So Patrick asks, are there things that you did during the pandemic that you integrated it in your business, paid off really well, and you are going to adapt them even after the pandemic ends?

JC: One of the things is to keep the main thing, the main thing. To focus, really focus, really do hyper focus because we really used to do that. We had a lot of opportunities to be canteen concessionaires. And we’re canteen concessionaires for like JG Summit, Nestle, Shell, and Caltex. We were the ones in the CALABARZON area to handle them. We focused on catering. But now what I really learned is to be ultra-hyper focused. That’s what is needed. Like, for example, our sales people, they really focused on the key accounts that really worked. The ones that they know, they attacked it from there.

As for me, I had to focus on what aspect of the business was the most important. At that time it’s sales. It’s really sales. So I was working with them day in, day out and I would be with them. And we cast a wider net, a much wider net. If before we were accredited with 200 menus, I think during the pandemic it was 400 menus. It was like that, it doubled down. If before, these are the key accounts that you’ve reached, you had twenty good accounts, I want you to have a hundred good accounts. Because if these people that you’ve reached and there’s a smaller chance of booking, you need a bigger amount of people coming in to convert more leads.

We really expanded the network. We really focused on, for me, what I did is to really focus on where I’m needed. It’s like, I’ll focus on my strengths which is sales and that’s where I fought. Then we stuck to our core. We didn’t deviate from our core. We stayed there. If you focus and you just give everything you have to that part of the business to where you are known, that really is the main thing that allowed us to thrive during the pandemic.

So I know it's a small thing, focus. I mean, remember who you are. I mean, people forget that. Sometimes they think it's just a little thing, they’d be like, you should expand to this, expand to that, expand to this. But people don’t know you yet. It takes so much time. It took us 25 years to be able to have this type of network. It's going to take us so many years if we're going to focus on food to-go, for example, Juan Carlo to-go. Yes, it helped us. It gave our people jobs. But that’s not what's going to bring back our business. It's catering.

So we focused on how we can add value to our clients. Okay, so let’s do this. In order to reach the total order value that we need, the contract price, let's offer it, let's add more value. Let's show even more beautiful plated dishes. Let's show them unique safety protocols so their family and friends will feel safe. That life is still worth celebrating. So we focused and we hit that. And that’s what really worked.

Sean: And bro, I just want to add to that. This is exactly why I tell people who ask me, Sean, how do you become more competitive in price? I keep telling people don't be more competitive in price by downsizing your price points. Add more value so that you can keep your price point or even upgrade it. Don't fight the losing game of becoming the cheaper supplier, because that is a vicious cycle.

Everyone's playing that game. And sooner and later, the quality will suffer. Where are you going to get the profits? You're going to just turn the output into crappier and crappier stuff, you know, service. And the whole industry suffers. When that happens, people will stop getting your industry. They're going to stop just wanting your industry. And you're just going to run out of business.

So add more value instead of making your packages cheaper. I completely agree with that.

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