The social phobia substitute will not dream of the band girl

Hirashin spoke softly, but everyone in the room could hear him clearly, even the elderly with less sensitive hearing. He clapped his hands, and Hayase Yuuka, who had been waiting in the back, emerged with her laptop and stood obediently beside him, earning cryptic glances and smiles from the onlookers.

After using the projector, the computer screen was displayed on the white wall of Hayase Shokudo, along with the 2.0-character title "Shopping Street Revitalization Plan 10".

Now, the Pingxin Business Classroom is about to start!

"To solve the problem we must come up with appropriate methods and take action, but before that we must first understand what the problem is and the root cause of the problem—"

"Isn't it just that the shopping street over there has taken away all the customers?"

"Yeah yeah!"

"Save the world!"

After one person answered the question quickly, others also echoed it. Even though the "classroom order" was so chaotic, Ping Xin's face did not show impatience, because this behavior of letting them speak actively to assist in thinking was of course within his "classroom plan".

"Well... everyone is right, it is true that the shopping street has taken away popularity, but the loss of popularity is not only due to the prosperity of the shopping street next door, but also due to our own problems. Yuuka--" After Hirashin spoke, Hayase Yuuka immediately played the PPT and entered the following content.

“Before we figure out why our guests leave, we must first understand who our guests are, what they need, why they come here, and why they leave and choose other places.”

Pingxin's words were persuasive and instructive. If it were just an ordinary young man talking, even if the words were eloquent, these "remnants of the old times" would just listen in one ear and out the other. At this time, the benefit of building a good relationship with Pingxin was initially reflected. Regardless of whether they really used their brains or not, at least no one was slacking off or making trouble, and everyone was listening.

"Hayase Restaurant is busiest during lunch and dinner, and most of them are office workers."

"In our family, most of them are full-time housewives..."

"So is our family."

"Everyone's right," Hirashin agreed, then signaled with his eyes for Yuuka to continue playing. He continued, "Aside from Hayase Shokudo, where we're currently, the rest of the food and beverage business on the shopping street is basically ramen shops (noodle shops specializing in ramen and udon), izakayas (mainly serving beer, yakitori, and other common dishes), and cafes. They mostly attract office workers on their lunch break or after get off work, mostly adult men, and the remaining small portion is basically students passing by."

The projection showed some photos of the aforementioned locations during business hours. As Hiraishin had mentioned, they primarily featured adult men in white shirts, suits, and other workwear. As for the fact that they had no recollection of anyone taking photos, and whether or not this was candid photography, let's just ignore it for now!

"On the other hand, the other major customer group on the shopping street is also the most important group. They are the wives of office workers and housewives mentioned earlier. They are also the most important customer group in my plan."

"the most important?"

"But the ladies don't seem to spend as much on groceries as the people who come to eat here."

In addition to some of the veterans who really make the decisions in the shopping street, there are also some younger people here listening. As for the obvious answers they mentioned, Ping Xin certainly knows them, but in order to completely grasp the initiative, he must first stimulate their own thinking, and then use deeper, stronger, and more comprehensive thinking to cover it up.

"That's true... This involves the second and third questions I just mentioned, what do they need--" This time, Yuuka didn't need Pingxin to remind her and the video was played backwards. Their tacit understanding increased. Pingxin responded with a smile, but Yuuka dodged with a blushing face, making it hard to tell whether he was winning or losing.

What do office workers need? They want a place to eat a full lunch without waiting in line during lunch break, and a place to relax and unwind after get off work by eating and drinking with colleagues.

What about housewives? Their needs are more diverse and complex, but whether they're buying fish, meat, or vegetables, the vast majority of them come here to buy ingredients for their meals and lunchboxes... Do you all agree with this?

The older students in the audience exchanged glances before responding affirmatively. Providing necessary interactions is part of classroom communication, and this tactic can also be useful in business meetings.

"Then the third question is, why did they choose this place... Some might say sentiment, merchandise, or something like that, but those aren't the main reasons. The most important reason is..."

"Yes?"

"Yes—close!"

"close?"

Surprised, confused, and unbelievable, they always thought that it was their own products and services that kept people here, but they didn’t expect the reason to be... proximity?

