Chapter 502 A new beginning

“How is the cash flow?”

Arriving at the production workshop of the electronics factory, Zhou Jing looked at Bai Xiyao and said.

To sign an order for one million mobile phones, the cost exceeds 270 million yuan, which is a considerable expense. In addition, tens of millions of funds need to be prepared to ensure cash flow while producing and selling the mobile phones.

"It's fine for now. Bo Wei can take back the tens of millions to make up for it."

Bai Xiyao spoke as she watched the workers on the production line assembling mobile phones.

Bai Xiyao looked at Zhou Jing and continued, "Do you know Smartisan Technology? It's a new company that recently announced it would make mobile phones. It will release its first phone next year and enter the smartphone market directly."

"I don't know. Does it mean there is another competitor in the country?"

Of course Zhou Jing knew about the Hammer phone, but he didn't know much about it because he hadn't used it in his previous life. He only knew that the boss went bankrupt and owed six small goals.

"If we really do it, it will definitely be a competitor. Our biggest competitor right now is Xiaomi, which also focuses on cost-effective products. The time when we release our smartphones may coincide with Xiaomi's press conference."

Although Ideal has received good market response in traditional mobile phones, Bai Xiyao is not completely sure about the future of smartphones. There are too many competitors, including ZTE, Apple, Huawei, Samsung, OPPO, VIVO, Xiaomi, etc. There are no less than ten companies with stable markets in China. Now with the emergence of Hammer, there may be other competitors entering the market.

"Don't take life lightly, just do it."

Zhou Jing is not worried at all that Ideal Mobile Phone entered the market late, but Chuangzhi Technology Co., Ltd. started the smartphone research and development project last year. With the software development capabilities of Chuangzhi Technology Co., Ltd., Ideal Mobile Phone is no worse than other domestic brands in terms of smartphone software system.

As for the hardware, they are basically all compradors, and none of them is much better than the other.

The biggest competitor of Ideal Smartphone after its launch is Xiaomi. Xiaomi is cost-effective but generates a lot of heat. The first smartphone Zhou Jing used in his previous life was Xiaomi. It was ok in winter as he could just hold it and use it as a hand warmer, but it was very painful in summer. He had to admire Thor, who cleverly resolved the embarrassment of the phone's heating with the phrase "for heat generation."

"The R&D team disassembled every phone from other brands, and the profits were huge."

Bai Xiyao said with a smile.

"Smartphones are a mess right now, and in the future only five or six companies will be able to stably occupy the market amid competition."

Zhou Jing said calmly.

"Does this mean that more than half of domestic brands will be eliminated?"

Bai Xiyao could hardly imagine that kind of competition.

"Similarly, electronic products become popular quickly but lose popularity quickly due to lack of innovation. Nokia has a good hand but is clinging to traditional mobile phones. It is estimated that it will be eliminated in the next two years."

“So which mobile phones do you expect to survive in the future?”

After leaving the workshop, Bai Xiyao stood in front of the door and said.

"Ours is definitely OK, as well as iPhone, Samsung, Huawei, and Xiaomi."

"You are so confident. How is the mobile phone software going?"

Bai Xiyao is not as confident as Zhou Jing. The smartphone is expected to be launched in September. It is already mid-April, and half a year is just a blink of an eye for the company.

"Almost done, the whole machine can be debugged by the end of the month."

Zhou Jing's three companies have more than 1,400 people working there. Next month, they plan to produce a batch of smartphones for each employee, allowing them to provide feedback on issues while using them, so that debugging can be completed with the fastest efficiency.

"The most obvious difference between domestic brands and Samsung iPhones is the smoothness of the system. If we can solve this problem, we will be able to gain a foothold in China."

Bai Xiyao has tried all brands and models of smartphones available today and is very clear about the pros and cons of each one. The biggest advantage of domestic brands is their low prices. Bai Xiyao is not optimistic about the phenomenon of domestic mobile phones, which are all focused on price wars, and are of no help in improving quality and technology.

"Our software is no worse than other domestic brands. By the way, you can find time to register a mobile phone sub-brand and focus on the low-end market."

Arriving at the office, Zhou Jing sat on Bai Xiyao's chair and said.

"No problem. Have you thought of a name?"

Bai Xiyao leaned on the desk and looked through the information on the smartphone that Zhou Jing brought back.

"I haven't decided yet." Zhou Jing picked up a pen and wrote "ideal" on the paper. He thought of a name with "想" in it and thought of "长想". "This one."

"Ideal, imagination, good, you, a great writer, have to come up with the names. How do you decide the prices of the two smartphones?"

Bai Xiyao looked at it and smiled.

"The standard version of Ideal 1 is 1999, the S version is about 599, the standard version of Imagine is 799, and the S version is ."

Zhou Jing has already calculated the material cost and production cost of smartphones, which can be fully compared with domestic competitors. According to Zhou Jing's plan, the first six or seven generations of smartphones will focus on the mid- and low-end markets, that is, before 2018. At the same time, they will develop technology in a low-key manner, bide their time and advance into the high-end market after mastering core technologies.

“Engineers are so expensive.”

