Business is a mystery

Business remains a mystery to me.

I was looking for a nice hotel to stay in New York: one that would not be far from the venue where the conference would be held and that did not carry an exorbitant price tag.

Why do smaller and cheaper hotels offer free Wi-Fi while the expensive ones still charge their customers? When you air a complaint they respond by saying, “Oh sir, you can stay in the lobby where the Wi-Fi is free.”

Are they telling me I should wear my boxer shorts and slippers and do my work at the lobby? It is such a mystery, isn’t it?

Some companies do not allow their employees to use Facebook. IT people would not allow it. Yet their people still use it, because they have their smart phones. Rather than use the same digital social platform and create an internal page that serves as a digital community for their employees, it seems easier to just prohibit them from using it. Business is a mystery.

When they were newly opened the food was good and the servings were sizable. And just when customers pack the establishment the servings become smaller and the food tastes different. Business is a mystery.

The Ilocana, my daughter and I went to this nice restaurant during their off-peak hours. I had seen how efficient their people were when the place was crowded. The servers were pleasant, they moved fast, and they were attentive. But when we were the only customers in the place I could hardly get anyone to attend to us. When I approached the counter they were all hiding behind it, some playing games with their phones while others were engaged in conversation. Perhaps they were tired. I don’t know about you, but for me, business remains a mystery.

Many businesses that are slowing down still refuse to seek professional help. They view training as an expense, and they still hold on to the old formula of their past success. When you talk to the leaders they give you endless stories, but these are all in the past tense, and they can hardly give you fresh accounts of current accomplishments. Business remains a mystery to me.

A few prospective clients are looking for trainers and speakers. They know their people need to be trained, yet the first thing they look for in consultants is their fees and not the quality of their work. They don’t understand the difference between price and value, yet they want their business to improve. And so they end up with subpar consultants who offer lower fees. Then they hate the outcome and complain that the speaker is no good. Business remains a mystery to me.

The old man sends his kids to expensive Ivy League institutions for learning. They come back eager with fresh ideas and all fired up to innovate the family business. The old man is not willing to let go and insists that he started the business, and that all these ivy-league institutions and the education they provide is no match for his wisdom and experience. And so the business continues to deteriorate. Business remains a mystery to me.

Businesses are but a reflection of the owners, their behaviors, and their values.

And this is why I love doing business, and I enjoy watching the drama, the comedy, the suspense, and the adventure behind it.

We just have so much to learn, don’t we? And it takes a lot of humility to admit our faults and possess the determination to improve.

But then again, business, as in life itself, remains a mystery.

(Connect with me on facebook.com/franciskong2. You can also catch me on Business Matters, Monday to Friday at 8 am and 6:30 pm over DZFE-FM 98.7 ‘The Master’s Touch,’ the classical music station.)