After filling in the relevant information on the application form, I handed it to Bai Lu and asked, "What aspects will the expert group focus on evaluating? We need to prepare in advance."
"The most important thing is to assess the guesthouse's sewage treatment capacity, followed by service quality, and the hotel's hardware and software facilities. In short, we will examine all the small details that can improve Dali's tourism image and reputation. So the better we can make the guests' stay experience, the greater our chances of success will be."
"Let's take it one step at a time. First, let's find a way to buy sewage treatment equipment."
Bai Lu nodded and replied, "Yes, leave this to me. Recently, many factories that manufacture wastewater treatment equipment have contacted our bureau, hoping to cooperate with us and supply their equipment to these inns that need renovation. If I go and talk to them, I should be able to get a significant discount."
Tie Nan sighed, "It's so convenient to have someone in our team who can talk to outsiders! ... Bai Lu, to be honest with you, if you don't want to come and work with us, I'm planning to transfer this inn again after I take it over, and just make a profit on the difference."
"You're so clever, aren't you!"
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"I'm definitely not trying to belittle you. To succeed in business, especially in the guesthouse business in Dali, you really need to be shrewd."
Tie Nan smiled but didn't say anything more. I didn't dislike his shrewdness, because the team did need someone as well-rounded as him to guide the inn's future development. I just felt that Tie Nan's impression of me had changed slightly since we first met. Behind his seemingly muddled demeanor lay a keen eye for market changes. However, upon closer reflection, this made perfect sense. If he were truly muddled, how could he have continued to connect to the water and electricity from the neighboring farmers' houses after the inn was forced to close, and then taken in independent travelers like myself?
Therefore, he has a desire to make money.
Looking at Coach Ma, my impression of him remains the same: he doesn't like to express his opinions and is content with the status quo, as if he can get by no matter what kind of life he chooses. I think the team needs someone like him to stabilize morale in times of crisis.
...
After chatting for a while, Bai Lu made us desserts and passion fruit tea to fill our stomachs. While sharing these with us, she added, "By the way, I suggest we hire a receptionist first. If the inn can really reopen in November, it will be very busy. If we hire her now, I can send her to a friend's five-star hotel for training. Then we won't be in such a rush, and the service level will be up to par."
I asked, "Are you sure you'll be very busy right after opening? Won't there be a transition period?"
Coach Ma, who doesn't usually express opinions, spoke up for Bai Lu at this moment, saying, "If it's still deserted after reopening, why would everyone be scrambling for these 30 spots? Let me tell you, half of the tourists come specifically to stay at the seaside guesthouses in Dali! This year, due to the closure of these guesthouses, the overall tourist flow in Dali has dropped by a third. Do the math yourself—that's terrifying! By November, only thirty seaside guesthouses will be open. You'd probably need a hundred rooms to accommodate all the tourists!"
I nodded, feeling shocked.
Tie Nan also chimed in, "I also think we should hire a receptionist now, but she must have a good image and a pleasant demeanor. When the so-called expert team comes to evaluate us, it will give us a better first impression. After all, the receptionist is the first point of contact for people to understand the guesthouse, and labor costs are not high in Dali. If we provide her with room and board, a monthly salary of 1,500 yuan would be enough."
I haven't completely shaken off big-city thinking, so it seems unbelievable. If this were in Shanghai, a hotel where a room can sell for 500 yuan or more would need a receptionist with a basic salary of at least 4,000 yuan, plus commission.
This explains why so many people are willing to open guesthouses in Dali, as room rates are high while labor costs are low. However, the booming tourism market in recent years has driven up property prices, so early investors have made a fortune. It seems Dali is not just a place for artistic pursuits, but also a place where some people have truly found a new lease on life after giving up big-city living.
At this moment, Bai Lu said, "Also, we need a waiter for the small bar we set up in the public area on the first floor. I think we should hire one as well."
I smiled and replied, "I have no objection, but where should we post this job ad?"
“Go follow the ‘Love Dali’ community on Douban. There are lots of posts about secondhand sales, house rentals, and job postings. You can take this opportunity to learn more about Dali…” After a slight pause, Bai Lu laughed loudly again, “It’s quite interesting to watch the people arguing in there!”
“There are still people arguing? Shouldn’t Dali be a place of harmony?”
"Haha...where there are people, there is a world of conflict; where there is conflict, there is infighting!"
Coach Ma continued Bai Lu's words and said to me, "Do you think that once a person arrives in Dali, they can skip even defecating and farting? ... We are all just ordinary people, not as noble as you think. Some people here are even more idiotic than people in other places."
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