stjorthotic Chapter 25 A Cup of Wine to Settle People's Hearts
Chapter 25 A Cup of Wine to Settle People's Hearts
Lin Feng gave Boss Chen a few seconds to process the information before proposing a joint maintenance plan.
"I don't ask you to provide a free, long-term warranty like big brands do. I propose a compromise: I will fund a 'sales guarantee fund' and entrust you with handling after-sales service."
Both Boss Chen and Wu Wenjie were taken aback.
"Specifically, in addition to the unit price of 295 yuan, I prepay an extra 5 yuan per machine. The total for 300 machines is 1500 yuan, which will serve as an 'after-sales maintenance fund' for these machines."
"We promise our customers a 3-day return policy, a 7-day exchange policy, and a 6-month warranty."
"If the machine develops a non-human-caused quality problem within six months, I will inspect it and send the faulty machine back to the factory for repair. The repair costs will be covered by this special fund. After six months, whatever amount is left is yours. If it's not enough, we'll each cover the difference, how about that?"
Mr. Chen did not rush to agree.
Lin Feng continued his persuasion: "If you are confident in the quality of your production, this 1500 yuan is your pure profit. In this way, you can earn an extra 1500 yuan by taking this job. And I will gain a reliable after-sales service channel, which will be satisfactory to my customers."
Mr. Chen quickly calculated. At 5 yuan per unit, 300 units would cost 1500 yuan. Even if a few units needed repair, the cost would be far lower than that. More importantly, the money would be in his hands first.
But Mr. Chen still looked troubled: "Mr. Lin, that's not how it works. Our factory doesn't have a dedicated after-sales maintenance team; our workers are paid by piecework and production capacity. Assigning someone specifically to repair your hundreds of machines would disrupt the production schedule and incur high management costs."
Lin Feng thought for a moment: "You only need to be responsible for fault diagnosis and the repair or replacement of core components. For easily damaged parts such as batteries, casings, and buttons, and simple assembly, you can send me the spare parts, and I'll find someone at the school to handle it. This will minimize the impact on your production."
"As for management costs," Lin Feng looked at Wu Wenjie, "it's perfect that Brother Jie is here. He can act as a coordinator for both of us. After-sales procedures and reconciliation can all be handled through Brother Jie. It won't cause you any trouble. Of course, I'll consider Brother Jie's service fee separately, without using the maintenance fund."
Wu Wenjie was initially puzzled as to why Lin Feng had assigned him another task.
After some thought, he realized that Lin Feng had designed him into this win-win closed loop, giving him a role that allowed him to participate continuously and receive money legitimately.
He immediately chimed in, "Old Chen, I think Brother Lin's idea is feasible. You take the money first, and I'll keep an eye on things for you. You don't need to worry about it. You're guaranteed to make a profit."
Boss Chen's gaze lingered between Lin Feng and Wu Wenjie, thinking to himself, "Don't you two set a trap for me."
But for the time being, it's hard to find any fault with it.
The thought of earning an extra 1500 yuan and "future orders" finally made him reconsider.
"Then... what about the warranty coverage?" Boss Chen asked, which was already a sign of agreement.
"The scope is as we just said, non-human-caused damage," Lin Feng said firmly.
Mr. Chen finally nodded, "Okay, we'll go with Mr. Lin's plan. We'll add a 5 yuan after-sales guarantee fee to each unit, for a six-month warranty. We'll write it in the supplementary agreement."
"And the payment method," Lin Feng pressed on, but in a more tactful tone, "Paying a 30% deposit first is no problem, and we'll adjust the payment method slightly to settle the balance upon delivery."
"How should we adjust this?" Boss Chen's expression changed. He definitely wouldn't agree to withhold his payment.
Lin Feng explained, "The price of 300 machines, plus the after-sales fund, is exactly 300 yuan per machine, for a total of 9 yuan. After the goods arrived and were inspected, I paid a total of 8.7 yuan."
Of the remaining 3000 yuan, 1500 yuan is my "after-sales guarantee fund," and the other 1500 yuan is your warranty deposit. They will be placed in a jointly managed account. The accounts will be settled together after six months, ensuring protection for both of us.
This time, Boss Chen didn't hesitate much, only giving a wry smile: "Boss Lin, your idea... Fine, we'll do as you say."
Turning to Wu Wenjie, he said, "The younger generation is truly formidable!"
"Thank you so much, Boss Chen, for your generosity in supporting us young people starting our own business," Lin Feng immediately flattered, raising his teacup in a toast. "I'll offer you a cup of tea instead of wine to thank you for your support! And thank you, Brother Jie, for making the connection!"
A seemingly impossible after-sales negotiation for a public mold machine was successfully resolved through Lin Feng's progressively detailed and interconnected solution, resulting in an agreement acceptable to both parties.
