Welcome to today's weekly journal entry. This is the 30th entry . Actually, by now, I know that not many people read this journal . Writing it down is probably just a way to release some stress and emotions, and to keep a record. It's a way to have a place to write things down.
This week I'll first talk about some of the updates I've made to operations, and then I'll write about other things.
1. Order placed online, pick up at the store
Starting this Thursday, we offer online ordering and in-store pickup. This is mainly to make it easier for everyone, eliminating the need to wait for delivery and having someone at home ready to receive your order. We've wanted to do this for a while, but our previous shop was a small one in Taikoo Shing, which wasn't very convenient for many people, and we couldn't store too much stock, making it difficult to ensure customers could pick up their orders upon arrival. Now that our iSQUARE store in Tsim Sha Tsui is open, it's more convenient and has a warehouse with more storage space, allowing customers to order online and pick up in-store. However, the main reason for this is actually because business has been slow lately... After receiving an order online, our store staff will immediately see the details of the customer's pickup and the items they need on their iPads, allowing them to quickly prepare the goods for the customer. After the store staff has prepared the goods, they will press a button on the iPad, and the system will immediately notify the customer to pick up the goods at any time.
2. WhatsApp Chatbot
To make it easier for customers to instantly access the information they most need and to quickly answer their questions, I've also implemented a WhatsApp Chatbot this week. Customers can contact our system via WhatsApp and choose different questions and inquiries without typing, allowing them to help themselves. Of course, if needed, the system can also connect customers with our live customer service for assistance. Try it out here: https://wa.me/85291510825
We're too small to provide 24/7 support. Sometimes, when we're busy working, it takes a long time before we can reply. I hope this system can at least help customers with simple questions when we're not available, making things easier for them. For example, sometimes customers ask about the store's opening hours and detailed address, but if we reply several hours later, it might be nighttime and the customer has already left. So this WhatsApp auto-response system can automatically answer their questions without disrupting their plans.
3. More professional store management
It's embarrassing to admit. Our past operations were more like a group of friends doing something on their own, rather than a professional business. Problems arose when unexpected situations arose, or when the product range expanded and things became more complex, making things very difficult. Everyone's approach was different because there was no set standard to follow. My time and energy were spent dealing with various situations, which was exhausting, and the operations weren't performed well. If a customer compared us to established, professional brands, they would find us completely inferior in terms of operational management. This really frustrated me; it felt like I was struggling, but I was still constantly dealing with basic problems and performing worse than others. I'm so glad I recently asked a very experienced and qualified friend in the store sales department for help. They gave me a lot of practical advice, which has made the store's operations run much smoother this past week, and I feel much more at ease. I'm truly grateful. Sometimes you might really be stuck in a certain position, and what we need is someone experienced and knowledgeable in this area to help us.
4. Re Pillow needs a better me.
Ignore all that above. The main point I wanted to make in this post is that I've recently felt that Re Pillow needs a better version of itself.
Actually, in the six months since graduation, I've realized that I'm currently Re Pillow's biggest obstacle. Re Pillow's ability to stay afloat is largely due to the help and hard work of many colleagues, but I feel I'm not capable enough or hardworking enough to take Re Pillow to a higher level. I feel I'm not good enough, not capable enough. Whether a small company does well or not really depends on the leader. If the leader isn't capable enough, the company's potential is extremely limited. I don't care about my personal success or failure, but I really want to do better, to truly achieve something that everyone can be proud of. And I know this isn't easy. I know. Because if it were easy, everyone could do it. But right now, I lack the skills in management, product development, marketing, time management, and macro-planning. If Re Pillow is to reach the next level, I need to change myself and improve in every way so that I can take Re Pillow further. I often feel very discouraged because it's really difficult. But I know very well that this is the only way out.
Actually, today (December 25th) is my 25th birthday, and the above are my birthday wishes for this year.
See you next week!
#029 About starting a business (18/12/2022)
#031 The philosophy behind Refresh (01/01/2023)