An Example of a Resilient Trader from Metro, Lampung

Becoming a trader appears not to be easy. It requires mentality, intelligence, and a high degree of “art”. This was truly evident to me when I conversed with Haji Adri, a major trader who sells various products. His business is headquartered in Metro, Lampung. The key to his success, in my view, lies not only in hard work but also—and more importantly—in his attitude of trustworthiness and steadfastness in keeping promises. I observed that once bound by a promise or agreement, Haji Adri would exert all his efforts to fulfil it to the relevant partners. In this way, mutual trust is built between them, along with business relationships that are an tarodhin (mutually agreeable), and sustainable. That consistency, according to Haji Adri, has been practised for decades until now. One of the interesting aspects for me in conversing with him was how he strives to maintain and fulfil his promises. When bound by a promise on a certain price with his partners, he does not request price restructuring if there are fluctuations up or down. As a result, his partners are often left perplexed. According to Haji Adri, what is important is the guarantee of supply continuity. If the supply of raw materials for his products is disrupted, then his production will also be disrupted. This is certainly something he does not want to happen.