Lin Feng not only secured valuable after-sales support, but also secured Wu Wenjie as the middleman, making Boss Chen feel that he had also benefited despite the apparent concessions.
Lin Xiaowen's pen flew across the paper, recording this wonderful lesson. Looking at Lin Feng beside her, who remained composed, her eyes shone with even more admiration.
Once the contract was signed and the official seal was affixed, the tense atmosphere in the office vanished.
Boss Chen's smile became much more genuine: "Boss Lin is very principled in his work, I admire him. Don't leave tonight, I'll book a place, let's have a good drink to celebrate our cooperation!"
Mr. Chen extended his hospitality, and Lin Feng accepted with a smile, saying, "Then I'll trouble Mr. Chen to spend the money."
Wu Wenjie, along with siblings Lin Xiaoqiang and Lin Xiaowen, also participated.
Dinner was arranged at a well-known Chaozhou restaurant in Longhua.
Inside the private room, a large round table was laden with hearty dishes.
Boss Chen opened two bottles of local "Jiujiang Shuangzheng" liquor and filled the cups of all the men present. When it was Lin Xiaowen's turn, Lin Feng said, "She can just have a soft drink."
"Okay, little girl, drink the coconut juice."
After a few rounds of opening drinks, the atmosphere became lively.
Boss Chen became more talkative, no longer just discussing business matters, but starting to talk about the ups and downs of running the factory over the years and his experience in handling foreign trade orders.
Wu Wenjie shared some interesting stories about Huaqiangbei.
Lin Feng doesn't talk much, but his responses are always spot-on. Occasionally, he'll throw out a question about industry trends, which will make Boss Chen even more interested in the conversation.
After a few rounds of drinks, Boss Chen raised his glass and said, "Boss Lin, this is a toast to you. To be honest, when Ah Jie first brought you here, I was a little hesitant because you were so young."
But after spending these past few days with you... you're truly impressive! I, Old Chen, am impressed by your methods! If you ever need anything from our factory in the future, just let us know!
"Boss Chen, you flatter me. You are a senior, and I will have to learn more from you in the future." Lin Feng also raised his wine glass, his posture very humble, but his hand holding the glass was very steady.
He drank a glass of strong liquor without batting an eye, tilting his head back to finish it.
"Great! That's refreshing!" Boss Chen's eyes lit up, and he downed his own drink. He prided himself on his drinking capacity, and seeing how decisively Lin Feng drank, he thought even more highly of him.
Businessmen sometimes reveal their true colors at the dinner table.
Next, the focus of the toasts shifted to Wu Wenjie and Lin Xiaoqiang. Wu Wenjie, a native of Chaoshan, was a heavy drinker and accepted all toasts.
Lin Xiaoqiang came from the military, and his alcohol tolerance was unfathomable. He drank heavily, but his expression remained unchanged.
What surprised them the most was Lin Feng.
Boss Chen and Wu Wenjie harbored some intentions of testing the waters and making connections, and they toasted each other frequently. Lin Feng, as the guest of honor, had to accompany them to almost every toast.
He accepted all drinks without hesitation, and his toasts were always eloquent.
"Brother Lin, you have a huge capacity for alcohol! You're a shrewd businessman, and you drink to your heart's content! I've decided to make you my friend!"
Lin Xiaowen ate her food in small bites, but her eyes were always on Lin Feng.
She wasn't very knowledgeable about business, but she could read people. Lin Feng sat with seasoned veterans like Boss Chen and Wu Wenjie, and his presence was in no way inferior. But seeing him being forced to drink so much, Lin Xiaowen felt a pang of sympathy for him.
When the event ended, Boss Chen had already arranged a hotel and sent someone to take Lin Feng and the others to their rooms.
"Brother Feng, are you alright? You drank so much..." Lin Xiaowen walked over and asked with some concern.
She held a bottle of mineral water in her hand and handed it to Lin Feng.
"It's alright." Lin Feng took the water, smiled, and said, "This little bit of alcohol is nothing."
Lin Xiaoqiang walked over, his eyes filled with even more admiration as he looked at Lin Feng: "Brother Lin, not bad?"
"No problem, everyone get a good rest tonight, and we'll go back inside the pass tomorrow."
Then, Lin Feng used the room card to open the door and closed it behind him.
The noise outside was shut out by the door, and the world instantly became quiet, leaving only a wave of dizziness rushing to my head.
The once straight back finally began to hunch slightly.
He braced himself against the wall and immediately gulped down a large mouthful of mineral water, trying to suppress the churning, burning sensation in his stomach.
The alcohol was like a wildfire ignited in his body, burning from his stomach all the way to his throat.
The discomfort I had forcibly suppressed at the dinner table returned with even greater ferocity the moment I relaxed.
He staggered into the bathroom, not even having time to turn on the light, and lunged at the toilet. A violent spasm gripped his stomach, and his throat went limp…
"vomit!!"