Tech startup: I really do make mobile phones!

Chapter 120 Corporate Culture and Subculture

The door to the general manager's office at Orange Technology was knocked open, and Zhao Tiezhu walked in with Zeng, who looked a little reserved but had bright eyes.

Zhao Tiezhu's marketing department now also manages channels and supply chain, and the business is expanding rapidly. Xiao Zeng, who is also a skilled disassembly worker from North China, assists Zhao Tiezhu in managing some supply chain affairs and has become the de facto deputy of the marketing department.

Everyone in the marketing department noticed that Supervisor Zhao often took Zeng to meet General Manager Chen, and they all guessed that Zeng was about to be promoted. Even he himself thought so.

Zhao Tiezhu casually sat down on the sofa in the reception area: "President Chen, this week's shipment data is out. Let Xiao Zeng report it to you."

Chen Mo raised an eyebrow and glanced at the impolite young man. It seemed he really treated this "Millionaire Brother" as a brother.

He raised his hand to signal, "Xiao Zeng! Let's begin!"

Zeng took a deep breath, opened the folder in his hand, stood up straight, and spoke clearly.

“陈总，7月19日至7月25日，咱们的橙子1本周总出货量57万台，环比增长78.1%。”

Nietzsche's direct sales and TV shopping channels were highly effective, generating sales with minimal investment.

Unlike online channels, Chen Mo spent two million yuan and only sold 8 units a week, which is less than a fraction of what physical channels sell in a day.

When Chen Mo acquired Nietzsche, he was mainly interested in its direct sales channels, as selling through TV shopping channels meant pure profit, regardless of the volume of sales.

As for why they wanted to take over the TV shopping channel, this move was actually to put Nietzsche on a few more "leashes" to prevent him from recovering and turning around and biting the orange.

The specific data for each channel is as follows:

Shipments through strong distribution channels in North China reached 30 units, a 6.2% decrease compared to the previous period, impacted by the uniform pricing at Nietzsche's directly operated stores.

The Orange 1 phone sold 52 units in its first week of release, and subsequently relied mainly on strong distribution channels in North China, with weekly sales stabilizing at around 32 units.

"New additions: Nietzsche's direct-sale stores shipped 20.9 units, exceeding expectations by 4.5%, while TV shopping shipped 6.1 units, falling short of expectations by 23.8%."

"Why is the expected sales volume from TV shopping so much lower than anticipated?" Chen Mo put down his pen, leaned forward slightly, and looked sharply at Xiao Zeng: "What's the reason analysis?"

Zeng glanced at Zhao Tiezhu subconsciously, and only after receiving a "speak up" look from the latter did he muster the courage to speak.

"Mr. Chen, our marketing department believes there are two main points:"

First, after we entered Nietzsche's direct sales channels with a unified price, although this effectively curbed the price chaos that previously existed in the strong distribution system in North China, it also led to a slight decline in sales within the strong distribution channels themselves in North China. This was an expected growing pain.

Chen Mo nodded; this was within his expectations.

Orange phones' integration with Nietzsche's direct-sale stores cut off the exorbitant profits of intermediaries in the strong distribution system in North China from the terminal agent level, inevitably impacting sales.

"Secondly, and most importantly, our Orange mobile phone's unified terminal price strategy of 499 has objectively squeezed the survival space of TV shopping."

"When consumers find that the prices on TV shopping are exactly the same as those at the Nietzsche direct-sale store near their homes, and they even have to pay extra for possible shipping, they will naturally prefer to buy from physical stores where they can see and touch the products, and the experience will be much better."

Chen Mo nodded, his face revealing neither joy nor anger. Suddenly, he changed the subject, his tone carrying a hint of testing.

"Xiao Zeng, what do you think is the best way to solve this problem?"

Zeng's mind raced for a moment before he immediately replied, "Mr. Chen, I think we could raise the price by ten yuan at Nietzsche's shop?"

"This money isn't for making more money; it's just to create a price difference between TV shopping and physical stores."

"Our Orange 1 phone feels great in the hand and is easy to use. You can touch the real phone directly in the store, and you can take it home as soon as you buy it. Even if it costs an extra ten yuan, everyone will definitely be more willing to buy it in the store."

