Chapter 1401
Let's use our old resources
There's a saying that goes, "Times change, and people can't be compared to each other."
Despite his future status as a top business tycoon in China, Jun'er is currently just a well-known investor.
It's completely incomparable to NetEase, BAT, and Sohu.
Shanda and the Giants are also stronger than him.
The claim that he left Kingsoft with only 40 billion yuan is just a legend.
At that time, he was just a junior in the investment industry.
He's only somewhat famous among the new generation.
The good thing is that he is a new generation who started in the software industry.
Why can he get along so well with people from NetEase and Tencent?
Because their mindset is fundamentally different from that of traditional entrepreneurs, these individuals are all running their businesses using an internet-based approach.
This is also an important reason why Xiaomi was able to rise to prominence.
However, at this time, this startup, which didn't even have a prototype, let alone a mobile phone, was not favored by most investors.
Many people even mocked, "Jun'er, you're a software and internet person, how did you get involved in the real economy?"
The mobile phone industry remains incredibly chaotic, a bloody and cutthroat market in the eyes of many.
The problem is that most business owners in traditional industries simply don't understand smartphones.
It can be said that the history of mobile phone development was divided into two phases after the advent of smartphones.
Smartphones have completely overturned the traditional manufacturing and design thinking of the mobile phone industry, and also overturned the common people's understanding of smart terminals. They are two completely different things.
Jun'er, with her keen eye, saw this opportunity and trend.
They boldly declared that they would build a "world-class company".
Before you succeed, any boastful words will only earn you ridicule and mockery.
Once you succeed, any boastful words you once made will be regarded as wise sayings, the "bible" of entrepreneurs.
Many people may not know that Mr. Jia of Xibei has also written a preface for a public relations book, in which he talks at length about his publicity philosophy.
At this point, Jun'er was in a stage where he would be ridiculed by his peers.
And it wasn't the big brands that mocked it, but rather the carrier-partnered phones and even the knock-off phones.
It has been almost a year since its establishment, but it has no profit points and has not launched any products.
Many investors consider him a fraud or a swindler.
Fortunately, Jun'er himself was not short of money and invested several hundred million.
But money always runs out eventually, and he himself was unsure when the company would become profitable.
They were even prepared to lose hundreds of millions of dollars for several years in a row.
For someone who was planning to lose money, Zhang Yuan's proposed publicity collaboration was undeniably attractive.
There's just a lack of funding for that.
Everyone knows how good celebrity publicity is, but what if you don't have the money?
Good steel should be used where it's needed most. The money spent on celebrity endorsements can allow a company to operate for several more months or even a year.
"I will consider the plan you proposed, and I will also consider cooperation," Jun'er replied calmly, her face somewhat gloomy.
He meant it sincerely; his old friend's promotional efforts for Vancl were quite successful.
"However, I don't have any extra funds at the moment."
"There is no publicity department, nor any advertising company we cooperate with."
"We all find like-minded people on the internet on our own."
“If our product is successful, then we can discuss these things later.” Jun’er was still quite dignified.
Zhang Yuan crossed his arms and nodded repeatedly, but showed no intention of backing down. Instead, he pressed on relentlessly.
When will your product be available?
"You must be making phones, right?"
Do you have a demo unit?
"I'd like to try it too."
"Well..." Jun'er thought to himself, why do you have to bring up such a sensitive topic?
Never mind, ignorance is no excuse.
"Not yet, we are testing with other brands of Android phones."
"Oh, is there a plan for mass production after that?" Zhang Yuan continued to ask with a sincere expression.
When will Xiaomi products be available on the market?
"I want to buy some as gifts for my employees."
"You can also arrange some as a perk for Duowan Games."
"Don't worry, I will definitely buy it at the original price to support you, no discount needed."
"True support is shown in real money; seeking benefits is just taking advantage."
Faced with his enthusiasm, Jun'er's expression grew increasingly bitter.
He showed an expression similar to Cui Yongyuan's, a mixture of amusement and exasperation.
The more sincere Zhang Yuan was, the more uncomfortable he felt.
It's like a very concerned relative asking about your relationship with your wife, promising a big red envelope if you want to have children.
But you know that you and your wife have already separated.
If someone is willing to give you money, you should thank them, but in reality, you might not be able to express your gratitude.
Jun'er scratched his head, messing up his thick hair, which was very un-programmer-like.
"What's wrong, Mr. Lei?"
"You seem to have something you're having trouble saying?"
"You haven't looked well today. Are you feeling unwell, or is there some problem at work?"
"Sigh..." Jun'er clearly didn't want to talk.
But Zhang Yuan didn't let him off the hook and continued to press him for answers.
"If the company encounters any problems, I can offer some assistance."
Jun'er thought to himself, "How can you help?"
You don't understand technology, so it's good enough that you don't cause trouble.