"When the product and price...that is, the return and investment are similar, people tend to choose the simpler and more convenient option, that is, the store closer to them. Sometimes people get tired of food and want a change, but if you ask them why they keep coming here, it's because it's convenient! Because it's close!

Lunch breaks are already tight, and housework is already overwhelming. Who wants to ride two extra stops or walk two extra blocks to buy something?

The truth is always simple. Sometimes the answer is just that simple. It's not hard to imagine. If you can buy the same product at the store downstairs, and it tastes just as good, who would run to the convenience store two blocks away if there's no promotion? And you have to pay extra for the bag!

"Now that we know why they choose this place, we should talk about why they stop coming here. Of course, there are reasons why other places have taken away their popularity, but the bottom line is that our place isn't convenient enough.

What does 'convenience' mean to our main customer groups, 'office workers' and 'housewives'? It means saving time, effort and money, so the improvements we need to make must take these three aspects into consideration!

Heishin's sudden outburst startled the students. They hadn't expected his previously affable demeanor to be so... passionate. He was always like this when he was fully committed to something, pouring all his energy and enthusiasm into it, as if responding to "the boss's question."

Hayase Yuuka was also infected by Hira Nobu's enthusiasm. She felt obliged to revive the glory of the shopping street, so she also worked harder to play the PPT.

A...map?

"This is a map of the shopping street that was drawn by a specialist, then finalized by me after discussion. It's the expanded map. Now that we know the answers to the three questions of 'who are the customers?' 'what do the customers need?' and 'why do they come here?' We'll make targeted changes... just like we did with the shopping street over there. Now you can take a closer look, but be careful not to block the projector."

After Ping Xin finished speaking, he gave up his seat. Led by several veterans of the shopping street, the members of the shopping street who came to attend the briefing gathered together to look for the location of their own shops on the map. As a result, many people found that the location of their shops had changed. Many people's shops were included in an area called "Fresh Food Market".

"Brother Pingxin, what's going on? Why did our store move?"

"Yeah, yeah, mine too."

"Don't worry, let me explain everything one by one." After the onlookers returned to their seats, Yuxiang continued to play the PPT. "Actually, our main enemy is not the shopping street over there, but other vegetable markets and supermarkets with similar customer bases as us. This is why we need to make changes and continue to compete in the future-"

"Not...that street?"

"Are there other food markets and...supermarkets?"

"For our core customer base of office workers, we primarily offer menu items. They tend to be both regular and mobile, and our menu... honestly, can't compete with those of large chains and specialty restaurants. So, what we need to do is retain this customer base. Besides the usual improvements to menu quality and price adjustments, I've come up with a new idea."

Pingxin showed a confident smile, and kept the secret at the critical moment. He just didn't tell the story, very naughty.

Are you anxious? It's good to be anxious. Being anxious means you care. So let me start now -

"We will give them consumption vouchers."

Ah, that's it? Sir, isn't this almost like a discount?

The people below were confused. If Pingxin hadn't laid the groundwork for so long and explained it so clearly, he would probably be fed with rotten tomatoes and rotten eggs right now.

He kept the question a secret, yet also displayed a wave of confidence. After fully "mobilizing" his enthusiasm, Ping Xin finally continued, saying, "It's just that this time, our coupons aren't for the restaurant itself, but for... the fresh food market."

But...isn’t this still a consumption voucher?

Can such a "change of home" operation make the shopping street great again?

Chapter 36 Foundations and Features

"As mentioned before, the primary customer base for this plan is women (housewives), so these coupons are naturally intended for them. Some might find it strange that coupons given to men (working men) after dining at a restaurant would be given to women (housewives), but if you think about it carefully, it's actually quite simple, isn't it?"

Indeed, the situation in East China is different from that in Yan. Many families are not dual-income families (two working people), but rather the husband works outside the home and the wife does the housework, with one being the breadwinner and the other the homemaker. The husband can't use the coupons he gets for meals during the day at work, so he gives them to his wife, who is responsible for shopping and cooking.

"Life pressure in a family where only the husband works is usually greater than in a dual-income family. In such an environment, many housewives spend their days calculating their budgets, thinking about how to use their money and effort to buy the most and best products.

The husband simply ate a meal like any other and then received a coupon. His wife, with the coupon, then shopped with us, saving money and feeling better. Ultimately, everyone wins. They have a happy family and we earn money. It's a pure win-win situation."

