There is an old Chinese saying: "To err is human, to forgive divine."
The first workday after the holiday.
Song Yunxi straightened her skirt in the office, picked up all the documents she needed, took a deep breath to compose herself, and then turned and left, taking the elevator to the conference room on the tenth floor.
Today marks another day of her monthly verbal battle with the crowd.
Her first proposal at the executive meeting was to purchase a private jet black card membership program.
As expected, the shareholders raised the same questions that Jiang Hailang had mentioned before. Since they had rehearsed the previous time, Song Yunxi answered each question even more perfectly than before, and the project plan became even more impeccable after several revisions.
President Jiang asked, "Buying an airplane is a considerable expense. How can President Song guarantee that we can recoup the costs?"
Song Yunxi said, "Although airplanes are expensive, they are not consumables. Once you buy one, you can use it for a long time. After that, you only need to pay for maintenance, insurance, and other expenses every year."
The fees we charge members for providing access to the aircraft are fully cover our costs. If we have thirty members purchasing a Black Card in the first year, and ten members renewing their Black Cards each year thereafter, we can recoup our costs.
Another shareholder, surnamed Chen, grasped the key point: "Is the purpose of investment simply to recoup costs?"
"Of course not. After we recoup our costs in the first year, we will sell a fixed number of thirty black cards every year thereafter. If selling ten cards in subsequent years can cover the costs of aircraft maintenance and other expenses, then the remaining twenty cards will be profit."
Furthermore, from a marketing perspective, a new initiative is considered highly successful if it achieves more than two marketing effects.
Even if the General Aviation Black Card only breaks even in the first year and does not make a profit, it can still bring more positive publicity to Platinum Hotels, generating more topics and discussions in society, which is what we usually call the "internet celebrity effect".
This will also attract customers who seek high-end social circles, helping to elevate Platinum Hotels to the forefront of five-star hotels in China.
Mr. Chen then asked, "How can we be sure that thirty members will make a purchase in the first year? What solutions are there if we buy the plane but no one is willing to buy a black card membership?"
“That’s an excellent question.” Song Yunxi nodded in approval.
As long as the other party is willing to ask questions, no matter how pointed they are, it shows that they are willing to talk, which is much better than direct opposition without any reason.
She said, "After communicating with the sales team, we formulated the most conservative plan for the first year: we will first announce the general aviation black card membership program to the public, and ask everyone to pay to purchase a spot within one month. Once we reach the purchase target of thirty people, we will stop selling black cards and immediately order aircraft."
If the number of participants does not reach thirty within a month, refunds will be issued to paid members, the General Aviation Black Card program will be cancelled, and some hotel benefits will be given to the refunded members as compensation.
President Jiang turned and looked around the conference room. "The sales team? President Lang also agrees to this plan?"
It's rather strange that Jiang Hailang wasn't seen at today's executive meeting. Jiang Hailang, like Mu Chen, is an extremely dedicated person, working almost year-round without a break.
Although President Jiang had always opposed Mu Chen, he had still seen what Mu Chen had done. If it weren't for the fact that Mu Chen was trying to gain more benefits for himself at the Platinum Hotel, he might have been able to acknowledge Mu Chen's ability and courage.
Song Yunxi said, "Yes. And President Lang also said that as long as the Black Card project is approved at the executive meeting, he can sell it in full as required."
As soon as Song Yunxi finished speaking, the shareholders turned to each other and whispered among themselves.
Mu Chen then added, "If anyone still has doubts about this plan, I can guarantee in my personal capacity that if the Black Card plan does not achieve the expected returns, I will personally fund the purchase of this aircraft."
Everyone stopped talking, and the conference room fell silent instantly.
Then, President Jiang was the first to express his opinion: "I agree to the black card plan."
Song Yunxi immediately stood up and bowed deeply to President Jiang: "Thank you for your support, President Jiang."
This was the first time in the few months she had been at the Platinum Hotel that President Jiang had so readily agreed to her plan. Of course, the previous rule against employees dating was an exception.
With Mu Chen's guarantee and President Jiang taking the lead, the other shareholders who were still hesitant also expressed their agreement to the Black Card Plan.
Song Yunxi seized the opportunity to make a second proposal: "I propose to abolish the rule that employees cannot date each other."
President Jiang sneered, "If I remember correctly, this rule was proposed by President Song himself. And now, just a few months later, President Song is going to contradict himself?"
If Song Yunxi's analysis is correct, President Jiang must be cursing her in his heart right now for going back on her word and pushing her luck...
She maintained her usual smile and said, "President Jiang is not mistaken, I did propose this rule. But there is an old Chinese saying: 'To err is human, to forgive divine.' Now that we know this rule is incorrect, it is best to correct it in time."
"How does Mr. Song know that this regulation is incorrect? I haven't seen this regulation affect the hotel's daily operations."
Song Yunxi raised her hand and gestured to Fu Meilin beside her, inviting her to speak: "This still needs to be explained with facts and data. I specially invited Director Fu from the Human Resources Department to explain it to everyone today."
The executive meeting is for directors and above, and Fu Meilin, as a vice president, is not of a high enough rank. Everyone was initially surprised to see her in the meeting room today; it turns out she was a savior brought in by Song Yunxi.