"That way, if the prices are higher in the store, it makes our brand seem more valuable, and if the prices are lower on TV shopping channels, we can sell more goods."

After listening, Chen Mo's lips curled up slightly, revealing a barely perceptible smile, and he nodded to Xiao Zeng.

"Good idea! Okay, you can go ahead and get busy."

Zeng felt as if he had been granted a pardon and respectfully withdrew. Before closing the door, he could still hear Zhao Tiezhu's boisterous voice.

"Brother Chen! How's the kid doing?"

As soon as the door closed, Chen Mo's gaze turned to Zhao Tiezhu on the sofa, a hint of a smile on his face.

"Looks like you think highly of this Millionaire guy!"

Zhao Tiezhu chuckled, poured himself a glass of water, and gulped down a large mouthful.

"Burp~" The kid burped after filling his water buffalo with water: "This water is really something else, this is the only way to quench my thirst!"

The 18.9L bottled water in the tea room outside costs 10 yuan and is called "Horse Pee". Chen Ge's office has 5L bottles of natural mineral water for 60 yuan and is called "Fine Wine".

"Stop talking nonsense, kid. You're running around like a kingpin in the marketing department now, throwing your weight around. Do you think I don't know?"

Zhao Tiezhu raised his eyebrows in grievance, but couldn't suppress the smile on his lips.

"Brother Chen, I'm just trying to get some people to back you up!"

"Haha! You rascal." Chen Mo's smile faded, and he said seriously, "Regarding the TV shopping channel, follow my plan."

Chen Mo then directly assigned him tasks.

"Don't adjust the price. Focus on mobile phone accessories. Find reputable vendors in North China and create 'mobile phone + official exclusive accessory sets'. TV shopping will highlight the 'great value' aspect, which will both enhance the perceived value and boost sales of related products."

"Brilliant! Brother Chen, your move was truly brilliant, it's as high as three or four stories!" Zhao Tiezhu slapped his thigh, mimicking a trendy slang term: "I'll get on it right away! It seems that kid Zeng is still a bit green, he only thought about adjusting the price, but didn't think about adding value!"

Chen Mo waved his hand, signaling him to calm down, but his expression turned serious.

"It's good that you're developing your subordinates' business skills, but just looking at their business skills isn't enough."

Zhao Tiezhu's heart skipped a beat; it seemed that Zeng's future was in jeopardy.

Chen Mo stood up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looked down at the bustling North China Electronics Market, and spoke in a deep voice.

“You are my best brother. You must remember that when I talk about ‘technological equality,’ I am not just shouting slogans!”

This is both Chen Mo's fundamental pursuit and the practical path that the cutting-edge mobile phone system dictates he must take, prioritizing "sales volume" rather than "profit."

The wealthy in this world are only a tiny fraction at the very top; how many research and development projects could they possibly support?
To propel Orange Technology to the pinnacle of technology through system development, we need a larger number of support towers!

In any case, Orange's original intention cannot change, and should never change.

"The more capable the employees who don't agree with this concept, the greater the harm they can cause!" He turned around and stared intently at Zhao Tiezhu: "The employees I want must understand why we make mobile phones, what kind of mobile phones we make, and more importantly, why we want to push mobile phones into rural towns!"

Faced with Chen Mo's "three soul-searching questions," Zhao Tiezhu's smile vanished, and he sat up straight, sensing the weight of Chen Mo's words.

"I don't care what method you use—meetings, heart-to-heart talks, training, or even 'swearing'!" Chen Mo said, engraving each word clearly, "You must engrave the four words 'technology equality' into the very bones of every single person in your marketing department!"

"We need to make them remember from the bottom of their hearts that what we are doing is enabling more users, especially those who have been overlooked by the mainstream market, to equally enjoy the convenience brought by technological progress! Do you understand?"

Zhao Tiezhu nodded heavily, his eyes hardening.

"Understood, Brother Chen! Leave this to me!"

"Go!" Chen Mo waved his hand.

Zhao Tiezhu suddenly stood up and strode out of the office.

As soon as the door closed, his signature loud voice, carrying a fierce edge, came from outside.

