I can become stronger by paying salaries. I have one billion employees!

Chapter 714 20 Million Units in Four Days! CCTV-1 Exclusive Interview: Competing with the Poor for Food? I Didn't!

At 10:00 AM, Wanda Group officially announced that it has acquired QQ Group Buying, Paipai.com and Yixun.com and established Whale E-commerce Business Unit, attempting to further expand its business boundaries.

At the press conference, Ma Wenteng personally endorsed Wanda and signed a three-year traffic entry cooperation agreement with Wang Jianlin.

With this, Tencent has completely withdrawn from the e-commerce sector, shifting its strategic focus from "self-operated full-service" to "diversified investment".

For Ma Wenteng, this meant he had finally found a buyer and spun off these three "money-losing assets" from the group.

Immediately afterwards, LeEco founder Jia Yaoting announced that the cumulative sales of LeEco Super Smart TVs had exceeded 400 million units, and then released the new Plus80 product.

As the name suggests, this TV increases the screen size to 80 inches, but is priced at only 9999 yuan.

In contrast, brands like Sharp and LG, which were selling TVs of the same size at prices generally exceeding 2 yuan.

At this time, LeEco was locked in a fierce battle with traditional TV manufacturers, and its ultra-low prices had a huge impact on the entire TV industry.

On the other hand, Orange Technology's proactive price reduction of its Orange series phones led to a renewed surge in sales in the low-end market.

According to data, in just four days from October 11th to October 14th, the global shipments of this series of mobile phones increased by 20 million units, almost accounting for nearly 60% of the market share of low-end models.

Orange Technology's remarkable achievements are mainly attributed to two core advantages:

First, a solid domestic offline layout: Currently, more than 4600 micro-direct stores have been established nationwide, plus more than 3100 Yunsu Express service stations, achieving efficient collaboration between the sales and logistics ends;
Secondly, the company has established a mature overseas distribution network. Over the past two years, the company has not only built a vast third-party distribution network, but also successfully launched its products into the global market through multiple channels, including cooperation with overseas operators, the establishment of self-operated stores, and distribution on Pinduoduo's overseas platform.

The wider Senlian Capital's business scope, the more people will criticize Chen Yansen behind his back.

For example, when Orange Supermarket was expanding rapidly in East China, it also affected the business of a large number of small tobacco and alcohol supermarkets. Many people held up their mobile phones, knelt on the ground, and begged Chen Yansen to give them a way to survive.

This situation quickly sparked widespread discussion across the internet, with the key point of contention being: Should Chen Yansen have ventured into the supermarket industry?
“I think it’s completely unnecessary. Chen Yansen is already worth over 6000 billion US dollars. He should be developing new technologies instead of competing with small vendors for those meager profits!”

"Brother Sen: What are the Dawn A220 lithography machine and the Aurogon G1051 CNC machine tool? Answer me!"

"Now we've demystified Chen Yansen! He may be rich and treats his employees well, but he shouldn't be competing with small vendors for their livelihood! You know, he has more money in his account than he could spend in ten lifetimes. Does he really have to drive ordinary people to the brink of despair?"

"I've really witnessed the diversity of species! It made me laugh. What do you mean by competing with the poor for food? I also earn my money through hard work. Why should I have to shop at a small supermarket? Those people should go and browse around at Orange Supermarket before saying such things. Their products are cheap, of good quality, and their service is excellent. This is clearly normal business competition!"

"The small supermarket at the entrance of our community sold me a pack of expired instant noodles last time. I went to argue with the owner, but he refused to admit it. Does he really want me to suffer a loss?"

"I'll never forget that painful lesson I learned in college: I bought a bottle of Coke at a small supermarket and it cost me 27 yuan! The owner was being sneaky when giving me change; he secretly took a 20-yuan bill from me. What a beast!"

"Holy crap! I've been ripped off by a small supermarket too! It's the exact same trick!"

Netizens engaged in a lively discussion, each contributing their own comments.

at the same time.

In a window-side lounge area on the top floor of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Yanjing, the staff of the "Face to Face" program were already in place.

This flagship interview program on CCTV-1 waited a full week to interview Chen Yansen.

The soft spotlight fell on Chen Yansen, who was wearing a well-tailored dark gray suit. His hair was not styled, giving him a casual look, but it did not diminish his calm and dignified aura.

