Rebirth Begins with Rejecting my Childhood Friend - Chapter 321
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- Chapter 321 - The Meeting.
Xu Xiuwen likes to do things in a bold and sweeping manner.
In simple terms, he acts boldly and ends things quickly.
In contrast, Xu Chengde is much more cautious.
Xu Xiuwen delegated the appointment power of seven department managers to him.
In the end, Xu Chengde promoted the former deputy section chiefs of each office to new managers.
In departments without a deputy section chief or where the deputy had left, he promoted the most senior person in the department.
There was a reason Xu Xiuwen didn’t hand over the sales department to Xu Chengde.
After understanding the situation of the distillery, Xu Xiuwen discovered an incredible fact.
Guangming Distillery had a sales department, but there were only five salespeople in the entire department.
Guangming Distillery used to be famous nationwide, with countless people lining up outside the distillery every day to buy liquor.
At that time, there indeed wasn’t a need for many salespeople.
But as the distillery gradually declined, everyone still clung to the old mindset, waiting for customers to come to the distillery instead of increasing the number of salespeople and having them go out to expand the market.
This explains why the distillery deteriorated and eventually went bankrupt.
People at Guangming Distillery didn’t value sales, but Xu Xiuwen did.
With his experience from a past life, Xu Xiuwen knew very well the importance of sales to a factory or company.
A good salesperson can revive a factory and elevate a company.
The most typical example is Miss Dong.
She was originally an insignificant salesperson.
Mingzhu Air Conditioning was just an ordinary home appliance company. But because of Miss Dong, Mingzhu Air Conditioning gradually developed into a leading company in the home appliance industry.
Therefore, Xu Xiuwen planned to reorganize the sales department.
The existing salespeople were all old and clearly just waiting to retire.
Xu Xiuwen fired all of them without exception.
He planned to recruit a new batch of salespeople quickly. Experience in sales wasn’t a requirement; youth was more important. It didn’t matter if they had never done sales before.
Xu Xiuwen had met and interacted with salespeople from various industries in his past life and was quite familiar with sales experience and techniques.
Sharing these with the current people would be enough to make them excellent salespeople.
…
On the morning of April 1st, Xu Xiuwen came to the distillery and summoned all the department managers for the first meeting of the new distillery.
In the conference room of the distillery’s office building, all the newly appointed managers were present.
If anyone was most welcoming of the new boss, it was definitely these managers.
The oldest manager among them was the manager of the production department, with twenty years of work experience like Xu Chengde, a backbone of the distillery.
But despite this, he had always been an ordinary employee because he wasn’t good at networking.
Now that the new boss had promoted him to manager, he was more welcoming of the new boss than anyone else.
The meeting was scheduled for 9:00 a.m.
Xu Xiuwen walked into the conference room at exactly nine o’clock.
All seven managers scrutinized the new boss.
This was their first time seeing the new boss.
Seeing that the new boss was so young, there was a buzz of whispers in the conference room.
Xu Qian and Zhao Yatong also attended the meeting.
Xu Qian knocked on the table and said, “Quiet.”
Many employees in the factory knew Xu Qian.
When they found out that Xu Qian was the new boss’s secretary, they couldn’t help but have the same thought: What is the relationship between Xu Chengde and the new boss?
Xu Chengde had become the factory director, and his daughter had become the new boss’s secretary. It was hard not to speculate.
Could it be…?
Xu Xiuwen didn’t know what the seven managers were thinking.
He knocked on the table and said, “Let’s start with self-introductions.”
At the boss’s command, the seven managers didn’t look down on Xu Xiuwen because of his young age.
Hundreds of employees had been laid off in the past three days. They had families to support and didn’t want to follow in their footsteps.
The seven managers looked at each other, unsure who should start. Xu Chengde took the lead and introduced himself. With Xu Chengde leading, the introductions flowed smoothly.
After everyone had introduced themselves, Xu Xiuwen stood up, looked around, and said, “My name is Xu Xiuwen. I don’t like to waste words. Since I bought the distillery, my only goal is to make it profitable. Everyone, share your thoughts.”
The seven new managers then began to express their views. After going around, all they offered were pleasantries with no practical ideas.
Xu Xiuwen felt a bit helpless.
These people had become set in their ways in the distillery environment, afraid to offend anyone and unable to come up with effective methods to save the factory.
He glanced at Xu Qian and nodded.
Xu Qian, seeing this, nodded back and stood up to read a prepared speech:
“The distillery had many problems in the past. To avoid these issues, President Xu has re-established the rules and regulations.”