"Marketing department! All of you, get yourselves to the first conference room! Now! Immediately! And get to it! Nobody's leaving get off work until you've thoroughly understood and internalized the meaning of 'technology equality'!"

The roar was extremely penetrating; even Chen Mo, in the general manager's office with the best soundproofing, could hear it clearly.

He shook his head helplessly, but a smile appeared on his lips.

Chen Mo knew that although Zhao Tiezhu seemed unreliable at first glance, he would always make sure to carry out his promises thoroughly, especially those he had solemnly entrusted to him.

Well, there are things that shouldn't be "thoroughly implemented," and this kid has done it perfectly, but that's his private matter, and Chen Mo really shouldn't interfere.

If you want to change the world, you have to start with yourself. Even Orange's own people don't believe in the concept of "technology equality," so how can they talk about influencing the world?
Just as breeding requires taking root in one's own land, "technology equality" will remain just a seed if it cannot take root within a team.

Only by instilling this belief into the very core of Orange's employees, and by using them as seeds to spread in the future, can Orange Technology's philosophy of equality take root, blossom, and bear fruit in more places.

Orange Technology's path to "technology equality" is destined to involve more than just warm and gentle rhetoric; it also requires ruthless execution, overcorrection, and even the "scolding" indoctrination of its philosophy.

After all, seeds that can take root in the soil are never grown by being sheltered in a greenhouse. They only grow deeper and more steadily by being battered by wind and rain and by going through real-world practice.

The atmosphere in the first conference room was so heated it was almost frenzied.

Zhao Tiezhu stood in front of the whiteboard with his hands on his hips, spitting as he spoke, his fingers pounding the four large characters "Technology Equality" loudly.

"Listen up, all of you! 'Technology equality' isn't something you can just talk about and spout nonsense!"

He stared at the marketing department employees below, some serious, some helpless, and some trying not to laugh.

"Why are we selling Orange Phones in rural towns? What's the point?"

"Just for that pittance?"

"Bullshit! President Chen has enabled elderly people who have never touched a smartphone in their lives to video chat with their grandchildren thousands of miles away! He has enabled children in remote mountain villages to look up information and see the world! He has enabled those who are looked down upon by big cities and by DOWN's green phones to also enjoy the convenience brought by technology!"

"This is called equality! This is called equal rights! Don't you understand?!"

Well, actually Zhao Tiezhu himself didn't understand it, but that doesn't matter as long as he could "thoroughly understand" it.

Someone whispered, "Mr. Zhao, what does this have to do with selling goods in our market?"

"Bullshit!" Zhao Tiezhu, with his sharp ears, glared at him. "It's all about connections! If you don't have the drive, selling cell phones is no different from an old lady selling cabbages on the street!"

"All you think about all day is commission? How do you trick people into buying more? How are you any different from those unscrupulous merchants!"
"Let me tell you, anyone who doesn't believe in 'equal rights' should get out of here! Our Orange Company is too small to accommodate big shots who only care about money! The greater the power, the greater the harm!"

Thanks to his ex-girlfriend, she couldn't stand it anymore before she ran away last week, so she took him to a Spider-Man movie at a nightclub. Zhao Tiezhu put all that knowledge to use right away.

He was getting into the middle of his rant, preparing to unleash another few of Brother Chen's "three soul-searching questions," when there was a gentle knock on the conference room door. "Knock, knock, knock."

The sound wasn't loud, but it was like a pause button had been pressed.

Zhao Tiezhu, who had been like a furious baboon just moments before, instantly fell silent. He shrank back, his fierce expression seamlessly switching to a slightly fawning smile, and jogged to open the door.

Standing outside the half-open door was Gong Yun, with a warm smile on her face and a gentle yet authoritative voice.

"Mr. Zhao, we have important guests in the second conference room. Could you please lower the volume a little?"

"Hey! Hey! Sister Gong, don't worry! I'm under control! I'll be done soon!" Zhao Tiezhu nodded and bowed, his voice extremely low, a stark contrast to his previous demeanor.

Gong Yun smiled and nodded, giving him ample face: "Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Zhao. Thank you for your understanding." After saying that, she gracefully turned and closed the door to leave.

Zhao Tiezhu closed the door, took a deep breath, and said to his subordinates in a low voice, "Did you all hear that? Anyone who makes a sound and summons Supervisor Gong will have you skinned alive!"