After Bai Xiyao set up the research institute and R&D department, she saw what it meant to spend money like water.

"It's expensive but it has to be maintained. Technology companies can only have a future if they do independent research and development. How many engineers do electronics factories have now?"

Zhou Jing's attitude is very firm. Self-reliance is the truth. Many so-called technology companies in China seem to be prosperous, but in fact they are only superficial. They are reluctant to invest in research and development. Once they are strangled, they will die immediately. Facing foreign giants, they can only eat on their knees. Zhou Jing has been reborn, and he must eat while standing.

"There are 14 electronic technology engineers, 5 software engineers, and 13 hardware design engineers, all of whom are in the company's R&D department. There are a total of seven engineers in the product department, after-sales and maintenance department, and sales department."

Bai Xiyao took out the company's engineer list and said.

“We will continue to expand the number of electronic technology, semiconductor and hardware engineers, increasing to 100 this year.”

With the company's current financial resources, supporting one hundred and eighty engineers is not a problem. Zhou Jing asked Bai Xiyao to expand the new factory and build a special R&D building. The average monthly salary of a mid-level engineer in Tangdu is less than twelve thousand yuan, plus benefits of about fifteen thousand yuan. The monthly expenses for one hundred engineers are only more than one hundred and fifty, and less than twenty million yuan a year.

Zhou Jing does not pursue personal wealth and uses a large portion of the company's profits for employee welfare and R&D investment. He does not believe that he will not be able to occupy a place among the ranks of global technology companies in ten years.

"no problem."

Bai Xiyao nodded.

“We must also focus on talent cultivation and continue to recruit fresh graduates with master’s and doctoral degrees.”

In front of Bai's bestie, Zhou Jing was very relaxed, acting like a boss treating his younger brother.

"Yes. I plan to go to XB University of Technology for recruitment on Saturday and Tangdu University of Electronic Science and Technology for recruitment on Sunday."

After starting a business with Zhou Jing for more than two years, Bai Xiyao knows how to build the company's talent. In addition to engineers, the R&D department also has dozens of recent graduates with master's and doctoral degrees. During this period, recruitment has been carried out in many domestic 985 and 211 universities.

After sitting in the office for a while, Zhou Jing and Bai Xiyao went to the R&D department. There are now more than one hundred people in the R&D department of Ideal Technology Co., Ltd. Due to limited space in the office building, Bai Xiyao moved the non-technical departments to a small conference room for collective work, which freed up space for the R&D department and improved office efficiency.

Bai Xiyao notified the entire R&D department to go to the conference room for a meeting.

"Our chairman, Mr. Zhou, may not be known to newcomers. Mr. Zhou is usually in charge of the core of the mobile phone project and the development of the software system at BJ's Chuangzhi Technology Co., Ltd."

After everyone arrived, Bai Xiyao gave a brief introduction.

"clap clap"

After the introduction, there was warm applause from the audience.

"Thank you, everyone. You are all technical people, so you probably don't like long-winded talk. I will make it short. You are probably older than me. Although I am the boss, I am a rookie and may lack experience in the workplace and corporate management."

"Everyone is welcome to join Ideal Technology."

Zhou Jing behaves very modestly in front of technical personnel and gives them enough respect.

"clap clap"

Warm applause rang out again in the conference room. Zhou Jing's speech made the engineers and top students in the R&D department admire the young boss in front of them. As a boss, he could show such an attitude, which was a sign of respect for the wise. It was much more comfortable to work for such a boss.

"Ideal's first mobile phone has successfully entered the market. I would like to thank everyone for their efforts. I now officially announce that the research and development work of the first mobile phone has come to an end. Starting today, we will focus on the research and development of smart phones. The development of the smart phone software system is going smoothly. The hardware is in the charge of the R&D department of Ideal Technology Headquarters." Getting to the point, Zhou Jing announced the company's next phase of tasks, focusing resources on smart phone development projects. This is also a new beginning.

"Ideal Technology Co., Ltd. is in its infancy and not strong enough or perfect enough, which may prevent everyone from fully displaying their talents. Mature companies have their advantages, but if you want to create brilliance with your own hands, you can definitely realize your own value by choosing here."

"Ideal Technology Co., Ltd. is committed to independent research and development. Domestic peer-comprador technology companies are not Ideal Technology's competitors. Ideal Technology's competitors are real technology giants that engage in independent research and development. I will invest as much as possible in research and development expenses and employee benefits according to the company's needs and research and development capabilities."

"As long as the R&D team needs it, I can invest more than 80% of the profits of all the companies under my name into R&D, so everyone here can just let go and focus on technology."

"."

As Zhou Jing finished speaking, loud applause broke out from the audience again.

The R&D department is full of highly skilled students. Their greatest hope is to find a place to put their talents to good use, to put into practice what they have learned over the past ten or twenty years, to realize their ideals, and to achieve the life they want.

Not long after they came to Ideal Technology Co., Ltd., they have already felt the huge ambition of Ideal Technology Co., Ltd. This company with only a few hundred people has formed a research and development team with dozens of engineers and more than a hundred masters and doctors. People with such a vision seem to be people who will accomplish great things.