The husband can make his wife happy by getting consumption coupons for ordinary meals, and the wife will be happy when she gets the "gift". In addition, in order to save money, she will treat her husband with a better attitude. In the end, both of them are happy and save money, and the income of the shopping street can also be increased. It is a perfect plan.

"So that's how it is. You're indeed a top student!"

"Yeah, yeah, he's just much smarter than us old guys!"

Ping Xin's words were simple and easy to understand, even they understood. The idea was to use the coupons her husbands had earned for free to attract more housewives to the restaurant. Housewives who could buy food at a better price would prioritize shopping there and encourage their husbands to dine there more often. This not only boosted housewives' spending but also retained the male office workers who frequented the restaurant, killing two birds with one stone.

"This is just a preliminary idea. Let me tell you the details one by one." Pingxin clapped his hands, and the excited communication just now stopped abruptly. After the explanation just now, they have seen Pingxin's intentions and truly felt the existence of hope.

"My goal is not just to revive the shopping street, but to make it better than before and maintain a virtuous cycle in the future. To achieve this goal, we need to focus on the 'foundation' and 'characteristics'."

"Base..."

“And features?”

The people below were still confused, but this time they didn't whisper to each other. They already trusted Ping Xin's wisdom and knew he was about to explain. Thus, without anyone noticing, Ping Xin had taken over all the initiative. Now it was difficult for them to oppose Ping Xin's proposals, because human inertia was like that.

"Let's start with the unique characteristics. A unique characteristic is the change we make to compete with similar businesses after identifying our customer base and business positioning. It's something unique that others don't have. The foundation is even simpler: something everyone has... The focus of our changes this time is, of course, the largest element in the 'blueprint' I just presented: the fresh produce market. And the core concept is 'convenience.'"

There was no further response, the people below were just waiting eagerly for Ping Xin to reveal the answer.

"The concept of a fresh produce market is simple and straightforward, and everyone must be familiar with it. So what are our characteristics and where should our foundation be? It's simple: a wide variety of goods at low prices.

I have the same products you have, and they are of better quality and cheaper. I also have products you don’t have, and they are diverse and absolutely authentic.”

"Ohhh! I see... So how do we do that?"

"I plan to bring all the vegetable, fish, meat, and fruit vendors together, just like a department store or supermarket. This will make it easier for us to manage them all and for customers to choose from. We'll continue to do what we do now, but the prices and products will be lower and better. As I said before, we'll implement the concept of 'convenience'... Don't worry, I certainly don't mean for anyone to operate at a loss. Please listen to me."

Ping Xin interrupted just as the others were about to make a move, then continued, "Many housewives are culinary enthusiasts or adapt their cooking to suit their families' tastes. We need to grasp this key point and develop our own 'specialties.' For example, tamarind (tamarind), a common seasoning in Thai cuisine; longan (a relative of the lychee, with a soft, earthy-yellow skin and translucent flesh), a rare fruit in Eastern Japan; chicken feet, which we rarely eat despite eating chicken; Tomakomai's specialty, the blue indigo fruit Hokkien clams; spices from India, and so on..."

From Yan Country, South Korea, Thailand, India, Victoria... not counting these, there are many other countries' specialty ingredients that will be provided in rotation according to market demand. Even if you are not a cooking enthusiast, you will feel the joy of treasure hunting, right? "

I have to say that Ping Xin’s words make sense, and compared to women who actually cook, men are more likely to buy strange ingredients on impulse!

"The fundamentals... from the production, packaging, and transportation of ingredients to the actual display, pricing, and service during sales—it all relies on this—" Yuka switched the slideshow at the right moment. Pingxin pointed to the image on the wall and said, "This is the large enterprise that made you trust me and gave you the most basic confidence: Hengxin Group."

Just like the e-commerce platform JD.com, Pingxin has also developed its own logistics chain in the East, even covering a complete chain from production, transportation, to final sales. With such advantages, it is confident that it can defeat all competitors with product quality and price. This is just one part of the application.

Using personal matters to solve big issues is Pingxin's style, just like the "convenience" mentioned earlier.