On the glass coffee table in front of me, a freshly brewed cup of Longjing tea is emitting wisps of steam, its delicate aroma slowly spreading through the air.

Wang Ning, the host of "Face to Face," held a prepared outline of questions, looked at Chen Yansen, adjusted the microphone, and broke the silence by asking:
"Mr. Chen, the recent topic of Senlian Capital's involvement in the supermarket industry has sparked heated discussions across the internet. Many people believe that with your net worth exceeding 6000 billion US dollars, you shouldn't be competing with small vendors for a living. What is your opinion on this?"

Chen Yansen was leaning back on the sofa. After listening to Wang Ning's question, he smiled faintly and replied: "First of all, I would like to correct a statement. Senlian Capital is not 'stealing business,' but is just participating in normal business competition. Everyone may want to think about what the essence of business is. It is actually to provide consumers with better products, better services, and more reasonable prices."

Orange Supermarket's success in gaining consumer recognition isn't due to its capital advantage squeezing out smaller supermarkets, but rather to its genuine efforts in supply chain management, quality control, and service optimization. Ultimately, this allows consumers to buy safer and more reliable products for less money.

He paused briefly, then added slowly, "As for those who suggested I focus on developing new technologies and shouldn't get involved in the supermarket industry, I understand."

However, one point may have been overlooked: Senlian Capital has never stopped exploring cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, big data, semiconductors, and aerospace, and its investment of funds and human resources is among the best in the industry.

Developing new technologies is never a quick process; it requires a long period of accumulation and continuous investment. Meanwhile, ordinary people's daily lives revolve around the mundane necessities of food and fuel. Shouldn't we, while tackling high-tech challenges, also offer consumers greater affordability and convenience?

Wang Ning nodded slightly and continued to ask, "But indeed, some small shop owners have fallen into operational difficulties due to the development of Orange Supermarket."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yansen thought for a moment and said, "Technological progress will inevitably eliminate some industries and jobs. In fact, historically, about 70% of professions disappear every 70 or 80 years; this is an inevitable trend in social development."

Just like during the Industrial Revolution, steam power replaced a lot of manual labor, and the traditional coachman's job was gradually replaced by the emerging train driver and automobile driver.

However, while technology eliminates old jobs, it also constantly creates new employment opportunities. The key is not whether jobs will disappear, but whether it can provide transformation support for affected workers, helping them acquire new skills, seize new opportunities, and adapt more quickly to the changed market environment.

Upon hearing this, Wang Ning couldn't help but sigh inwardly: He truly deserves to be called a once-in-a-millennium business genius. Just his ability to communicate fluently without notes is something that not only his peers can hardly match, but even seasoned veterans who have been in the business world for many years can't match his clear speech and meticulous logical thinking.

"Mr. Chen, according to statistics, Senlian Capital has a total of 107 million employees, making it the largest private enterprise in China. I heard that you started implementing a 'four days on, three days off' work system in June of this year. I would like to ask you, what were the reasons for making this decision?"

Wang Ning then asked.

After hearing this, Chen Yansen smiled gently and said in a relaxed tone, "The reason is simple: we hope that employees can have more time to balance work and life. Nowadays, the pace of society is getting faster and faster, and many people are filled with work all day long, without even time to spend with their families or cultivate their hobbies."

This will not only negatively impact physical and mental health, but may even conversely lead to a decrease in work efficiency.

"Will implementing a 'four days on, three days off' work system affect the company's normal operations and work progress?"

Wang Ning pressed on, asking a question that many viewers were also most concerned about.

Chen Yansen shook his head and then replied, "We made full preparations and conducted pilot tests. We first conducted a three-month pilot test in three subsidiaries: Orange Technology, Pinbei, and DeepBlue Technology. The results exceeded our expectations."

During the pilot program, employee productivity not only did not decrease, but actually increased by about 15%. This was because employees knew their rest time was guaranteed, which led to greater focus at work, proactive optimization of workflows, improved efficiency, and avoidance of procrastination.

"Mr. Chen, does Senlian Capital have any plans to expand the pilot program?" Wang Ning asked again. "It's already in the planning stages. The next step is to open up to companies like Gaode Maps, Today Technology, ByteDance, Xiaohongshu, Tiangong Technology, and Xingyuan Technology. Labor-intensive industries like Kuaipao, Yunsu, and Orange Mobile Phone Factory will start by implementing a two-day weekend system."

Chen Yansen spoke eloquently.