"Go on! Where were we?"

Zeng, who was diligently taking notes from the side, quickly whispered a reminder: "President Zhao! You can't just keep it in mind."

"Oh right, you must have light in your heart."

Don't worry about how I implement it or how I understand it. Just tell me if I have fully "thoroughly" implemented "technology equality" as Brother Chen said.

Gong Yun did not return to the back-of-house work area or her own office, but went straight to the general manager's office and gently knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Chen Mo's voice came from inside.

Gong Yun pushed open the door and entered, only to find Chen Mo standing with his back to her in front of the huge aquarium, his brows slightly furrowed, as if he were studying something.

"President Chen?" Gong Yun called softly.

Chen Mo didn't turn around, but pointed to the exquisite green landscape with distant mountains in the fish tank: "Sister Gong, don't you think that the golden tang in there hasn't been showing up much lately?"

Gong Yun took a few steps closer, looked carefully, and shook her head with a smile: "It probably hid behind the artificial hill? Or in the coral reef. It's naturally timid and likes to hide."

Chen Mo nodded thoughtfully: "That's true!"

He turned around, his face regaining its usual calm.

"Sister Gong, is something the matter?"

Gong Yun handed over a document: "Two things! First, the final list of employees eligible for stock options has been finalized and needs your signature." Her tone carried a hint of barely perceptible pleasure.

Chen Mo assumed it was because he had received the A-level equity incentive.

"Let me take a look!" He took it and praised with a smile, "Sister Gong, you're so efficient!"

The company has 50 employees, and 28 of them have received equity incentives, which basically includes the 20 founding team members.

Chen Mo quickly flipped through the pages, his gaze lingering for a moment on the names of outstanding employees at the top of the last few pages to make a plan for who he would promote in the future, before finally signing his name on the last page in a flamboyant style.

"And the second thing?" Chen Mo handed the signed documents back.

Gong Yun's expression became somewhat strange, even a little incredulous.

"A special guest has arrived."

"Oh?" Chen Mo raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "How is it special?"

He said.

Gong Yun paused, seemingly organizing her thoughts.

"That anonymous letter from a few days ago warning us to be careful of Duowei poaching our employees was sent by him!"

A glint flashed in Chen Mo's eyes, and a playful smile curved his lips: "Heh, the main culprit has come knocking? Where is he?"

"I had Xiao Zhou take him to the second conference room."

"Okay! I understand, Sister Gong, you can go ahead and get busy!" Chen Mo nodded.

After Gong Yun left, Chen Mo did not set off immediately.

He sat back in his executive chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

The author of the anonymous letter has come forward. Is it to surrender, or is there another purpose?
Duowei's poaching is actually irrelevant to the overall situation. Orange has its own core technology, but what price will the other party ask for?

A moment later, Chen Mo picked up a notebook with obviously worn edges and a pen from the drawer, got up and walked towards the second conference room.

Pushing open the door to the second conference room, one finds it quiet and tidy, a stark contrast to the two adjacent rooms—Zhao Tiezhu's "fake gathering hall" and Chengbao Group's "smoking all night area."

The "subculture" of a company department is determined by its first leader.

Zhao Tiezhu was a down-to-earth, somewhat江湖气 (jianghu qi, a kind of chivalrous and unruly person) guy, so all the employees in the marketing department were like him, doing things quickly and speaking their minds directly.

The marketing department was just having a meeting, but it turned into a huge, chaotic affair, with supervisors frequently taking their employees out for drinks, barbecue, and business discussions.

He Jian is a typical tech geek and smoker, perfectly inheriting the glorious tradition of "fighting until 3 a.m. and working 16 hours a day" from the Xinshan era. Therefore, the employees of the Orange Treasure team not only code hard, but also smoke heavily.

After all, He Jian was brought out by Lei Jun's "Pangu Project" VV PS project team, and even his smoking posture showed some of the "spirit" of Lei Jun, the old smoker from Xinshan.

The third conference room has now become their "all-night war room" where they smoke and fix bugs.

The door to the second conference room was pushed open, and a young man walked in.

