King of Technology: A Fresh Start in 1983

"You're right!"

After a moment of contemplation, Zhan Yiling continued, "I think that those of you who have worked your way up through hardship will definitely be more capable than those of us who have been trained."

"I didn't think that much about it."

Zhang Wei gave a wry smile: "My luck is far worse than He Fan's, and of course, my brain is even worse."

"Back in school, he relied on his brains, while I, although my grades were similar to his, relied entirely on hard work."

...

Soon, all sorts of delicious dishes began to be served.

While Zhang Wei was enjoying his meal and wolfing it down, another matter began to occupy his mind.

He wiped his mouth and couldn't help but ask Zhan Yiling, "You just said that IBM's sales training is very comprehensive. Do you have any teaching materials or anything like that? Could you give me a copy so I can broaden my horizons?"

Zhan Yiling thought for a moment: "Every page of those documents says 'For Internal Use Only'..."

"I need to sort through them; I definitely can't give you anything too sensitive."

"Don't you trust me? Give it to me secretly, I promise I won't tell anyone, no one will know."

"These are two different things! We had a confidentiality agreement before we received the offer and started working."

Zhan Yiling continued, "But don't worry! I'll organize my notes for you when I have some free time."

"Okay, then I'll leave it to you!"

Zhang Wei laughed, "I'm doing this so I can earn more money..."

"But when it comes to sales, I'm a complete novice. There's a lot I have to learn from scratch."

"Oh, by the way, why does this hotel offer such a big discount to your company?"

"Because IBM is a large international company, and its employees travel a lot on business trips, and they often hold annual meetings and events in hotels."

"So we signed agreements with these hotels, with the company promising to accommodate a certain number of guests and stays each year, and the hotels promising to give us a certain discount."

"Then why insist on finding the most upscale hotel in the area? Even with discounts, it's still very expensive."

Zhang Wei felt a pang of pain in his heart when he thought about how the accommodation fee would still be several hundred yuan a day even after the discount.

"If you stay in an affordable place, like a hostel that costs 50 yuan a day, it will only cost a few yuan after the discount."

"Zhang Wei, you really know how to manage money."

Hearing Zhang Wei say that, Zhan Yiling laughed until tears streamed down her face.

She finally caught her breath and said, "Staying in a high-end hotel is good for the company's image; it's also a form of intangible publicity."

"For example, when you at Tiangong hold a press conference or meet with clients, aren't you required to be neatly dressed?"

"This is all to protect the company's image."

"Especially for high-tech products, what do users and partners prioritize?"

"It's about quality and strength, and quality and strength are often reflected through brand image."

"They are more likely to trust companies with a good brand image, believing that such companies are capable and trustworthy."

"The same applies to employees; everyone wants to work for a reputable and capable company. It gives them a sense of pride."

"Once employees feel proud of their company, they will develop a sense of belonging, right?"

"In this way, employees will cherish the opportunity, work harder, and gain a sense of accomplishment from their work."

"These are all complementary. This is not just a seemingly simple accommodation fee, but also a public relations and publicity expense for the company."

"Don't underestimate your stinginess; foreigners are even stingier than you."

"If you do the math, you'll see that this is more cost-effective and direct than simply canceling the contract. It's a win-win situation, so why not do it?"

Zhang Wei seemed thoughtful, then as if he understood, and asked, "Do you have hotels all over the country with these signed agreements?"

"Yes. It happens not only in China, but all over the world."

"Does your company have a list of hotels that lists which hotels are contracted in each location, and what kind of discounts or prices are offered?"

"I think... there probably is."

Zhan Yiling looked puzzled; she couldn't figure out what Zhang Wei meant by asking those questions…

"These are all handled by the company's administration or finance department. They manage the bookings and settlements; we are only responsible for the accommodation."

"Could you find a way to get this list for me? It doesn't matter if it's incomplete or not the latest one."

"What do you need this for?"

A look of suspicion crossed Zhan Yiling's face as she looked at Zhang Wei.

"Our company, Tiangong, can also approach these hotels to negotiate agreements!"

"Follow this list as a guide, and wherever you go on a business trip, talk to the companies that offer the best deals. At least you'll have a clear idea of ​​what's reasonable."

Zhan Yiling couldn't help but burst into laughter again: "Zhang Wei, with the current strength of your Tiangong team, these five-star hotels don't even know who you are, and no one will negotiate discounts with you."

"Even if we can negotiate a discount, can you guarantee a minimum occupancy rate each year?"

After a moment of contemplation, Zhang Wei said in a serious tone, "It's definitely not going to work today, and it probably won't work this year either."

"But maybe next year when we mention it, people will know who we are. If next year doesn't work, then the year after..."

"No, your company's current business trip allowance is only 50 yuan per day. How can you negotiate discounts with five-star hotels?"

"Even if we approach the hotel to discuss an agreement the year after next, isn't it a bit too early to be thinking about this now?"

Zhan Yiling continued, "I think Zhang Wei, you should focus more on what needs to be done right now and do what you should be doing well!"

"A good image should be cultivated through the small details of daily life; everything requires time to develop and accumulate."

Zhang Wei felt that Zhan Yiling's words made sense, but his face was full of embarrassment and resentment.

"That's right."

He forced a smile and said, "Our Tiangong may not be as good as your IBM right now, but that doesn't mean we won't be in the future."

"If you don't think about the future, how can you get through the present?"

Zhan Yiling was shocked!

Looking at Zhang Wei…

"If you don't think about the future, how can you get through the present?"

She couldn't help but repeat it aloud.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Wei's casual remark gave Zhan Yiling a strong shock!

This shock was something she had never imagined, much less felt.

So much so that she remembered those words even thirty years later.

Zhan Yiling carefully examined the man sitting opposite her, who was about the same age as her…

A classmate for four years in college, a good friend for six years...

His eyes involuntarily revealed astonishment and disbelief.

The person in front of me is still living with a friend...

Wearing the only suit I own, which I bought four years ago…

This man who came to a five-star hotel this morning to freeload off a simple little inn...

But what he was really thinking was:

One day, let Tiangong be like IBM today.

Is such a person laughable or admirable?

Or is it scary?