Chapter 1578

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

"Damn it, do we absolutely have to use Jiakang Masks? I've been using this mask for a long time, how is it suddenly no good?"

As a worker, Zhao Erleng came to work today, and was suddenly required by Foreman Ma to wear Jiakang dust masks, which made him very unhappy.

A mask costs a few cents; looking at it, it's not much, but when you go to buy, they only sell them in big packs — a pack of a hundred, that's several dozen yuan!

Several dozen yuan isn't much for some people, but for bottom-rung workers like Zhao Erleng, it's not a small amount either; after all, daily eating, drinking, defecating, urinating — he pinches every penny, after all he still has to support his family!

"Exactly, we have other masks, bought them long ago, why can't we use them? We've been using them just fine all along!"

Zhao Erleng resisted, and other fellow workers started voicing opinions.

"Do it like this, and the masks we bought before — aren't they useless now? I still have two big packs at home!"

"Foreman Ma, tell me honestly, did you take kickbacks from this so-called Jiakang Mask!"

Migrant workers' language is just this blunt.

Even Foreman Ma doesn't give face.

After all, they're dispatched laborers, not contract workers; they come for a day, settle a day's pay — they don't give a damn about superiors!

Facing the surging crowd sentiment, Foreman Ma could only smile wryly helplessly and explain patiently:

"Huge misunderstanding, this is a decision handed down from company upper management, I have no choice either; I'm hearing of this Jiakang Mask for the first time myself — if I took kickbacks, may I be struck by five thunderbolts! If you don't believe me, you can go complain to company higher-ups!"

"Then why unify and switch to Jiakang Masks?"

Foreman Ma could only make up reasons on the spot:

"Maybe it's for environmental protection — recently the higher-ups have been cracking down hard on environmental protection, right? Most of the masks you wear are substandard, and reuse doesn't work either — a dust mask can only be used for one day at most! You reuse them repeatedly, that's too environmentally unfriendly, and it's irresponsible to your own bodies; if you ask me, the company issuing this regulation is for your own good — otherwise the little money you earn won't even cover treating lung disease later! Ever heard of pneumoconiosis? People who get pneumoconiosis live a life worse than death!"

Zhao Erleng and the other workers, though displeased at heart, still had to admit Foreman Ma's words had some reason.

A few years ago the news of thoracotomy lung exams caused an uproar; they'd seen it too — get pneumoconiosis, and not only is life worse than death, you also lose labor capacity; not only can you not earn money for the family, you become a burden on the family!

Seeing everyone had nothing to say, Foreman Ma struck while the iron was hot and continued:

"Right now all major hardware stores sell Jiakang Masks — you go buy them, the price isn't higher than other brands, and I've used them — Jiakang Mask quality is indeed much better than those off-brand masks you bought; I wear Jiakang Masks myself — if you have issues go find the Leader, don't complain in front of me!"

Finished speaking, Foreman Ma directly put on a Jiakang Mask, then turned and left.

The others could only run to nearby hardware stores to ask if they had Jiakang Masks.

Zhou Ji Hardware Store — Zhao Erleng and the others arrived here.

"Boss, do you have Jiakang Masks?"

"Yes, a batch just arrived — how many?"

"One pack!"

"Get me a pack too!"

"Old Zhao, how about we share a pack — later I'll give you back half the money!"

"Deal!"

A few words back and forth, they bought several packs of masks and left.

Zhou Laoban watched the departing workers, couldn't help scratching his head in puzzlement:

"Strange, how come so many people came to buy Jiakang Masks today? You know, this Jiakang Mask off-brand stuff — last week when it arrived, only a few packs sold; today over ten packs sold at once!"

At this moment Foreman Ma also came.

But he wasn't here to buy masks — because he'd already bought one this morning.

"Boss, get me a water pipe elbow!"

"What model?"

"Wait, I'll ask him on WeChat..."

Foreman Ma actually has no airs — see, he came to buy a water pipe elbow for renovation workers.

Zhou Laoban couldn't help asking:

"Say, why did your construction site people suddenly all come buy that Jiakang Mask?"

Foreman Ma smiled:

"You'd know this — our company Leader issued a hard rule: all workers entering the construction site must wear Jiakang dust masks!"

Zhou Laoban heard this and couldn't help a start:

"There's such a thing?"

Foreman Ma added:

"I have a relative working at Jiakang Mask Factory — that factory's on the north side of the County Town, a very small, very run-down factory — with production like that, capacity definitely can't keep up!"

Zhou Laoban immediately smelled a business opportunity.

He hurriedly went to find the elbow for Foreman Ma.

After sending Foreman Ma off, he immediately personally rode his bike to check out Jiakang Mask Factory.

One look and it really was a small factory.

So he proactively talked to Jiakang about agency sales, wanting to secure distribution rights and earn the middleman markup.

However!

Wang Jiayi, the Jiakang Mask person in charge of receiving him, refused this request.

This big piece of meat — how could it possibly be given to Zhou Laoban, an outsider?

Of course family eats first!

In the end, Wang Jiayi only gave him the authorization to take goods directly from Jiakang Mask, and the monthly quantity was fixed with an upper limit, then she sent Zhou Laoban away.

After Zhou Laoban left, Wang Jiayi called Wang Erhai:

"General Manager Wang, Jiakang Mask's sales channels have been laid out; almost the entire County Town has our masks for sale, and sales are very good — this month has already set a new monthly sales record high for the past three years!"

Wang Erhai nodded in satisfaction upon hearing this news.

Sure enough, doing business in this County Town, having connections, networks, and resources makes it far easier than having no connections, no networks, and no resources!

Zhang Sheng only needed to open a slight opening for him, and his mask factory was directly revitalized!

On this matter, Wang Erhai harbored gratitude toward Zhang Sheng!

"Very good, then increase production capacity; if sales continue to rise later, we'll add production lines!"

Wang Jiayi asked weakly at this moment:

"Um, General Manager Wang, now that sales channels are laid out, with only me as the sole Sales Manager handling them, I'm afraid I can't keep up, so I thought, why don't we find people to act as distribution agents? That would be much more efficient!"

Wang Erhai thought for a moment; this was indeed a good suggestion.

The company produces and sells on its own; manpower is ultimately limited. Second-level distributors can spread the net wider and make the pie bigger.

So he said:

"Alright, then you go handle the coordination; once coordinated, submit it to me for review. If I find no problem, we'll establish the distribution channels."

Wang Jiayi was immediately delighted inside:

"Okay okay, then I'll do as General Manager Wang says!"

Then she hung up Wang Erhai's phone, turned around, and went to find her acquaintances to coordinate this distribution right.