However, people are still puzzled. Rumors have it that Fu Meilin and Song Yunxi have always been at odds, so why would she come to speak up for her?
Ignoring the doubts of others, Fu Meilin read out the data she had prepared: "According to statistics from the Human Resources Department, since the implementation of the rule prohibiting employees from dating, the hotel's employee turnover rate has increased by 17% compared to previous periods. Furthermore, in exit interviews, 52% of employees indicated that they were leaving the hotel because of this rule. At the same time, the retention rate of interns has also decreased by nearly 30% compared to the past."
Although Song Yunxi invited her, she wasn't there to help Song Yunxi; she was simply providing the accurate data. What the executives decided was their business. Abolishing the rule was fine; if it couldn't be abolished, that was Song Yunxi's fault, not hers, Fu Meilin's.
Song Yunxi thanked Fu Meilin, and then spoke again: "In modern corporate management, some people have already proposed a new concept called: employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, and shareholder satisfaction."
The reason we prioritize employee satisfaction is that only when employees are satisfied will they truly work for the company, dedicating all their enthusiasm and effort to providing better service to customers. This, in turn, leads to customer satisfaction and ultimately, greater profits for the company.
The hotel industry is demanding with irregular hours, leaving many employees with little time for dating. However, because hotel staff understand each other's work, they are more likely to be understanding and considerate of one another, which is why many employees seek partners among their colleagues.
If hotels restrict this freedom of their employees, they will become dissatisfied and naturally leave to work for other companies.
Mr. Jiang said with some disdain, "Some employees have left, but many more have stayed. Those who left were simply not a good fit for Platinum Hotel, and we should wish them well in finding a more suitable place."
"So, Mr. Lang is also not suitable for Platinum Hotels? As far as I know, other hotels have offered Mr. Lang better terms, and he is considering them because of this rule."
"President Lang took leave today and didn't even attend the executive meeting. I wonder if this is the reason?" Song Yunxi said, turning to look at Fu Meilin.
Fu Meilin quickly explained, "I don't know. President Lang's job title is to ask President Mu for leave directly. Our HR department is only responsible for filing records."
"I approved Mr. Lang's vacation," Mu Chen said calmly, then fell silent. The rest is left for everyone to imagine.
The shareholders exchanged bewildered glances. They had heard about Jiang Hailang's affair with Song Yunxi's assistant, but they had simply turned a blind eye to it.
Unexpectedly, something really did happen because of that assistant. No, ultimately it was because of Song Yunxi, after all, she was her assistant.
"Isn't this just an excuse that President Song came up with so that he could be with President Mu legitimately?"
As President Jiang said this, he glanced at Mu Chen. Could such a small matter between them really be kept secret within the hotel?
Song Yunxi also turned to look at Mu Chen, only to see Mu Chen nod slightly at her.
When Song Yunxi first entered Platinum Hotel, she was still somewhat unclear about the situation. When the shareholders made things difficult for Mu Chen, she even tried to protect him with her meager strength.
But by now, she had long since understood. Mu Chen's daily style of handling affairs was indeed refined and gentle, but that didn't mean he lacked the ability to control his subordinates and manage the situation.
How could someone who was able to break through the encirclement under such absolute disadvantage and firmly sit in the seat of general manager of Platinum Hotel be an ordinary person?
He would often suppress President Jiang and others, and then indulge them a few times in return, like a rubber band being stretched and loosened, giving them a little psychological balance.
But no matter how much they jumped around, they couldn't shake Mu Chen's firm decision.
Just like the cooperation with ST Group, President Jiang opposed it from the beginning, but to no avail. Even though Mu Chen gave him face and designed a one-year buffer period, the cooperation still had to be carried out.
Now that Mu Chen has agreed to let her confront President Jiang, she shouldn't blame him for being impolite.
Song Yunxi smiled and said, "President Jiang has misunderstood. As everyone knows, I am a cooperative representative of the Korean ST Group, and my personnel relationship is with ST. Therefore, certain specific regulations of the Platinum Hotel have no binding force on me."
The conference room fell into complete silence once again.
Why do I suddenly have the feeling that I'm being completely manipulated by Song Yunxi?
Song Yunxi continued, "I really suggested canceling this rule for the sake of the hotel. The membership black card program that was just approved will probably be difficult to implement without Mr. Lang's help."
The rule against employees dating clearly had no bearing on her, yet she stood up and strongly advocated for it from the hotel's perspective. What a tolerant, dedicated, and selfless Song Yunxi is!
A small shareholder who usually doesn't raise objections, sitting in the corner, spoke up: "If CEO Lang insists on dating that assistant, he can just have the assistant resign. There's no need to cancel this rule, nor does CEO Lang need to resign."
Such a simple logical relationship, how could no one have noticed it?
Song Yunxi explained to him calmly, "President Lang is a very responsible man. Of course, he wouldn't let a woman make sacrifices just to date him. I think if he leaves the Platinum Hotel, he'll make arrangements for his girlfriend. Because my assistant also took the day off today."
I'll leave it to everyone to fill in the blanks.
