amaotonovel Chapter 1590 International Perspective
Chapter 1590 International Perspective
The day Zhou Zhenxing arrived at Zeus Power Plant was an ordinary Monday morning.
Qin Hao announced the decision at a high-level meeting—Zhou Zhenxing would be appointed as the company's vice president, in charge of product marketing and brand strategy, with the same salary as Liu Yuan.
The meeting room fell silent.
Liu Yuan paused, holding the teacup, and his brows furrowed involuntarily.
Vice President.
To be on equal footing with oneself.
Liu Yuan felt an indescribable awkwardness.
He was one of Qin Hao's earliest employees, working for him since the company was just a shell company. In just over two years, he rose from a fresh graduate to the position of vice president. In the entire Zeus Power Plant, besides Qin Hao, he was the one who called the shots. Now, someone suddenly appears out of nowhere, and he's at the same level as him—what kind of nonsense is this?
……
Zhou Zhenxing is indeed capable.
Liu Yuan quickly admitted to this.
In his second week in office, Zhou Zhenxing presented a thick product marketing plan at a high-level meeting.
That day, Qin Hao, Liu Yuan, Zhou Zhenxing, and a manager were sitting in the conference room, while Han Ling took notes. Zhou Zhenxing stood up, distributed the plan to everyone, then walked to the whiteboard, picked up a marker, and began to explain.
“I’ve studied our company’s current product line and market positioning. Our chassis are excellent, with leading designs and high demand. But the problem is—” He drew a circle on the whiteboard and wrote “domestic market”: “Our market is too narrow.”
"There are at least a hundred computer case manufacturers nationwide right now. We win by design, but designs can be imitated. In six months, at most a year, competitors will definitely catch up. At that time, where will our advantage be?"
Liu Yuan flipped through the plan in his hand without saying a word. He had to admit that he had never thought about this problem before.
Zhou Zhenxing drew an even bigger circle on the whiteboard, enclosing the previous one: "Our vision shouldn't be limited to just this small patch of land in front of us."
He turned to the third page of the plan and pointed to a chart: "We should actively align ourselves with international standards."
"How do we connect?" Liu Yuan asked impatiently.
“Currently, almost no domestic computer component manufacturers have passed international quality system certification.” Zhou Zhenxing adjusted his glasses, speaking slowly but firmly: “The most core internationally recognized certification standard is ISO 9001 quality system certification. If we can obtain this certification, it means our products will have a passport to enter the international market.”
"It's not just about entering the international market," Zhou Zhenxing continued, "Even if we only focus on the domestic market, having ISO9001 certification gives us a significant advantage when negotiating with major clients."
“Furthermore—” He turned to page five of the proposal: “After obtaining certification, we should actively participate in international electronics exhibitions and award competitions. For example, CeBIT in Germany and COMDEX in the United States are top-tier global electronics exhibitions. Even just exhibiting and making an appearance on the international stage will greatly enhance the brand.”
The meeting room was silent for a few seconds.
Qin Hao looked at Zhou Zhenxing, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. This was exactly the direction he wanted—he understood better than anyone that the future market wasn't just domestic, but global. Zhou Zhenxing's ability to propose an internationalization strategy in the 90s demonstrated that his vision truly far surpassed that of ordinary people.
"I agree to this plan." Qin Hao nodded and looked at Liu Yuan: "Liu Yuan, what do you think?"
Liu Yuan remained silent for a while, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table.
He was a shrewd man, and the greatest advantage of a shrewd man is his ability to distinguish between acting on impulse and making rational judgments. His dissatisfaction with Zhou Zhenxing was driven by emotion; but Zhou Zhenxing's plan was something Liu Yuan truly couldn't have come up with.
He spent two years working alongside Qin Hao, learning how to manage the supply chain, how to deal with contract manufacturers, and how to minimize costs—all solid, hard-earned skills. However, his vision remained limited to the domestic market. Zhou Zhenxing, on the other hand, had a much larger strategic vision. He saw not only Shenzhen and the mainland, but the global market.
“I have no objections.” Liu Yuan put down the plan, picked up his teacup, and took a sip. “The plan is good; the question is how to implement it.”