“First, employees must sign in when they arrive and leave work. Those who are late or leave early will have their wages for the day deducted. If this happens three times, their wages for the month will be deducted. More than five times, and they will be fired. Second, employees must wear uniform clothing to work, especially in the workshop. No casual clothes are allowed in the workshop. Those who do not comply will have their monthly wages deducted, and repeated violations will result in dismissal. Third, strengthen supervision and management. This requires the cooperation of the security department. If any employee is caught stealing, they will be fined and dismissed immediately. If there is a theft in the warehouse, the security department will be held responsible. Fourth,…”
Xu Qian announced eight new regulations in a row.
After finishing, she paused to give everyone time to process.
Seeing that the managers had no objections, Xu Qian continued, “Next is the issue of the brand name. The reputation of Guangming Liquor is already tarnished. Many people now associate it with low-quality liquor, making it hard to sell. We must change the name of the distillery. What do you think?”
Despite Xu Qian’s numerous regulations, the managers had no objections.
However, upon hearing the name change, everyone became restless and started voicing their opinions.
The consensus was clear: the distillery name couldn’t be changed.
Guangming Liquor was a decades-old brand, and the long-term employees had a deep attachment to it and couldn’t accept a name change.
Xu Xiuwen hadn’t discussed this matter with anyone before, not even Xu Chengde, who was hearing it for the first time and instinctively opposed the name change.
As the discussion went on, Xu Xiuwen remained silent.
Gradually, everyone quieted down, looking at Xu Xiuwen to see what he had to say.
Observing everyone’s expressions, Xu Xiuwen said, “The name Guangming Distillery is indeed a decades-old brand and doesn’t need to be changed.”
Hearing this, the long-term employees breathed a sigh of relief.
However, Xu Xiuwen continued, “But the liquor name must be changed, and it has to be done immediately. Previously, the distillery used inferior raw materials, leading to inconsistent quality and ruining the liquor’s reputation. As a result, it was abandoned by the market and the public. Even if we now use high-quality raw materials to improve the liquor’s quality, people will still think our liquor is inferior based on the name alone, and it won’t sell. Liquor that doesn’t sell is meaningless.”
Xu Xiuwen’s words left everyone speechless.
Previously, some people in the distillery had made money by buying inferior raw materials, damaging Guangming Liquor’s reputation.
If not for this, even relying on its past glory, the distillery wouldn’t have fallen into bankruptcy within a decade.
Xu Xiuwen continued, “The distillery needs to survive for the liquor to survive. If the distillery can’t survive, what’s the point of keeping the liquor name? If you’re still attached to it, we can reintroduce a nostalgic ‘Old Guangming’ version once the distillery is back on its feet.”
Xu Xiuwen’s reasoning quickly convinced the seven managers and Xu Chengde.
Seeing their agreement, Xu Xiuwen smiled inwardly.
Mr. Shuren was right in understanding the Chinese mentality.
He said: The Chinese character always prefers compromise and moderation. For example, if you say this room is too dark and suggest opening a skylight, people will object. But if you propose removing the roof, they will compromise and agree to the skylight.
That’s exactly what Xu Xiuwen did.
He never intended to change the distillery’s name, just the liquor’s name.
But if he proposed that directly, many, including Xu Chengde, might oppose it.
By suggesting a name change for the distillery first, and then proposing changing just the liquor’s name, it became much more acceptable.
Xu Xiuwen continued, “I’ve already decided on the liquor name: ‘Nianfen Yuanjiang’ (Aged Original Brew).”
This name wasn’t Xu Xiuwen’s invention; it was a series name from the previous world’s Laogong Liquor.
Wuliangye even sued Laogong Liquor over this name but lost.
‘Nianfen Yuanjiang’ was an innovative white liquor product launched by Laogong Liquor in 2008.
This means it hasn’t been introduced or trademarked yet.
The success of the ‘Nianfen Yuanjiang’ series was largely due to the liquor’s quality, but a good name was also a crucial factor.
If Laogong Liquor could have ‘Laogong Liquor Nianfen Yuanjiang’, then Xu Xiuwen could create ‘Guangming Liquor Nianfen Yuanjiang’.
This strategy would block Laogong Liquor’s future path.
Moreover, the ‘Nianfen Yuanjiang’ series allows for different age versions, catering to various market segments, which benefits the distillery’s future development.
After finishing, Xu Xiuwen paused to gauge everyone’s reactions.
