“Youngsters flock to fast food joints,” complained Mangu bitterly, “don’t eat our snacks.”
Static profit margin for past several quarters, declining footfall of customers and competition from fast food chains, were becoming a cause of worry, for Mangu Ram and his son Ramesh.
“Diversify Bapu,” Ramesh toyed with the model of new store, “Mangu Ram and Son, Snack and Deli,”
“Who will come to a Deli?” asked Mangu Ram sceptically, “your other idea of adding seating space did not work, either.”
“No risk no gain, baapu,” declared Ramesh as he added the final nail, “diversify or be prepared to fold.”
Word Count: 100
This is an effort to write aflash fiction effort with the Friday fictioneers, 01st, Mar, 2019, using picture prompt provided by host Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. Other stories can be found here
Photo Prompt : John L Hayes
Read : Unhappy
Please join the fundraiser #HelpMithuSaveSchool fundraiser. You can support the #HelpMithuSaveSchool fundraiser HERE.
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Dear Abhijit,
It sounds like Mangu will need to roll with the times.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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True, he has not much option left. Thank you for reading.
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A good marketing lesson… feed your hungry audience what they want to eat, not what you want them to eat.
Ronda
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True. If you want to increase profit, you have to increase customers. Thank you for reading and commenting.
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I feel sometimes it might seem that changing is the only option but only if we wait for longer the results are surprising. We all know how the Indian market is still ruled by pop and mom stores rather than supermarkets!
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Yes you are right. At the same time if you want to increase customer base you have to serve different things. I don’t know if small stores are growing business or remaining static. Thank you for reading.
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Ramesh is right, you have to move with the times and at least try to compete.
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Thank you for reading.
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He’s lucky he has a son who’s interested in the family business.
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Thank you for reading.
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A shame sometimes, but you have to adapt to the will of the consumer.
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True. Sometime one has to do things to grow. Thank you for reading.
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Out of the mouths of babes, I’m afraid.
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They should turn a profit, if each listens to the other.
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True. Change is inevitable. Thank you for reading.
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There is wisdom in age, it is true; but there can also be an obstinate refusal to accommodate to the times. Good story.
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True. It is difficult to change things one has built over time. That is why young people bring about change. Thank you.
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At least he tried. A story which I imagine many could relate to.
My FriFic tale!
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Thank you.
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it’s the customers that drive the business. To be profitable, it needs to cater to what they want.
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True. I agree. Thank you for reading.
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Sometimes change is the only alternative.
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True. Change is the only reality. Thank you.
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I like the way your two characters each put a point of view about the business so the reader can weigh up the merits of the opposing arguments.
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Thank you for your comments. I value your assessment.
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Gotta go with your dreams. Good for Ramesh.
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Thank you for your reading and comment.
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The customer i always right. Great take.
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True. I guess faster we understand better it will be. Thank you for reading.
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Ah, it’s true, sometimes you have to take the risk.
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Thank you for leaving a comment. Appreciate.
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I like the way you made the realities of economic survival real in this piece. I may have read into it, but the last sentence told me, that this newest idea is going to be , for the business, the last nail in the coffin.
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Thank you for reading. I tried to say that son played his last card to pursuade his father – diversify or shut shop.
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Sometimes people don’t want to change even if staying the same is stagnant.
You’ve told this lesson well.
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Change is difficult after certain age. One gets used to doing things in a certain way. Thank you for reading.
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change or perish!
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Looks like that way. Thank you for reading.
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A marketing lesson for every entrepreneur to learn.
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True. Thank you.
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Change is inevitable. Sometimes its amazing how a little remodeling and pump new life into a business.
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True. Thank you.
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