Qin Hao smiled but didn't say anything more.
From that day on, Liu Yuan's attitude towards Zhou Zhenxing changed. He stopped arguing during meetings, and their work coordination became increasingly smooth.
Zhou Zhenxing was also tactful and never put on airs as the vice president in front of Liu Yuan. Whenever there was a problem with the supply chain, he would always ask Liu Yuan for his opinion first. The two of them, one in charge of internal affairs and the other in charge of external affairs, gradually developed a tacit understanding.
The application for ISO9001 certification was also being carried out intensively under Zhou Zhenxing's impetus.
……
On the other hand, Xiao Ran, spurred on by Han Ling, decided to quit his current purchasing job.
He knew, of course, that his move was risky, but what future did he have staying at this lousy company? With 1200 a month plus commission, even working himself to the bone, he'd only make 1500 or 1600. After rent and living expenses, there wouldn't be much left. Han Ling earned 2000 during her probationary period, and every time he thought about it, his pride felt like it was being ripped away.
He didn't look down on Han Ling for making money; he looked down on himself.
What kind of man is he if he can't even support his own woman?
He wants to start his own business.
He wants to be his own boss.
But starting a business requires capital.
Xiao Ran returned to his rented room and turned all his belongings upside down—the balance in his bankbook, the loose change in his drawer, the coins he found in his pockets, all added up to less than two thousand yuan.
What can you do with two thousand yuan?
Open a restaurant? Not enough to cover rent. Open a small shop? Not enough to cover inventory. Go into wholesale? Too little capital. Try stock trading? He didn't have Chen Qiming's guts.
Selling pirated cassette tapes?
The thought flashed through Xiao Ran's mind, but he immediately dismissed it. The experience of being caught by the city management officers for selling pirated goods was still fresh in his mind; he almost got deported, and he didn't want to go through that again.
but.
Two thousand dollars, two thousand dollars... What kind of business can be started with just two thousand dollars?
As he was thinking, he got hungry. There was nothing left to eat in the rented room, so he had no choice but to go out and find a food stall to sit down. While he was pondering, he overheard a conversation between several men at the next table.
The men seemed to be small business owners, boasting about their ways of making money.
"Let me tell you, if you take goods from Shenzhen to the north and sell them, you can easily double or triple the price!"
"Don't be ridiculous, what can double or triple in value?"
"A digital watch! A digital watch only costs two or three yuan in Huaqiangbei, but if you take it to a rural town in the north, people will buy it for ten yuan! Those poor, remote people have never seen anything like it before. It's incredibly novel to them!"
"Really?"
"I went to Hebei last month, bought some goods for two or three hundred yuan, and sold them for over two thousand! It was a bit tiring though, though, because I had to take a train and then a bus, and when I got to the towns, I had to go door-to-door selling my wares."
"What's a little hardship if I can make money!"
Xiao Ran suddenly raised his head, his eyes lighting up.
Yup!
We source goods from Shenzhen and sell them in the north!
He's in Shenzhen, and the goods are right at his doorstep. What doesn't Huaqiangbei have? Electronic watches, calculators, electronic dictionaries, Walkmans... These things are practically free in Shenzhen, but in small towns and rural areas in the north, they're rare finds!
Information gap! Spatial gap!
Isn't this the simplest and most direct way to make money?
Xiao Ran became more and more excited and couldn't sit still any longer. He grabbed his coat and headed straight for Huaqiangbei.
He was familiar with the Huaqiangbei electronics market, having frequented it many times when he was a purchasing agent. He asked prices at each stall, comparing prices at over a dozen, before finding one with the lowest wholesale price—2.5 yuan for a regular electronic watch and 3.2 yuan for one with more features. He gritted his teeth and took out almost all the money he had on him, buying over 600 electronic watches, spending nearly 1,500 yuan.
Keep the rest of the money for travel expenses.
Xiao Ran neatly packed the digital watch into two large snakeskin bags, added a few changes of clothes, and then headed to the train station.
He bought a hard-seat ticket to Beijing, which took more than 30 hours to arrive. Once in Beijing, he didn't linger—he knew Beijing too well. Digital watches were already being sold by plenty of people in Zhongguancun and Xidan, and the competition was fierce. As a newcomer, he couldn't possibly compete with those local bigwigs.
