Chapter 7

What was the biggest supermarket discount you had ever seen?

5% off for all orders? Buy over 50 and got 5 dollars back, with a maximum of 15 dollars?

Now, the marketing department employees of L were discussing this question: how much promotion did they need to use to counter the opening of Y?

Y always offered discounts of 95-98% for every opening, "said a supervisor." This time it should be no different."

Another manager said, "However, we have to admit that Y's shopping environment and service quality are better than ours. Our store has been open for seven or eight years, and they are a new store with good decoration. Moreover, the quality of the salespeople is well maintained."

"Recently, we need to focus on the display and cleaning of the store, as well as the quality of the sales staff."someone echoed.

"They do promotions, and we do promotions too. "someone said." The customers around us are used to buying from us, and I don't believe they can snatch away all the customers."

...

Everyone was discussing in a flurry, and Summer Mu carefully and quickly recorded it. Previously, she looked up from bottom to top, but now that she was among them, she realized that officials like L were quite pragmatic and experienced. Not long after, many practical and feasible measures were discussed: strengthening the cleanliness and aesthetic requirements of supermarkets, providing high-intensity professional training for salespersons, and recently focusing on the quality of fresh products. Some products that were usually turned a blind eye would not be allowed to be launched from tomorrow onwards.

She occasionally looked up and saw Meng listening quietly. If he had any opinions, he would make a decision on the spot; There were still some, but he remained noncommittal or directly questions the pros and cons. His opinions were always concise and clear, and he fully took into account the dignity of his subordinates, and everyone was convinced.

Finally, the marketing manager said, "Mr. Meng, I think we can offer a 5% discount and do it during the opening week of Y. Our daily turnover is about 2 million dollars, and we need to invest more than 1 million dollars for a week, which should be enough?"

Meng pondered for a moment and agreed.

Ultimately, in any market, defending was easier than attacking. The same discount, the same thing, customers were naturally willing to go to the one they were used to. That's why so many people and companies were striving to become the first in a certain field. This was called preemptive strike.

——

Summer Mu's home was not far from the supermarket, but it was located in a village within the city.

In the evening, she got off the bus and walked on a bumpy dirt road, covering her mouth with her hands to avoid eating too much dust. After passing through several demolished ruins, she arrived at a dilapidated and old cylindrical building.

Many people had moved out here, leaving most of the buildings empty. Some people kept it, such as Summer Mu.

Home was on the sixth floor of the top floor. She walked briskly up the stairs, opened the door, threw away her backpack, and collapsed directly on the sofa.

"Ah... "She let out a long, happy and sad sigh.

After a while, she got up and looked at the mottled white wall, where the portraits of her parents were arranged. The sky had turned dark and the room was dim. She stared at them and started talking to herself, "Mom, I'm amazing. Today, Mr. Meng gave me a commission as an assistant in the marketing department. From now on, I will be a formal office worker, not a salesperson."