In The Footsteps Of Sari-Sari

Our world today dwells on multi-tasking. Time is a precious commodity, thus people constantly strive to catch up with their daily duties. The quicker the better, so they say. But regardless of how fast you may accomplish a certain task, the quality is often sacrificed. Through the course of human history, many have tried to address this problem. Instead of compromising the speed of labor, analysts revised the work process itself. In creating better technology, humans have stumbled upon the concept of multi-tasking.

From this emerged a variety of products and processes that enables people to do two or more things at the same time or with the same tool. A classic example is the evolution of Nokia cellular phones. As more and more models are introduced, the more functions they contain. Today’s cellphones already have so many functions (radio, internet, camera, video) that an article in Time magazine says sarcastically in relation to the high tech gadget “you could even make a call.” People of this generation are quite used to these kinds of products. Although there are still some that astonishes people. Take for instance a calculator that was given to me a few years ago. It has a flashlight, a magnifying glass, a ruler, a screwdriver, and a knife. Yes, a calculator with a knife. Perfect for those killer Trigonometry exams. But mind you, these multi-functional products sell competently in the market. Consumers are attracted to them because of their functionality and the given illusion that they’re buying a bargain.

Nowadays, producers are venturing out and enforcing new ideas. Exhausting the concept of multi-tasking, business owners applied this to their company’s assets. Not only have they maximized their labor and capital, but their land as well. Perhaps the first major breakthrough of this kind is the Store inc. in Glorietta Makati. Store inc. combined a furniture and accessories store with a sort of café where shoppers could eat or drink while they shop. Long after, the emergence of internet cafés paved way to store multi-tasking acceptance.

If you think about it, on the point of view of entrepreneurs, store multi-tasking is a very efficient way to maximize rent and other fixed overhead costs. Rent is quite high these days, and is often an obstacle to the profitability of a business. But with store multi-tasking, rent space is maximized by adding another segment that may produce profit. The branch of Holland Tulips in Festival Mall Alabang also sells candy and other sweets aside from flowers. Sitting in a restaurant across the said shop, I noticed that more people actually buy their candy as compared to their flowers.