Some people may be boasting when they talk big, but the boss in front of them is not like that. The fact that he has established a technology company in BJ and has achieved the current level in less than a year is enough to prove the ability of this young boss.

"Mr. Zhou's philosophy in founding the company is just like the company's name, striving for the ideal."

After Zhou Jing finished speaking, Bai Xiyao gave the chief engineer of the R&D department the hardware information of the smartphone developed by Chuangzhi Technology Co., Ltd., and ended the meeting with a few simple summaries. After the two left the meeting room, the people in the R&D department talked a lot and expressed their views on Ideal Technology Co., Ltd.

"Most domestic technology companies have benefited from globalization. If they fail to master core technologies and lose globalization, a large number of them will go bankrupt."

“Globalization has also killed many companies.”

"."

Hearing that Zhou Jing had come to the company, Liu Hanyu was paying attention to the corridor outside the office. Although she knew that Zhou Jing not only got married with someone else but also had a child, Liu Hanyu still couldn't let it go.

Passing by the general office, Zhou Jing met Liu Hanyu's eyes and waved his hand.

"Would you like to invite Liu Hanyu to dinner?"

Bai Xiyao looked at Zhou Jing and said softly.

"Okay!"

"Sure?"

Bai Xiyao continued.

"I can do it."

Zhou Jing didn't care. There was nothing wrong with having a meal together. He and Liu Hanyu had not reached an unimaginable situation.

"I really admire your shamelessness. If you are so shameless, why didn't anything happen between you and Liu Hanyu in Yu City? Did you ever think of doing something with Liu Hanyu during your time in Jin Town?"

Back in the office, Bai Xiyao closed the door and said.

"I am shameless but I don't have no bottom line."

Zhou Jing rolled his eyes. After what happened with Liu Hanyu, if she still didn't go to her grandmother's house, how would the two parents meet?

"He's a scumbag, and he still has the nerve to talk about the bottom line. How is Gu Jia doing after giving birth to a child? Has anyone aged and lost her beauty?"

Bai Xiyao said with a snort.

"No, I'm going to a meeting tomorrow to see if I can allocate another piece of land. If I can, I'll have to redo the planning map."

Zhou Jing stood on the balcony of Gu Jia's office and looked at the expansion construction site not far away, where the foundation was being laid.

"No problem. Try to get more. Let me see Gu Jia's photo."

Bai Xiyao was complaining that the land was too small and there was no space to improve the environment and facilities inside.

Zhou Jing took out his cell phone and opened the photo album for Bai Xiyao.

"She's in pretty good shape. She gave birth to a child at about the same time. She's in better shape at 30 than my sister was at 27. How does Gu Jia maintain her looks?"

Bai Xiyao said after looking at a few photos.

"I don't take much care of myself, just eat well and rest well."

Zhou Jing took back his phone, looked at the screen and saw the photo of Gu Jia and the child, then put it in his pocket.

"My sister is too impatient, and my brother-in-law is not careful, so my sister has to worry about everything."

Bai Xiyao drank a glass of water and went to check the construction site. When she arrived at the entrance, she took two safety helmets, wore one for herself and gave one to Zhou Jing.

"Boss Zhou, Boss Bai."

The person in charge of the expansion project was a director of Ideal Technology Co., Ltd., who walked towards Zhou Jing and Bai Xiyao.

"Just focus on the base these days, and put the rest aside for now. The blueprint may need to be replanned."

Bai Xiyao nodded and said.

"it is good."

"."

After walking around the construction site, it was almost time to get off work, so Zhou Jing and Bai Xiyao went out to eat and then went home. Zhou Jing went to his father-in-law and mother-in-law's house and bought a watermelon on the way.

"Xiao Zhou must be tired. Sit down first."

Mother Gu greeted her son-in-law and poured water for him.

"Thank you, Mom, Dad."

Zhou Jing looked at his father-in-law in the living room and said.

Father Gu raised his hand to signal Zhou Jing to sit down, then smiled and said, "Are you back from the electronics factory or the software company?"

"The electronics factory discussed the matter of manufacturing mobile phones."

Zhou Jing said while sitting on the single sofa at the side.

Mother Gu placed the cut watermelon next to Zhou Jing and said, "Will it be expensive to have another factory do the work?"

"The production cost is a little lower than that of my own factory, and the wages I pay to my employees are higher than those of other companies."

Zhou Jing picked up a piece of watermelon and ate it while talking.

"It's rare for a local technology company to have its own brand. The province is going to give the company some support. Do you have any problems that need to be solved?"

Dad Gu smiled and nodded.

"No problem. We can just promote it in our provincial business hall and other places. Then we will see if we can expand the land for the new factory."

Zhou Jing had never actively sought help from his father-in-law. Since his father-in-law asked, Zhou Jing told him directly that with Ideal Technology Co., Ltd.'s current influence in the local area, his father-in-law did not need to violate his principles on this matter.

"That's not a problem."

Mr. Gu is a member of the provincial standing committee, so this matter only requires a recommendation to the relevant department heads.

(End of this chapter)