The executive meeting ended unhappily once again. Of course, in all the time Song Yunxi had been there, she had never seen a meeting end in a cheerful atmosphere.
However, today was quite fruitful. The meeting approved the General Aviation Black Card program and removed the rule prohibiting employees from dating.
*
In the afternoon, Song Yunxi arrived early at Miss Chi's afternoon tea restaurant to check on the preparation of the pastries.
Miss Chi's Chinese afternoon tea was already in the works, and with Grandpa Gu's help, the process was completed very quickly.
On the first day after Mu Chen and Song Yunxi returned from their vacation, the Chinese afternoon tea was officially launched.
The Chinese afternoon tea set features imperial pastries, with each exquisitely shaped and delicious pastry arranged in a carved wooden basket. The tea is chosen to complement the pastry's ingredients, selecting from green, black, or oolong tea.
However, Miss Chi's Chinese afternoon tea adopts the business model of Guiyu Private Banquet, which is only available in limited quantities on Friday afternoons and requires advance reservations.
This way, we can ensure the quality of the food and achieve better marketing results.
Ling Fei brought in an older woman, who waved and greeted Song Yunxi warmly and familiarly.
When Song Yunxi personally brought over tea and snacks, she introduced them to each other: "This is Editor-in-Chief Xiao of the food section of Fengshang.com, and this is Ms. Chi's afternoon tea manager, Mr. Song."
"Hello, Editor-in-Chief Xiao." Song Yunxi said, pulling a business card from behind her phone case and handing it over.
This is a phone case that Lin Xiaoran bought for her not long ago. It has a card slot on the back, so when it's inconvenient to carry a bag, she puts two business cards in it for emergencies.
Editor-in-Chief Xiao also politely said, "I've long admired President Song."
Those in the industry may not know everything about Mr. Song, the new manager of Platinum Hotel who is capable of causing trouble, but they have certainly heard of him.
Song Yunxi sat down next to Ling Fei and smiled at the two of them, saying, "These snacks are all freshly made. Please try them and give us your feedback."
After tasting a pastry shaped like a pink and white flower, Editor-in-Chief Xiao smiled and nodded, "It's fragrant, smooth, soft, and sweet without being cloying. It's really good." After taking a sip of tea, she spoke again, "It's just that it's really hard to get a reservation for your Chinese afternoon tea. If Ling Fei hadn't invited me, I probably wouldn't have had the chance to enjoy it today."
Song Yunxi said, "I'm sorry, Editor-in-Chief Xiao. Because the freshness of some of the ingredients for the pastries is very important, they have to be air-shipped from the production area on the same day. So we can only make a limited number of pre-orders a few days in advance and then prepare the ingredients according to the pre-orders."
If Editor-in-Chief Xiao would like to try Chinese afternoon tea next time, please let me know in advance. I'll try my best to reserve a spot; maybe I can get one.
Editor-in-Chief Xiao burst into laughter at her comment. This General Manager Song, instead of just offering to book directly for her next time, was even offering to help her secure a booking spot. Was she trying to uphold the principles of fairness and impartiality to the very end?
Song Yunxi smiled along; this was her persona for the day. A meticulous and serious leader can naturally lead a team that follows the rules, and naturally produce high-quality products with ample and high-quality ingredients.
Editor-in-Chief Xiao said, "Your Chinese afternoon tea is innovative and has some highlights. It's also endorsed by a descendant of an imperial chef. And the taste is indeed quite good. I will discuss this further with the team."
Seeing Song Yunxi's confusion, Ling Fei explained, "Editor-in-Chief Xiao is currently working with me on recommendations for afternoon tea restaurants. Since your Chinese afternoon tea is launching today, I invited her to come and try it. We also want to see if it would be appropriate to include Miss Chi's afternoon tea in the recommendations."
Song Yunxi smiled and reached out to hug Ling Fei: "Thank you, Fei Fei, and thank you, Editor-in-Chief Xiao."
Ling Fei smiled and said, "We're all friends, no need to be so polite. Besides, whether or not we get a recommendation ultimately depends on the website's evaluation."
Ling Fei had previously shared meals with others at other hotels or for afternoon tea. While the waiters were attentive and polite, they also seemed somewhat disdainful behind her back. Only Song Yunxi not only proactively offered her new tea and snacks but also invited her to take photos at a window with a better view after closing time.
Because of this friendship, Ling Fei was willing to help Song Yunxi within her means. Being friends with Song Yunxi was much better than those fake friendships.
Moreover, she also earns money by recommending products for the website, so introducing Editor-in-Chief Xiao to Song Yunxi was just a favor she did.
The three chatted for half an afternoon, ate some snacks and drank some tea, and then Song Yunxi personally escorted Editor-in-Chief Xiao and Ling Fei downstairs.
After taking the elevator back to her office, Song Yunxi casually opened her WeChat Moments and glanced at it. At the top of the list was the post Lin Xiaoran had just made.
When Lin Xiaoran asked Song Yunxi for leave yesterday, she said she was going to do something big today, and it seems she has succeeded.
Song Yunxi smiled slightly. She wasn't wrong; Lin Xiaoran was indeed a "handsome" person.
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