The managers didn’t object, which pleased Xu Xiuwen. They didn’t seem to be troublemakers.
Turning to Xu Qian, Xu Xiuwen said, “Xu Qian, arrange to register the new trademark as soon as possible.”
Xu Qian replied, “Okay, President Xu.”
Nodding, Xu Xiuwen said, “You can continue.”
The content Xu Qian was reading mostly came from Xu Xiuwen, so it wasn’t for him but for everyone else.
Xu Qian continued, “Next, we need to focus on our product’s market positioning. Previously, Guangming Distillery’s products had simple packaging to save costs, but this also meant low prices and low profits. President Xu believes that the newly produced Guangming Liquor should not continue this approach. The low-end market, though profitable, is highly competitive in terms of channels, production, and pricing, where we have no advantage. Hence, we should target the mid-to-high-end market. The bottle and packaging need a complete redesign to look as premium as possible. Customers should perceive our product as high-end just by looking at it.”
Xu Qian’s words actually reflect Xu Xiuwen’s thoughts.
Abandon the low-end liquor market and shift to the mid-to-high-end market.
This is a last resort.
To establish a foothold in the low-end liquor market, the primary factor is the distribution channels.
With numerous channels and distributors, selling the product isn’t a problem.
In this regard, Guangming Distillery has no advantage.
Next is production capacity.
With Guangming Distillery laying off so many people, the production capacity is predictably low.
Then there’s pricing.
Large distilleries can afford to sell at a low margin with high volume, but this approach requires significant upfront investment and yields low profits later on.
Given Guangming Distillery’s precarious situation, it’s difficult to adopt this strategy.
However, pursuing the mid-to-high-end market is different.
Initial production can be smaller, focusing on ensuring high-quality liquor and building a strong reputation.
Positioning in the mid-to-high-end market also means higher profits, which might be the only way to save this dying distillery.
After Xu Qian finished speaking, all the managers present fell silent, pondering the feasibility of this plan.
Xu Chengde knew the distillery best.
Guangming Liquor had indeed followed the low-end route with low profits in the past.
Despite many efforts, the distillery couldn’t reverse its decline.
Xu Xiuwen’s radical changes offered no guarantees but at least provided a glimmer of hope.
Continuing the previous path left even Xu Chengde with little confidence in the distillery’s future.
Xu Chengde, not one to hesitate or waver, quickly made up his mind.
“I support this proposal,” he said.
The managers present weren’t fools.
Beyond being Xu Chengde’s daughter, Xu Qian was also the new boss’s secretary.
Her words naturally represented the new boss’s intentions.
With both the new boss and the factory director supporting the plan, opposing it would be sheer foolishness.
Moreover, deep down, they harbored expectations for this proposal.
One by one, the managers expressed their support.
Seeing this, Xu Qian continued, “The final point concerns the sales department.”
The managers were taken aback; there was no sales manager present.
In fact, not only was there no manager, but there were also no employees—the entire department had been laid off.
Xu Qian continued, “Guangming Distillery used to be well-known, and we could sit back and wait for customers to come. But now, apart from some market presence in Langya City, we’ve lost our market share in the rest of the province. We need to abandon our old mindset, proactively approaching major distributors and stores, promoting and seeking potential customers. Even the best product needs promotion and sales. Xu intends to recruit new staff and expand the sales department, with independent reward mechanisms for the department.”
The seven managers, knowing it was not their place to interfere with the sales department, remained silent.
Having finished her speech, Xu Qian looked at Xu Xiuwen.
Xu Xiuwen nodded to her, and she took her seat.
Clearing his throat, Xu Xiuwen drew everyone’s attention and spoke slowly, “Next, each department has tasks to accomplish.
Security Department Manager, go back and organize shifts. Decide how to arrange day and night shifts, whether patrols are needed, how to conduct patrols, their frequency, and how to handle issues if they arise.
Procurement Department Manager, prepare a report on where to procure raw materials, which materials to buy, when to buy them, and the quantities needed.
Production Department Manager, check the equipment and report daily production capacity and raw material consumption.
Warehouse Manager, develop a plan to ensure warehouse security, prevent theft, and secure raw materials.
HR Department, you know what to do without me telling you.
Office Manager, refine the regulations I’ve mentioned and ensure the new rules are clearly communicated to every employee.
Finance Department, keep the accounts clear. If I find any discrepancies, don’t blame me for being ruthless!”
All the managers, except for the sales department, straightened up and quickly expressed their commitment.
With the new boss laying down the law, failure to comply could mean losing their positions.
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