He has to go where others don't go.
Xiao Ran took another long-distance bus to a small county in Hebei. From there, he transferred to a minibus and endured a bumpy ride to a township.
That town was dirt poor; there wasn't even a decent shop on the street. But on market days, it was packed with people, with villagers from all around flocking to buy things.
Xiao Ran found a conspicuous spot, spread the snakeskin bag on the ground, and the digital watches poured out with a clatter, a large, colorful display that shimmered in the sunlight.
"Electronic watches! Electronic watches from Shenzhen! They can tell time and function as alarm clocks! Ten yuan each, ten yuan each!"
He shouted at the top of his lungs for less than five minutes, and a crowd gathered in front of his stall.
Where had those villagers ever seen such a novel gadget? It could light up with the touch of a finger and even tell the time, far superior to the old grandfather clock in their homes.
"Give me one!"
"I want one too!"
Do you have any other colors?
Xiao Ran was so busy he barely had time to breathe, barely able to keep up with collecting money and giving change. He sold forty or fifty yuan worth of goods that morning, earning four or five hundred yuan.
Xiao Ran spent more than half a month traveling through most of Hebei Province and then to the border area between Shanxi and Inner Mongolia. He endured wind and rain, sometimes sleeping in the waiting room of the train station when he couldn't find a place to stay at night. As for the food, steamed buns and pickled vegetables were the norm, and occasionally eating a bowl of noodles in a small town restaurant was considered a treat.
But he felt happy inside.
He made a net profit of seven or eight yuan for every electronic watch he sold. With over six hundred electronic watches sold, he earned nearly four thousand yuan on this trip.
Four thousand yuan!
That's more than his salary for three months as a purchasing agent!
Sitting on the train back home, Xiao Ran clutched the wad of cash in his pocket, feeling for the first time that he could finally stand on his own two feet in this land. The scenery outside the window rushed past, and as he stared at the gray horizon, he was already planning what goods to bring in on his next trip.
……
Before we knew it, it was already the end of 1994.
Winters in Shenzhen aren't particularly cold, but it's still a bit chilly in the mornings and evenings. Inside the Zeus Power Plant's office building, the heating was on full blast. Han Ling, wearing a beige sweater, sat at her workstation, organizing a client document assigned to her by Qin Hao.
She's been with the company for almost a year now. From being nervous and awkward at the beginning to being quite skilled now, she's become much more confident. Her salary has also increased; after becoming a full-time employee, she received 3,500 yuan. With her year-end bonus, the money she saved in this year is more than she earned in her three years at the dance troupe.
"Han Ling."
Qin Hao's voice came from the office.
"You're here." Han Ling put down the documents in her hand and pushed open the door to go in.
"Have you made an appointment with Lenovo?" Qin Hao looked up at her, his tone very serious.
"It's arranged," Han Ling quickly replied. "Six o'clock this afternoon, at Jufengtang, to meet with Vice President Liu from Lenovo."
Qin Hao nodded, his gaze returning to the documents on the table.
Han Ling tactfully withdrew and gently closed the door behind her.
After she left, Qin Hao leaned back in his chair and stared at the chessboard for a long time.
Lenovo.
By 1994, Lenovo was no longer the small company that relied on selling Chinese character cards to maintain meager profits. Starting in 1990, Lenovo launched its own brand of computers, achieving considerable market share in just a few years. Qin Hao knew better than anyone that Lenovo's sales would soon surpass its older brother, IBM, and even occupy the top spot in global PC shipments for a long time to come.
This is a giant taking off.
If Zeus can become a supplier to Lenovo, its power supply and chassis sales will skyrocket. This is not just about a single order, but a leap in the scale of the entire company.
Cutting a slice of the pie from the supply chain of branded computer manufacturers—this was a strategy Qin Hao had been planning for a long time, and it was also the core reason why he spent a lot of money to poach Zhou Zhenxing.
Having just passed ISO9001 certification last month, Zhou Zhenxing's marketing plan is progressing steadily, and everything is going according to plan. Now, only the final step remains—acquiring Lenovo.
