87: Chapter 87 Where there is profit, there is bound to be competition
The observing old professors licked their faces and asked Chen Hao.
"Are we not allowed to observe either?"
Chen Hao smiled and exchanged pleasantries.
"All you old professors are already of advanced age, why bother competing with a paid training class? I'll record the video and send you a backup later. Isn't it more comfortable to lie at home and watch the recording?"
The old professors, finding him unyielding to persuasion, didn't press the issue. If they couldn't go in, they couldn't go in; after all, they could still study the content of Chen Hao's lecture through the recording later.
When Wei Xinglong arrived, Chen Hao personally welcomed him in without mentioning the fee.
Some people noticed Chen Hao playing favorites, and under the instigation of those with ulterior motives, the sounds of dissatisfaction grew louder.
When Chen Hao came out, some people had already started inciting the crowd.
Chen Hao explained.
"From today onward, the content of our lectures is a commercial secret. These people paid money—hundreds of thousands for knowledge. If we let others listen for free, what would the bosses who paid think?"
"Please try to understand. After all, this is a paid training class, and everything must adhere to rules and regulations."
Immediately, someone started heckling.
"Who is short of your little bit of money? You're not the only business training class. I heard there's another business lecture in the adjacent teaching building. Their price is lower and their service is even better than yours. We'll go listen to their class."
Chen Hao frowned, sensing something was amiss.
An employee whispered quietly.
"That person is a lecturer from our former team."
Chen Hao suddenly realized.
"That explains it."
Under the instigation of those with ulterior motives, the people trying to sneak in and those who loved taking small advantages were all tricked into attending their course.
Chen Hao didn't bother arguing with them. He only needed to protect the interests of the paying bosses and stabilize the existing clientele.
After all the paying students had entered, Chen Hao began today's lecture.
...
On the other side.
The business lecture proceeded exactly as Liu Jiannan had envisioned, treating the bosses like gods.
First, the first class was free to attract traffic, letting them experience their treatment and benefits firsthand.
As for benefits, the team of nearly 60 people imitated the service model of Haidilao, focusing on treating customers like gods, serving tea and water, offering fruit, and satisfying every request.
Originally, Zhuang Hua had agreed with this lecture style, which is why the team kept so many idle people.
It was just that they overlooked one thing: the lecture's focus should be on the teaching; service was secondary. The knowledge and content of the lecture were what mattered.
The thirty-plus service staff constantly attended to the bosses during the lecture, making them extremely comfortable.
During the lecture, the lecturer, being overly nervous, frequently misspoke professional terms, even making basic errors, and used apologies as a verbal tic.
Most importantly, the content they were presenting was what Chen Hao had already covered three days prior.
When the other side's lecture caused the audience to erupt in excitement, this one was hesitant and stuttering, with the lecturer unable to clearly explain most professional terms.
Thus, under these combined circumstances, the listening bosses comfortably fell asleep. The lecture had turned into a bedtime story session.
"Ring ring!"
The class bell rang.
The bosses were startled awake, grumbling and complaining as they left.
"What kind of nonsense was that? I didn't understand a single word."
"Let's go over there instead. There's a reason why a renowned teacher's lecture has value."
"Yeah, it's just spending some money. I feel this money is well spent."
Just like that, Chen Hao did nothing; relying entirely on the contrast provided by his competitor, he directly crushed the self-important rival.
Chen Hao's lecture also concluded.
After the dispersal, the bosses were all excited, feeling they had benefited greatly.
The bosses from the other class flocked over to sign up and pay.
This was a good thing, but Chen Hao firmly refused, leading to a disagreement with his employees. Eventually, the matter was escalated via phone call to Zhuang Hua. After explaining the situation, Zhuang Hua agreed with Chen Hao's proposal.
"The first session has already started. If you missed it, you missed it. If you want to sign up, you can only wait for the second session. In short, we cannot add a single person to the first session."
The employees couldn't understand this decision, but Chen Hao finally explained.
"Doing business is like mastering martial arts secrets. All martial arts under heaven are invincible, except for speed."
"The bosses in the first session paid their money, they are eager to register and actively learn. Whoever seizes the market first will be the first to claim a piece of the pie—that is foresight for a businessman."
"The reason those people only want to join later is because they spotted the business opportunity and also want systematic learning. However, they want to learn by copying without even being willing to pay. Such people must be made to wait for a later session."
"Allowing them to join midway shows disrespect to the market and to the bosses with foresight, and it will also affect our reputation."
After Chen Hao finished explaining, the employees understood. They negotiated with the bosses who wanted to join the training, stating they could only attend the second session.
The bosses thought it over carefully. The second session was fine; a month later was better than watching the trend pass them by.
Thus, before the first session was even over, they had earned another wave of enrollment for the second session.
...
During lunch.
At the business school cafeteria.
Chen Hao and his group were eating when the people who had left previously came to find them. One person took the lead and sat directly across from Chen Hao.
"What trick did you play behind our backs? Our training materials are the same, and our service is even better than yours. Why did they choose you and not us?"
Chen Hao gave a wry smile.
"The one who made you succeed is also the one who made you fail. It's precisely because you focused too much on service."
He then asked.
"Having good service provides the bosses with the best experience. What's wrong with that?"
Chen Hao explained.
"The education and training industry is not the service industry. I ask you, if a person feels too comfortable and too complacent, won't they feel drowsy? Won't sleeping during a lecture affect the absorption of knowledge?"
These traitors understood. It was just that their new venture wasn't doing very well, so they primarily sought out Chen Hao this time because they wanted to return.
Chen Hao put down his chopsticks and said coldly.
"I will not take back employees who cannot share responsibility. Once Zhuang Hua is discharged from the hospital, every cent owed to you will be paid. As for the future, we each go our separate ways."
After speaking, Chen Hao strode away confidently, followed closely by Zhang Menglu, and then the other twenty-odd employees. They made a stylish exit, leaving a group of traitors raging and stamping their feet, but to no avail.
...
The one suffering the most was undoubtedly Zhuang Hua.
When Chen Hao refused, most of the former employees called Zhuang Hua, hoping to rejoin the team and wishing she would accept them back.
Through this setback, she finally learned a lesson: a good horse doesn't eat grass it has already spat out. Since they chose betrayal, there should be no turning back.
After Zhuang Hua righteously refused them, she suddenly felt an immense sense of relief.
"I feel like Chen Hao made me understand so many principles. It really has to be him."
"Ding"
"Detected that Zhuang Hua's Favorability Level has reached 100."
"System is issuing a special reward."
"qi sea pill is being produced (0.1%)"
Chen Hao was stunned. How did Zhuang Hua's Favorability Level inexplicably hit one hundred?