My Lord, you need to stand up!

Chapter 839 Someone Always Has to Pay Tuition

This reflects Wei Dong's stance of preferring to personally lose tens of millions rather than raise prices.

This immediately brought the situation to a standstill.

Some people around the factory manager still couldn't understand: "Why can't we raise prices? Everyone else is raising prices, from grains, oils, rice, and flour to meat and employee wages!"

Wei Dong was too lazy to take any long-winded macroeconomics classes; he wouldn't understand them anyway.

"Haven't I made myself clear enough? The soaring prices in the past two years have nothing to do with the foreign economy. Other countries haven't increased their costs, so raising the prices of domestically produced goods will only hand over the market to others. Even if the country doesn't allow imports, smuggled goods can still completely take over the market."

Then he tapped the desktop: "Soaring prices are a fact. When such a problem occurs, the first thing to do is to reduce costs and increase efficiency. If we can control them, we may win this battle. If we can't, we will be sacrificed in this price war. We are fighting every day, but we never thought that if we can't fight, we would push the people to bear the pressure."

The reporter from Sunshine Daily's face changed, and he immediately lowered his head and wrote furiously.

Yu Xiaoqiu proudly learned to take notes.

Wang Zhiwen listened even more attentively.

The editor-in-chief leading the team also stated: "I think Comrade Weidong is right. The State Economic Commission has repeatedly emphasized the need to stabilize prices. Since Triumph Film has become a popular brand among the people across the country, it is time to set an example and firmly refuse to raise prices."

What Wei Dong himself didn't say was that the main reason he did this was to uphold the spirit of the contract, a lesson that all state-owned factories and even government agencies at all levels should have learned in the 1980s.

Using billions of dollars spent on tunnel construction and the loss of reputation to satisfy the greed of businessmen, it's ultimately the ordinary people who foot the bill.

Moreover, in Wei Dong's mind, everyday consumables like film should be like cola, costing only two or three yuan a bottle even after twenty or thirty years.

Ten years from now... digital cameras will probably be around by then, and the film factory will be more than happy to sever this ties.

Sure enough, the two additional conditions left the film factory speechless: "Then... let's choose to launch the new Golden Triumph series, and keep the old products unchanged."

Wei Dong smiled calmly and said, "We also produce sanitary napkins, shampoo, jeans, vacuum-packed food, and even residential properties. We've stuck to the principle of not raising prices. It's been tough, but we've managed to do it because there's still huge potential in the domestic market. Selling more is also a way to reduce costs. How about the three of us join hands again this New Year's Day to launch a new Triumph film photography exhibition? It would also be a way to promote the Triumph film that costs seventeen or eighteen yuan."

The film factory and the newspaper office immediately brightened up: "Great! This is a good idea!"

They didn't even object to Wei Dong taking away the pricing power.

Rang Weidong also promised: "Three years ago, when we held this photography exhibition around the time of the Olympics, the film had just been launched and our sales network was not yet fully established. Now it's very different. We have people all over the country, and we also have our own Heidelberg printing presses that can produce exquisite color posters. We will display the regular Triumph roll and the Golden Triumph roll side by side and plaster them all over the market. Most consumers will definitely just want a record, while some who pursue higher requirements will use the Golden Triumph roll... Yes, let's name it Golden Triumph roll. It sounds very inspiring!"

The film factory wasn't actually that cunning or complicated; they happily agreed.

Right there at the dinner table, the sales contract for the Gold Medal Triumph film was signed. The gold medal roll, which cost eighteen yuan each, had a shipping price of fifteen yuan, and like the Triumph film, it was a ten-year sales contract.

In other words, the regular lottery tickets will expire in seven years, but the gold prize tickets will still have a three-year cooperation agreement.

Wei Dong smiled as he signed the contract under the witness of the newspaper's filming.

However, upon leaving, the film sales manager was required to return to Pingjing and cancel the model of being stationed at the film factory. The specific methods were to be adjusted by the film sales department and the Pingjing branch and submitted to the head office for approval.

Wei Dong patted the manager on the shoulder and said, “You need to be clear that your starting point is Dong Sheng’s sales. All your work should be based on Dong Sheng’s sales, not on the manufacturers who are always calling you brother. If you can’t even distinguish this position, then there’s no point in doing this job. The fact that they dared to make this request today is your dereliction of duty. After you’ve handled the entire relocation work well, write a report for me and tell me your thoughts so I can decide whether you stay or leave.”

The college graduate turned pale instantly.

At this point, the reporters came over and, after finding out that Wei Dong was about to take the train back to Jiangzhou, surprisingly suggested that they go with him and conduct an exclusive interview on the train.

Showing Wei Dong their slightly larger luggage bags would show that it wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision.

Okay, okay.

But when driving them to the station, Wei Dong finally expressed his true opinion to Yu Xiaoqiu and Wang Zhiwen: "This film has no future, it'll only last for about ten years. It's just good for training our manpower."

Yu Xiaoqiu was shocked. A company with an annual output value of several hundred million, and even expected to reach a billion in the future, was saying it had no future? "Really?"

Wei Dong chuckled, "Usually, we negotiate discounts when buying goods. We used to get them for 60% off, at 8.5 yuan, with a retail price of 14 yuan. We then proactively lowered the price to 12 yuan, which was actually a 70% discount. Now that the gold-packaged coupons are selling for 18 yuan, we should calculate it based on a 70% discount, but they only calculate the 3 yuan sales margin. What consequences will this have?"