Qin Hao reached out and placed a piece on the chessboard.
The black stone pressed down on the white stone's liberty point, and a group of black stones that was originally in a precarious situation instantly came to life.
He stood up and picked up the coat hanging on the hanger.
"Let's go."
……
6 PM, Jufengtang.
This is one of the most upscale restaurants in the Huaqiangbei area, with exquisite decor and refined dishes. It's a favorite spot for Shenzhen's slightly influential businessmen to entertain guests. The private room has a dark red carpet, a landscape painting on the wall, and cold dishes and tea are already set on the round table.
Qin Hao greeted him with a smile, "It's an honor to have Mr. Liu here."
"Mr. Qin, you're too kind." Vice President Liu stood up and shook hands with him, then looked the young man up and down—he was in his early twenties, calm and reserved, with a certainty in his eyes that was beyond his years, unlike a young lad.
The two sat down, exchanged a few pleasantries, and after a round of drinks, Vice President Liu got straight to the point.
"Mr. Qin, there's no need for product introductions." Vice President Liu put down his wine glass and said directly, "Every computer store in Zhongguancun carries your power supplies and cases; we know that."
Qin Hao smiled slightly but did not reply.
Vice President Liu then changed the subject: "However, Lenovo makes branded PCs, which is different from the DIY PC market. Branded PCs have very strict quality requirements for components, especially the power supply—the power supply is the heart of the computer; if it malfunctions, the entire machine is ruined. We can't afford to take that risk."
He looked at Qin Hao, his gaze sharp: "Excuse my bluntness, but the quality of domestic power supply manufacturers varies greatly. We've always used power supplies from Japanese companies; although they're more expensive, their quality is stable. We haven't verified your product yet."
The statement was neither too soft nor too hard, but the attitude was very clear—there were concerns about quality.
Qin Hao said seriously, "President Liu, quality is precisely where Zeus Power Supply has an advantage."
He pulled a document from his briefcase and pushed it in front of Vice President Liu: "This is our latest quality inspection report and product parameters. You can take a look. While we wouldn't dare say we've reached the top in the industry, we're certainly among the best."
Vice President Liu flipped through a few pages but did not express his opinion.
Qin Hao continued, "Furthermore, we can design a power supply specifically for Lenovo with superior current protection. As you know, unstable voltage is the norm in China's power grid, especially in second- and third-tier cities and rural areas, where voltage fluctuations are very large. Foreign brands' power supplies are designed for standard voltage environments, so they may not necessarily have an advantage over us in this regard. We have long been deeply involved in the domestic market and have a better understanding of China's power environment, allowing us to specifically enhance overvoltage protection, overcurrent protection, and surge suppression—something foreign brands absolutely cannot do."
Vice President Liu paused for a moment while flipping through the documents.
He looked up and re-examined the young man in front of him. Customizing power supplies for specific clients was an idea he hadn't heard any domestic manufacturers mention before. Japanese power supplies were standardized products, mass-produced and low-cost, but they hadn't actually done any customized development for the specific needs of the Chinese market.
This young man is something else.
After a moment's hesitation, Vice President Liu didn't immediately agree, but cautiously said, "President Qin, words are not enough. Is it convenient for you to visit our factory?"
Qin Hao smiled confidently: "You're welcome anytime."
……
Three days later, a black sedan drove into the gate of the Zeus Power Plant.
Vice President Liu, accompanied by three technicians, arrived at the factory gate on time.
Qin Hao personally greeted them at the entrance. He had specially dressed in a formal suit today and stood under the big banyan tree at the factory gate, where he could see the group of people getting out of the car from afar.
After exchanging pleasantries, Qin Hao led Vice President Liu and his entourage into the factory area.
After walking only a few steps, Vice President Liu's gaze was drawn to a red banner hanging at the factory gate—
Our factory has passed ISO9001 quality system certification.
The banner was large, with red background and white lettering, and it stood out prominently in the winter sun.
Vice President Liu stopped and stared at the banner for a few seconds, a hint of surprise appearing on his face.
"President Qin," he turned around, his tone now more serious, "As far as I know, the ISO 9001 quality system certification is extremely rigorous, and only a handful of companies in the domestic electronics industry have passed it. Your factory actually passed it?"
