Do note that this post is only for the eyes of franchisees. Do not let any other party read it.
I either can solve problems for you or explain it to you, I can’t do both and I won’t do both.
Now Choose.
I cannot understand the placement of priorities that some of you might have placed on VendShare now. Maybe what is puzzling is what you think I should be focusing on.
This is the greatest economic emergency for the last 3 decades. More so than 911, more so than Lehman brothers, more so that SARS, and you are concerned with asking me questions in private messages and expect me to answer you?
Has it occurred to you that answering your questions actually affects me solving the problem for you?
I either can solve problems for you or explain it to you, I can’t do both and I won’t do both.
Now choose.
We have continued to make ourselves relevant to the market, and in the midst of SIA cutting down 96% of their flight paths, and many SMEs going to turtle up in the next 6 months.
Do you understand that continuing to make ourselves relevant requires many hours deep in thought? The greatest work is thinking.
And in that midst, you expect to PM me and expect me to answer you?
I either can solve problems for you or explain it to you, I can’t do both and I won’t do both.
Now choose.
As a management consultant of over 3000 companies, I have known that partners and fellow shareholders often leave halfway. And as a management consultant, I understand that it is natural, and I have no expectation of you.
I could not understand that in spite of the fact I have given you my book and that many of you have attended my finance course, many of you could not have chosen the worst time to sell your vendshare franchise ownership.
I can relate to some of you. Some of you have a total loss of income as a result of Covid19. I can understand why you want to sell, but I seriously cannot understand why the rest would want to sell. Some have direct problems in their personal lives, that I can understand too.
This is not understandable because I can safely say that our business remains relevant to the market.
I either can solve problems for you or explain it to you, I can’t do both and I won’t do both.
Now choose.
And btw, under the contract, the shifting of any shares to any other location is not a contractual right that you have. It is based on our goodwill and grace that we grant it to you.
And think of it this way, if I allow anyone to just shift their shares to any money making opportunity then what would happen if the 100-200 over franchisees start to demand the same thing from me?
Not to mention the shares asked to be shifted is a location with all the expenses paid for, and you feel that it is justified for you to move with a moment notice?
Btw, I don’t remember seeing a lot of people come for the contract briefing.
At the present moment, we are in the process of making ourselves relevant to the market by innovating on the CareWithCoffee program, and so far that program has the most relevant market sentiments to it addressing the various multi-faceted needs of our society. Community first, profits second.
Other than deploying our new machines into the hospitals, we already have plans to deploy existing locations to the hospitals.
Even if I am to generate more value for the franchisees, I cannot execute an action that is clearly against the spirit of contract law. I cannot just shift your money over to another location especially when your machine is right in the warehouse now.
I have to execute it by shifting the whole machine to the hospital.
Since our contractual relationship is one between a franchisor and franchisee and not between an investor and investee, may I know have all of you contributed to the CareWithCoffee program?
Some of you have but a vast majority obviously have not. I do not want to guilt-trip any of you to purchase any coffee for the frontline fighters in the hospital. Have any of you told any of your friends to contribute?
When I select a location (note that I have no contractual obligation to specifically prefer you) do you think I would select a location that has contributed the most (beyond just the usual money)?
And when I select a location, I won’t want to give the impression that I would succumb to thinly veiled threats. That means, if you want to sell off your location, I would place this as lower priority to be redeployed to the hospitals. I want the energy to be correct – Community first, profits second.
And when I look at the machines / locations to be deployed to the hospitals, I have to look at all the surrounding conditions and resources available to me.
I either can solve problems for you or explain it to you, I can’t do both and I won’t do both.
Now choose.
Now I seriously have little time to deal with personal questions at this point. I understand how many of you feel.
I am however, highly numerical. I have 3000 SME clients, I understand business. Over 50 businesses are mentored by me, many of them are big names in various countries.
I seriously think that for the biggest emergencies in the last 3 decades, you let me have the freedom to act and not to pester me with questions that you may think are important.
While we still remain economically relevant, and the rest of the 80% of the industries are not, do forgive me when I want to place more focus on that. Not just for me, and also for you.
Putting emotions aside, we are working together because I am to fight for your interests. Granting that I can expend some resources to make you feel good at the same time, but….
I either can solve problems for you or explain it to you, I can’t do both and I won’t do both.
Now choose.
Yours Sincerely,
Raymond Ng,
CEO VendShare