"In addition to the construction of fresh food markets, our catering industry also needs to change -

In addition to fully upgrading our existing stores, we also need to introduce popular outlets like milk tea shops. Even though our primary customer base is office workers and housewives, there are women among office workers, and women generally prefer desserts more than men. Whether it's housework, a break after shopping, or a family outing with children, we must have these complementary businesses that don't conflict with our regular catering and fresh food markets.

There is also the student group that has been neglected before. Although the shopping street over there is closer to several schools, there are always students passing by here on their way to and from school or coming here with their parents, and the timing is just right to fill the window period between peak hours.

Even single customers shouldn't be discouraged. It doesn't matter if they can't or don't like cooking. The market also offers pre-processed ingredients, frozen foods, and semi-prepared bento boxes.

Besides that we…”

Hayase Yuuka was a little fascinated by watching Hirayobu concentrate on his speech. If his every move affected the emotions and thoughts of the people in the audience, it also touched her heart.

Handsome men may not be liked, and the same goes for smart men, but women will always be happy that someone is paying for them.

What about Ping Xin, who is handsome, smart, rich, and willing to selflessly give for her?

Chapter 37: My sister’s friend Kurosaki Koyuki?

There were some details that people in the shopping street didn't need to know, so Ping Xin wouldn't tell them. In short, after a simple and easy-to-understand explanation and the final motivational speech, they were full of confidence. Now, even if someone came to the department store, they would probably be beaten down.

"President... Is Ping Xin going back already?"

"Well, I'll leave the subsequent coordination and explanation to you. If there are any problems with the construction company or the shopping street, you will be the one to resolve them."

“I, me!?”

Originally, out of some unknown reason, she'd wanted to keep Ping Xin, but instead, she'd taken on a huge burden, a formidable task. Even without the specific figures, Hayase Yuuka, with her natural sensitivity to these things and her access to documents, could already tell that the manpower and resources invested in the shopping district were worth billions...

"Yes... All I can do is pave the way for everyone. But whether you decide to do it, how you do it, and what you achieve ultimately depends on each of you. All I can do is provide an opportunity and a path."

"But--!"

"And... I believe in you, Yuuka. And this situation where 'I can't do it without you' and 'only you can do it' will become the best whetstone. From now on, you will definitely become better and better..."

Ping Xin patted her shoulder and walked out of the store. It was almost noon and the sunlight was a bit dazzling. As expected, the soft and cold indoor light was more suitable for him. However, there were some things that only he wanted to do and could do.

If he had the chance, he would also like to be a mama's boy or a second-generation rich man, living a life of idleness and waiting for death, and then make a living by live streaming or doing some other job that can bring him happiness. What a pity...

"Unfortunately, not everyone has a choice at any time... and this is all the help I can offer—" Ping Xin combined his breath-holding technique with the power of ripples. He arrived with such swagger, yet departed in complete silence. He patted Ao Yuqiang on the shoulder, and the sight of no one back startled the burly man. Ping Xin then left with a triumphant smile.

"Come to think of it, I forgot to ask Yuuka if she has any candidates for secretary—"

But with Asuna's "guidance"... there shouldn't be any problem, right?

......

...

..

He works hard during the day and does nothing at night. When Pingxin gets home, he basically plays video games with Meiganilelu, a very intense video game.

"Ola Ola, watch out!"

"I won't die so easily...ah."

"Great! Wuhu~~~~!" Because of BoRipple's empathy and being infected by Pingxin's language system, several people now have more or less picked up Pingxin's speaking habits, just like some weird Internet "essence".

"If you lose, Ping Xin, won't it be my turn next?! I want to play too! Let's play together!!!"

"Hmm... Nello, what do you think?"

"Hehe... Then let's all play this together. This can support up to 10 people playing together."

Oh, after taking a closer look, it turned out that the game that Nilu took out was produced by a subsidiary of Hengxin Group. It was a party game made by referring to the rules of 10 Paradise and combining the popular characters of its IP. Moreover, with the use of a special external sub-machine, it can achieve the goal of people playing together.

"Use this to chop off Senpai's head..."

Wow, what kind of expert is this time?

Ping Xin knew it clearly before he turned around, because the person who came had already pressed her body against him from behind, just like the little black cat sheriff before, sticking her head out from over his shoulder... Yes, the person who came was his sister Asuka Matoki, who had not had a role for a while, and... a friend he had never met before and who was a little noisy.