“Especially in terms of funding.” Zhang Yuan noticed, but ignored his expression: “After all, Youku just went public, and I reaped a good return.”
Upon hearing this, Jun'er's eyelids twitched.
That's right.
Don't treat each other with admiration for three days.
Now he is also a successful internet investor.
But what I'm facing isn't just a money problem.
"It's not a problem with funding."
“Then there’s a problem,” Zhang Yuan replied with a smile.
Jun'er realized that the person in front of him was quite difficult to deal with, and he took advantage of any opening in the conversation.
"As the saying goes, three cobblers are equal to one Zhuge Liang. You can have a chat with me."
"Speaking doesn't cost much."
"What if I happen to have a way to help you?"
"Even if I don't have it, maybe I can ask around and find someone who can help you."
They've been so sincere, and now they have a tiny bit of strength.
The key is strength; having money means having strength.
Only when you have the ability will people pay attention to you and talk to you on an equal footing.
Especially for people from technical positions, even the boss may not respect them. Many of them can't even speak properly and act arrogantly towards their superiors.
I have the skills, you don't, why should I respect you, just because you pay me a salary?
In Jun'er's eyes, Zhang Yuan was someone who didn't understand technology.
But now that he has money, he can "respect" technology.
Just like the wealthy Middle Easterners who don't understand aerospace but understand the space agency and its budget.
If you spend money to respect technology, then you are the person who understands technology the most.
"Actually," Jun'er hesitated, as if recalling something extremely painful, "you should know that the Chinese market is now flooded with all kinds of counterfeit phones."
"They're all cobbled together from places like Huaqiangbei. You buy a bunch of hardware, solder it together, and you can make money from it."
"It is these counterfeit products and the unscrupulous merchants behind them that have given Chinese products a bad reputation worldwide."
At this point, China is widely recognized as a "counterfeit superpower".
Jun'er wasn't saying this out of cynicism, but because these people making counterfeit phones were harming his interests.
In fact, Xiaomi was the brand that finally ended the rampant counterfeit mobile phone market in China, especially with the launch of the first Redmi phone, which directly crushed the counterfeit phone industry.
With the price of a knock-off phone and the hardware of a mid-range phone, who would still buy a knock-off?
Young people also buy red rice for their elderly relatives.
Xiaomi gained a huge user base by swallowing up the lower-tier market of counterfeit phones.
However, the fledgling Xiaomi suffered setbacks because of counterfeit phones. It wasn't that others were copying it; Xiaomi didn't even have a physical phone. Even if it did, others were copying Apple and Samsung.
There's a saying: "One generation plants the trees, another enjoys the shade."
Just like the Three-North Shelterbelt Project, which has been carried out for decades, those who worked on it may not be able to enjoy the fruits of their labor, but their descendants, generation after generation, will be able to enjoy them.
Like the heroes who dared to fight during times of war and despair, I probably won't live to see the war end, but my descendants will be able to enjoy peace.
But wartime is not only about heroes, but also about puppet troops and traitors.
These "smart people" adhere to the philosophy of "the predecessors cut down trees, and the successors are exposed to the sun," as long as they don't get exposed to the sun, it's fine.
These counterfeit phone manufacturers also need hardware for processing.
Where does the hardware come from?
For imported brands, the domestic production lines, especially the independently developed hardware, are not yet good enough.
Many counterfeit phone manufacturers are actually shell companies. They give a deposit and then receive a large batch of hardware, whether it's the screen, memory, chip, or camera module.
After acquiring the company, they dissolved it and started anew.
As for the payment... come to China and find me, come and sue me.
These people are "roving operations," so where can you catch them?
Cross-border lawsuits are costly, so most hardware suppliers have no choice but to accept the loss.
These counterfeit phone owners don't care about the negative consequences; they're just looking to make a quick buck.
However, the impression that major brands have of Chinese mobile phone companies has plummeted.
After domestic manufacturers suffered losses several times, who would still do business with Indians?
The collapse of trust is caused by individuals, but the consequences must be borne by the collective.
Jun'er said he wanted to build a world-class enterprise, but he was ridiculed by these counterfeit manufacturers.
We can come up with several mobile phone models in a month, while you can work for a year and not even produce a prototype.
If you want to make high-quality products, you have to use high-quality hardware.
Jun'er is a very shrewd boss; he understands that good meat shouldn't be buried in rice.
To truly showcase a product, you need to focus on the most obvious aspects.
What is the most obvious feature of a mobile phone?
Screen!
Whether you're looking at something or touching it, the screen is the most intuitive way to interact.
The mainstream screen at present is not the later LED screen, but the LCD screen.
The mainstream suppliers of LCD screens include Toshiba, Sony, and LG, all of which are quite well-known.
But when it comes to the best technology, it has to be Sharp!
In the early days of LCD TVs' widespread adoption, Sharp was the undisputed leader among TV brands in China.
Sharp's LCD technology is world-leading and the best in all aspects.