He was dressed smartly, and although there was a hint of fatigue between his brows after the weekend, his eyes were sharp as knives and full of energy.

He walked straight to the head of the table, tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, and the young man who was sitting there immediately stood up as if by reflex.

This young man possessed an aura that was far more composed and intimidating than his age suggested.

"Hello, Mr. Chen! I'm Wang Kai!" He extended his hand proactively, his tone respectful yet slightly anxious.

Chen Mo shook hands with him, his grip firm and steady, a perfectly measured smile on his face.

"Hello Mr. Wang! We also want to thank you for your early warning message; it was a huge help to Orange!"

He gestured for the other person to sit down, and then took his seat in the main seat opposite him, getting straight to the point: "Since Mr. Wang chose to remain anonymous back then, I suppose you had your concerns. Now that you've taken the initiative to show yourself, have you changed your mind? What brings you here?"

Faced with the other party's indifferent scrutinizing gaze, Wang Kai took a deep breath and didn't beat around the bush.

"Mr. Chen is a straightforward person! Then I'll just say it directly!"

"I used to be the head of market research at Duowei. After the failed acquisition of Nietzsche, Duowei's sales were dismal in the first week. President He needed a scapegoat, and I became the one pushed out to take the fall!"

"He not only fired me, but also spread rumors in the industry that my investigation failure led to the failure of Duowei's strategy, and now, no decent company dares to hire me!"

Chen Mo nodded knowingly: "So, you're reminding us to be careful of Duowei's retaliation, as a way of making a good connection?"

"I'm desperate now and I'm wondering if Orange Technology can give me a chance?"

"Yes!" Wang Kai straightened his back, his eyes burning with unwillingness and a do-or-die spirit: "But President Chen, I'm not here to beg. I, Wang Kai, got to my supervisor position at Duowei through real ability!"

"I know the market, my competitors, and the ins and outs of this industry inside and out!"

He leaned forward slightly, exuding a strong sense of confidence, even a bit aggressive.

"President Chen, I know that Orange Technology is developing rapidly, but I also know that there is still a lot of room for improvement in your market intelligence and strategic forecasting!"

Wang Kai is giving me face.

This is hardly a large area for improvement.

It's clear that Orange Technology lacks real-time market intelligence and strategic foresight, relying entirely on Chen Mo's past life memories to make a living.

Morgan Stanley once sent twenty investigation teams to Shenzhen to research the domestic smartphone market. Lu Qingyue thought this would attract the attention of Orange Market Research Department, but...
If Lei Jun hadn't joked about it afterward, Chen Mo wouldn't have known that Morgan Stanley had actually done this so openly in Chengzi's "backyard."

Orange Technology is unaware of what's happening right in their own backyard; that's the current situation.

"President Chen! Give me three days! Just three days! I will prove my worth to you, prove what I can bring to Orange!"

"You can decide whether to take me in and what price to offer in three days! How about that?"

Looking at the defiant flame in his eyes and listening to his almost arrogant "three-day agreement," Chen Mo was not angry at all; instead, he showed a hint of appreciation and a smile.

He closed his notebook and leaned back in his chair, relaxing.

“Mr. Wang, it seems you are quite confident in your abilities.” Chen Mo’s voice carried a hint of amusement. “Fine! I’ll give you these three days.”

"I'll have the logistics supervisor, Gong Yun, give you an internal pass later. You can contact her for any support you need."

"Let me see what kind of 'value' you can bring to Orange Technology in three days."

"I'll see."

A strong light flashed in Wang Kai's eyes. He suddenly stood up and reached out to Chen Mo again, this time gripping his hand even more firmly.

"Mr. Chen, I will definitely not let you down!"

Their hands clasped together again, as if they had reached some kind of consensus.

One is a discarded son who has just experienced the ups and downs of the business world and is eager to prove himself; the other is a rising young leader who is eager to find talent. A three-day test of value has quietly begun.

Orange Technology, a fast ship that took the lead in the smartphone wave, may be about to welcome a lookout standing on the mast of the market.

He can use market research to penetrate the fog of competitors, issue warnings before the iceberg of technology, and guide the course through the reefs of demand, allowing this ambitious ship to adjust its direction at any time on its journey to the blue ocean.

(End of this chapter)