Qin Hao smiled faintly: "It was approved just last month."
He paused, looked into Vice President Liu's eyes, and said in a tone that was neither humble nor arrogant, "President Liu, how could I dare to make such a guarantee for you if I didn't have some real skills?"
Vice President Liu didn't speak, but the surprise in his eyes had turned into approval. He knew all too well about ISO9001 certification—Lenovo itself had only passed it last year, and the entire application and review process took more than half a year, with a level of rigor far exceeding most people's imagination. For a private enterprise established less than three years ago to obtain this certification demonstrated that the company's management level was quite high.
"Come on, let me show you the production line." Qin Hao extended his hand, gesturing for Vice President Liu to go first.
The visit, which lasted for more than an hour, completely changed the views of Vice President Liu and his technical team.
They first inspected the power supply production line—the entire line was clean and tidy, the workers were all wearing anti-static clothing, the tools on the workbenches were neatly arranged, and standard operating instructions were posted next to each workstation. From incoming component inspection to finished product testing, every step had strict quality control procedures and records.
Then I visited the stamping workshop—a brand-new chassis production line. The machines were humming but not chaotic, raw materials and finished products were stacked separately, and safety lines were clearly marked in the aisles. Several quality inspectors were randomly checking finished chassis, comparing each item to the standards, from appearance to size to assembly precision.
Finally, they visited the laboratory—temperature and humidity testing, high and low temperature cycling testing, vibration testing, drop testing… The technical supervisor brought by Vice President Liu was increasingly astonished. He hadn't expected a private company's laboratory to be equipped with such comprehensive testing equipment. Many large domestic manufacturers might not even have this kind of capability.
Throughout the visit, Vice President Liu didn't offer many opinions, but simply kept looking and asking questions. His questions were very professional, covering everything from component procurement channels to standard parameters for aging tests, from statistical methods for defect rates to customer complaint handling procedures—leaving no detail overlooked.
Qin Hao answered each question fluently and smoothly.
After the tour, Vice President Liu stood at the factory gate and shook hands with Qin Hao. His expression was noticeably more relaxed than it had been three days earlier at Jufengtang, and there was even a hint of satisfaction on his lips.
"President Qin, after seeing this today, it's definitely different from what I imagined," said Vice President Liu. "My previous impression of Huaqiangbei was that it was full of small workshops with inconsistent quality. But your factory is on a completely different level."
Qin Hao smiled and replied, "Mr. Liu, you flatter me."
"After I get back, I need to report to headquarters and go through the internal procedures." Vice President Liu patted Qin Hao on the shoulder. "However, I personally have a very high opinion of your products and technological capabilities, and I will do my best to promote cooperation between the two parties."
Qin Hao nodded: "I'll await good news."
Vice President Liu's car drove out of the factory gate and disappeared at the end of the street.
……
A month later, the two parties officially signed a supply agreement.
Lenovo's Vice President Liu strongly advocated for the project, despite some internal objections—after all, Zeus Power is a private enterprise with no precedent of supplying branded computer manufacturers on a large scale—but Vice President Liu argued his case at the meeting with copies of the visit report and ISO9001 certification, ultimately persuading senior management.
After the contract was signed, both parties had a meal at Jufengtang Restaurant in a lively atmosphere. Vice President Liu raised his glass to Qin Hao, smiling, and said, "President Qin, from now on we're partners. Lenovo's orders are substantial; can your production capacity keep up?"
Qin Hao raised his glass in return: "Don't worry, Mr. Liu, we've already made preparations regarding production capacity."
He glanced at Liu Yuan and Zhou Zhenxing beside him, the three of them clinked glasses, and drank it all in one gulp.
As I stepped out of Jufengtang, the Shenzhen night was just right. Neon lights reflected on the wet pavement, creating a kaleidoscope of colors, like a flowing oil painting.
Zhou Zhenxing adjusted his glasses, a rare hint of excitement on his face: "President Qin, with Lenovo opening this door, the road ahead will be much easier. With Lenovo's backing, doing business with branded computers like Founder and Tsinghua Tongfang will be a natural progression." (End of Chapter)