It is unrealistic to implement a "four days on, three days off" work system for companies like Kuaipao and Yunsu, mainly because the industry's profit margins are limited and it is difficult to cover the increased labor costs.

However, this is only temporary!
Once the economy enters a period of rapid growth and ordinary people's incomes increase significantly, the standards for express delivery and shipping fees can be gradually raised.

This will not only improve delivery efficiency but also effectively improve employee benefits.

After all, for any industry, ensuring healthy profitability is the key to achieving sustainable development.

"Some netizens have pointed out that Senlian Capital rarely appears in various charitable activities. Mr. Chen, what is your opinion on this issue?"

Wang Ning glanced down at the outline and asked again.

"That's a fact, I won't deny it! But Senlian Capital has its own philanthropic philosophy, paying social insurance and housing fund contributions, base salary and bonuses for its employees, to ensure that its own employees can have a stable life first."

Chen Yansen spoke very frankly.

He paused and then said, "In my opinion, instead of donating the money directly, it would be better to give it to the employees. When employees have income, they will consume, and consumption can further drive production, thus creating a virtuous cycle in the economy."

Wang Ning nodded slightly, quite agreeing.

She would probably scoff at anyone else, but Chen Yansen has always been known for keeping his word.

Previously, a financial blogger calculated that Kuaipao Delivery's net profit margin was less than 3%, and 90% of its revenue was used to pay the salaries of its frontline delivery workers.

He single-handedly changed the living conditions of food delivery workers.

It's important to know that before Kuaipao entered the food delivery industry, there was no such thing as "paying social security" or "receiving a base salary" for delivery workers. They didn't even have basic accident insurance or third-party liability insurance.

If a delivery driver is unfortunately involved in a car accident, he or she often has no choice but to accept the loss and bear all the consequences himself or her.

Next, Wang Ning posed a series of questions, covering Chen Yansen's views on love and choosing a partner, as well as his advice to young entrepreneurs.

"Starting a business is not easy. I don't recommend that young people start their own businesses right away. My advice is to work at Senlian Capital for two or three years first, learn the rules of business operation and improve management skills in actual work, and then try to start a business. The probability of success will be higher."

Chen Yansen shared softly.

To be honest, starting a business is not much different from gambling; you often lose nine out of ten times.

People from well-off families have a chance to try again if they lose.

However, for 90% of ordinary families, once they stumble in starting a business, they will most likely never be able to get back up.

After the interview, Chen Yansen shook hands with each of the program's staff members to say goodbye.

He had just seen the person off when Zhang Chaoyang called.

"Have you found a research and development center for Yunkun Aerospace?"

Zhang Chaoyang asked with concern over the phone.

"A piece of land was allocated to Yunkun, and nearly half of the R&D buildings in the Yongfeng Industrial Base were given to it."

Chen Yansen answered truthfully.

"Could I become an honorary research fellow?"

Zhang Chaoyang jokingly and shamelessly suggested it.

He has a PhD in physics, so he is naturally very interested in rocket development.

He's in his fifties now, and he's usually powerless when it comes to young women. His hobbies have become sea fishing, mountain climbing, and collecting beads.

After thinking about it for a few days, I had the idea of ​​going to Yunkun Aerospace to "join in the fun".

"No problem! But you have to go to Senlian University in Luzhou as a visiting professor and come over to teach the students from time to time."

Chen Yansen joked with a smile.

In the past month or so, Senlian Capital has taken over Luzhou Guanghua College and renamed it "Senlian University".

The school is currently carrying out renovations: installing air conditioning in student dormitories, converting the canteen to a self-operated model, adding a practical teaching mechanism, and adjusting the course content.

As the first private third-tier college under Orange Education, Chen Yansen naturally attaches great importance to it.

"Become a teacher? Sure, that's fair! By the way, I've invited Wang Xiaochuan, Zhou Hongyi, and Lei Yijun to a party at sea tonight. Are you coming?"

Zhang Chaoyang readily agreed, and then immediately extended a new invitation.

"Maybe next time, I don't have time today."

Chen Yansen replied.

Lin Maoye's trip to Yanjing was ostensibly for an interview, but in reality, he wanted to assess Yunkun Aerospace's research and development environment before deciding whether to hire him.

As the top candidate for CEO of Yunkun Aerospace, Chen Yansen decided to go to the airport in person.

(End of this chapter)