But it's the same old problem of the Japanese: once they take the lead, they start to get stuck on minor details.
They relentlessly toiled and raced along a single road.
As a result, Sharp completely ignored technologies such as LED and OLED, and stubbornly stuck with LCD.
Just like Toyota, an engine can be repaired and used for 30 years.
Now, Jun'er has his eye on Sharp's screens.
But Sharp has been burned by domestic counterfeit manufacturers for too long!
Xiaomi sent several emails, but received no reply.
Jun'er contacted them personally, but they were too lazy to respond.
First of all, you are a new company that has never made a product before.
Secondly, you only need tens of thousands of yuan worth of mobile phone screens per month.
Xiaomi's initial sales expectations were very conservative, with a plan to sell 3 units a month as the minimum standard.
The other party took one look and saw that I had no experience and wanted less. Could it be another counterfeit factory trying to scam me out of money?
The other party stated that they currently only cooperate with major Chinese brands.
Jun'er really hates counterfeit phones because of this.
No matter how sincere you are, or how much you boast that you want to become a big company and that you will definitely make products seriously.
People have to believe it, right?
Anyway, the Japanese soldiers ignored him no matter what.
Teacher Luo, who later also worked in the mobile phone industry, said that he felt ashamed after hearing about Jun'er's working methods.
Because Jun'er is such a big boss, he personally visits, inspects, and contacts almost all suppliers of medium or larger size to try to understand the production process.
This is not only to strengthen cooperation, but also to ensure that one is not easily deceived by one's subordinates.
Zhang Yuan agrees that only by doing things personally can one reduce the possibility of making mistakes.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone to the British factory in person.
At this time, Jun'er was in the same boat. After failing to reach an agreement online, he decided to personally travel to the island nation to visit Sharp's headquarters and discuss the matter with them.
Whether it works or not, I have to talk to them myself first.
“I understand,” Zhang Yuan nodded.
In fact, he knew all along that Xiaomi was going to face this calamity!
Otherwise, why would he rush back in such a hurry, without even playing with the big white girl?
You can't be confused when it comes to important matters; don't let chasing girls delay important things.
"Have you managed to contact Sharp yet?"
"We can't just rush in recklessly; what if we get turned away?"
"I've contacted some friends."
"And then?" Zhang Yuan asked, tilting his head.
"No reply yet."
"It seems your friend isn't very capable."
Lei Jun: ...
You're definitely here to cause trouble.
He made one sarcastic remark after another.
"Are you OK?" Zhang Yuan asked, noticing his change in expression.
Jun'er was a little unhappy.
I was in a bad mood, but I treated you well when you came, all because of Duowan Games and Vancl.
I don't really want to see you.
“Mr. Lei, actually I have some connections in Japan, and I know some ‘little people’.” Zhang Yuan gestured with his fingertips, indicating the universe.
"Maybe it can help you."
"What kind of relationship are you talking about?" Jun'er hesitated. What kind of people could an actor like you know?
Could she be the leading lady in those movies that usually only have two or three actors?
“I know the former prime minister,” Zhang Yuan replied honestly, as always.
Lei Jun: ...
"You're not kidding, are you?" He gave Lu Yu the same expression.
Really? I don't believe it.
"I met him once before during an informal public meeting at the Prime Minister's residence."
"I visited his mansion again later."
"We have some personal relationship, I suppose."
"And the former prime minister's mother is the eldest daughter of the Bridgestone Group."
"Their family is very well-known in the business and political circles of the island nation."
"Bridgestone and Sharp are both parts suppliers for companies like Toyota, Honda, and Mitsubishi. I think they probably know each other privately."
Tires and LCD screens are both useful in cars.
Moreover, island nations also have various chambers of commerce, where a bunch of business owners reside.
"I think getting a meeting shouldn't be a problem." Zhang Yuan planned to use his savings.
Asking someone for a favor is very difficult; you might only get one chance in your lifetime.
Once favors are exhausted and there's no strength to replenish them, it becomes a disposable item.
These are one-time use key items, all for fighting bosses.
Jun'er was stunned for a long time.
Hearing him explain in such detail and with such logic, I knew he wasn't joking.
You're really going all out by using these favors... It's making me feel a little embarrassed.
"How about I make some arrangements and see if it works?"
"Uh……"
The sudden turn of events, which brought everything to a sudden realization, left this tech-savvy guy a little disoriented.
Moreover, having a prominent figure like a former prime minister relay the message is equivalent to getting an endorsement, which is much better than finding someone you can find yourself.
Sometimes, what seems like an insurmountable difficulty is nothing more than a trivial matter caused by a single word from a powerful figure.
"But there's still one problem." Jun'er didn't deny it, which meant he agreed.
He had no reason to deny such a good opportunity.
But he still hesitated.
This raises another issue: the Fukushima incident is escalating and has triggered nuclear panic. (End of Chapter)