Wang Zhiwen immediately reacted: "It's even lower than the previous regular coupon price of 3.5 yuan, so why aren't the sales companies and sales staff pushing it hard?"

Wei Dong nodded in satisfaction: "Yes, cheaper films have higher profit margins, while expensive films are already difficult to sell. Subconsciously, people will push the cheaper ones hard, and then manufacturers may not supply as much of the films with lower profit margins, and they won't work as hard to produce them. So there will be problems with the sale of this part of the film in the future, and we need to be prepared for this."

Seeing his friends getting nervous, Wei Dong still smiled and comforted them:

"That's reality. The manufacturers we work with have their own interests to pursue. They'll forget the meaning of 'Chinese products should strive for self-improvement.' Even our young colleagues, who may have been full of ideals and fighting spirit when they were sent to work, have gradually been worn down to nine-to-five jobs and drinking games. That's why I keep encouraging fresh blood to join us. Xiaoqiu, you go back to Pingjing and assist the branch office in trying out this kind of personnel change. I don't care about the sales of this roll of film, but the purpose is to train the team." Both only in their early twenties, this exchange must have left a deep impression on the two senior students.

Wang Zhiwen focused more on the details: "You suspect there's something wrong with the sales manager?"

Wei Dong smiled wryly: "Having just entered society and faced so many seasoned veterans, I can't possibly teach each one of them step by step like I did with you. If one's mindset is not stable, and one is easily swayed by sweet talk and thinks that he is in an important position and can be manipulated, and becomes arrogant after eating, drinking and taking some benefits, it is easy to make mistakes. Of course, I hope that he can learn from his mistakes and grow. You should observe and assist him."

The two of them agreed seriously.

After seeing her boss off at the train station, Yu Xiaoqiu gave instructions to the two cars behind her before driving off herself.

Wang Zhiwen is still learning, and he is much busier than Yu Xiaoqiu, who has already devoted herself to her work.

The carriage was quiet for a long time before Wang Zhiwen, who was scribbling in his notebook, finally lowered his head and asked, "You're going to work for a sales company after graduation?"

Yu Xiaoqiu said firmly, "Go now. Don't you know our major? We're inconsistent in our work. I won't get involved in the sales company, but I must take charge of the employment service center. You can handle the advertising company."

Wang Zhiwen thought for a moment and lit a cigarette: "Your aunt is doing a good job at the advertising company, why should I go? I'll focus on making movies, that's where I can demonstrate my value. A scholar will die for his confidant."

Yu Xiaoqiu glanced at him with dissatisfaction: "Put out the cigarette! He doesn't smoke, but he's always smoking. Look at you, you look like you're addicted to opium. We're even going to implement a no-smoking policy in the hotel!"

Wang Zhiwen took a deep drag, flicked his cigarette butt, and said without resistance, "The eldest brother is married and has a child."

Yu Xiaoqiu wanted nothing more than to crash her car into a mountain: "What's it to you!"

Wang Zhiwen sighed and continued to write and draw with his head down.

Even after Wei Dong got on the train, he still did nothing but write and draw.

He bought a sleeper ticket departing from Beijing. Whether it's a Super 6 budget hotel or a five-star hotel, they all sell train and plane tickets. These two services alone are a huge advantage these days.

Reporters don't need to; they can get tickets by using their press cards from affiliated agencies.

They then switched places and had Wei Dong talk to him. The photographer would also take pictures from time to time of the exemplary figures working hard during their journey.

Could Wei Dong ask them to only shoot silhouettes, and try to avoid mentioning his name in the interviews? He really doesn't want to be famous.

Two Taoist priests in plain clothes sat quietly by the window in the corridor, greeting guests.

Because starting from the capital of Hebei Province two hours later, every few stops someone would come up with a hard-seat ticket to give a work report to the boss!
The reporters were astonished; they had never seen such a nationwide sales model before.

This essentially meant that Wei Dong was constantly meeting with sales managers in various regions from a mobile office.

They would arrange to travel with any branch offices or sales companies along the route that they could contact, taking a few stops for two or three hours to chat about work and life.

After nightfall, Wei Dong went to the dining car, asked for a table, ordered some dishes, and leisurely chatted while drinking.

It was already past midnight when we passed through southern Henan. More than ten people lingered around each other until dawn before reluctantly getting off.

They each bought tickets to go home.

Wei Dong had only taken a nap in the morning. The sales manager, who got on the bus halfway through the journey, heard from the Taoist priest that he had just dozed off and kept saying that he would wake the boss up later.

We ate, drank, and chatted in the dining car at noon, and by evening we were already crossing the Qinling and Dabashan Mountains into Sichuan.

The three reporters took turns staying up late and were amazed by what they heard.

Wei Dong ended up talking all night and gained a very clear understanding of the sales situation in Sichuan.

As dawn broke, around 10 a.m., when he got off the train, the photojournalist quietly asked him if he could take a leave of absence to join the company.

Wei Dong patted him on the shoulder with a smile, saying that he was always ready to participate, but he needed to be clear about what he could do and where to start.

Stepping out of the train station, I saw the long-awaited Fengchu, holding my son and leading my niece on tiptoe.

Then, bursting into tears, they rushed onto that broad chest. Auntie even squeezed her niece with her butt, and Xiaodie exclaimed "Holy crap!" a series of times.
Xiao Cong looked at his father with a puzzled expression, his eyes filled with confusion. Who was this? He looked so familiar.

(End of this chapter)