion, "the dishes lack novelty" and "the environment can't keep up with the trend". Voices such as these are rampant, making it difficult for restaurants to raise their heads.
Qi Tongwei frowned, but Liang Lu looked determined: "We can't just sit there and wait for death. Diners want new ideas, so we give them!" She took Qi Tongwei to visit small food shops in the streets to seek inspiration; she read fashion home magazines to plan the soft decoration innovation of the restaurant; she even signed up for a creative cooking workshop to learn the aesthetics of plating and new combinations of ingredients, and took dense notes. After returning, the whole family brainstormed, Dawei combined the hot Internet memes to come up with marketing tricks, Xiaowei proposed efficiency ideas from the food supply chain, Qi Tongwei integrated ideas, Liang Lu put them in place, and the kitchen became an innovation workshop.
During the critical period of new product development, the chef encountered another accident. The core members of the new chef team were tempted by the high salary of the rival and wanted to change jobs and take away the unpublished recipes, which were the lifeblood of the restaurant. Qi Tongwei was furious, but Liang Lu responded calmly. She met with the chef alone, without blaming him, but only talked about the difficult past of the restaurant and the hard work of everyone. Recalling the hard work of research and development day and night, the chef was finally touched and left with guilt. A crisis quietly disappeared, the team cohesion became stronger, and everyone vowed to protect the results.
In order to rebuild the reputation, Liang Lu became the image ambassador of the restaurant, going in and out of social events, inviting celebrities to taste the dishes, and winning their favor with her elegant demeanor and the charm of the dishes; she also mingled with the food circle and held private tastings, which captured the taste buds of big names from all walks of life, and won the praises. The restaurant's reputation has been revived through word of mouth. Qi Tongwei followed the pace and accelerated the cooperation with the agricultural research base, introducing space vegetables and genetically modified ingredients, which are novel and nutritious. The "interstellar agricultural trade style" dishes have become the signature, attracting countless attention.
The renovation upgrade started simultaneously, with Liang Lu leading the style design. The old decorations were removed and replaced with intelligent dimming glass walls, which let in soft sunlight; artistic green plant walls were added, which were full of vitality; holographic projection rooms were set up, and dining was like traveling in a fantasy world, and diners felt like they were stepping into a food wonderland. The opening ceremony was held with a red carpet, celebrities on the stage, new products shining, and media attention. The restaurant made a gorgeous turn, orders came in like snowflakes, and the turnover soared to a record high, becoming a dark horse counterattack model in the catering industry.
However, Liang Lu did not stop. She initiated a "Food Charity Plan", regularly delivering meals to the elderly and widowed people in the community, and organizing disabled people to learn cooking and become independent. She joined forces with environmental protection organizations to promote the "Zero Waste Food Action", cleverly using leftover ingredients to create creative delicacies. The restaurant took on social responsibility, its image was elevated, and it gained respect from all walks of life. Diners gathered because of love, and their loyalty was off the charts.