Hong Kong Tycoon: Starting from Delivering Dongfeng Express

Chapter 104 What Jinghai has, Dongguan must have too!

The Jinghai Special Economic Zone covers an area of ​​327 square kilometers, while Dongguan City covers an area of ​​2465 square kilometers, nearly eight times the size of the former!

Simply put, if you open a store in the urban area of ​​Guancheng, many towns are more than 30 kilometers away from the urban area.

It's simply impossible to have deliverymen ride bicycles back and forth to the store several times a day to pick up packages, like Jinghai does!

Wang Jianjun said, "Brother Sheng, how about we open a few more stores in Dongguan?"

Ye Dongsheng nodded: "That's one way, but how many stores should we open? There are one or two hundred factories in each town in Dongguan. If we open too many, we won't be able to manage them all, and if we open too few, we won't meet the actual needs."

Xiao Fu said, "How about opening 7-8 stores, each covering 4 towns?"

Xiao Fu calculated it based on area. The area of ​​Dongguan City is seven or eight times that of the Special Economic Zone, so he calculated it as 7-8 stores.

Ye Dongsheng praised, "The idea is correct, and it's the future direction, but it won't work now; the management costs are too high!"

With 7-8 stores in Dongguan, the difficulties in all aspects, from delivery to management, will increase. He has only been running Dongfeng Express for less than two months. Where can he find so many people to work with?
Moreover, given the current number of factories in Dongguan, opening so many stores would be somewhat unprofitable.

As time goes by, and the number of factories increases in the next few years, the number of Dongfeng Express stations can increase, perhaps even to one in every town, but not now.

Ye Dongsheng took a map of Dongguan City, spread it out, and drew a circle in the upper left corner of the map: "The main urban area is located here, so we definitely need to open a shop here."

Then he drew a line along the dividing line of several towns in the middle of the map, dividing Guancheng in two, and then drew a circle on the right:

"We divide Guancheng into two parts, east and west. The store in the main urban area is responsible for the western part, and the other store is located in Changping Town, responsible for the eastern part."

It's still necessary to open a shop in the main urban area of ​​Dongguan, as the city is not without industrial zones. Tianbao Industrial Zone is located in the eastern part of the city, and it is home to factories such as Xieyi Electronics Factory and Debao Electronics Factory. Among them, there are many large factories, while those scattered in various towns are smaller in scale compared to those in the main urban area.

For Ye Dongsheng, who is currently in the startup phase, opening 1-2 stores in a region is the most suitable option, as it is easy to manage and delivery can be handled by a single vehicle.

Xiao Fu frowned and asked, "But won't it still be difficult for the deliveryman to make deliveries this way?"

Ye Dongsheng smiled and said, "It's difficult to deliver by bicycle, but what if we switch to a motorcycle?"

……

At the motorcycle shop, the staff are enthusiastically introducing the products:

"This Jialing 70 is a joint production between Jialing and Honda. All parts are imported, assembled in China, and finally sold under the Jialing brand. It consumes less than 1 liter of fuel per 100 kilometers, earning it the nickname 'Fuel-Saving King'! It's good-looking and practical, making it one of the most popular motorcycles on the market right now!"

Ye Dongsheng looked at the Jialing 70. The body was a bit thin, unlike the rugged, muscular models from abroad.

He casually asked, "How much?"

"This car is now worth 5000 yuan!"

Ye Dongsheng shook his head after hearing the price.

Actually, this motorcycle is already very cheap compared to imported motorcycles with similar performance that cost tens of thousands of yuan, but unfortunately, at this price, probably 90% of deliverymen wouldn't even consider it.

He asked directly, "Is there anything cheaper?"

The shop assistant immediately understood; this was someone looking for something practical. He led the group to a car parked further inside.
"This is the Jialing CJ50, China's first civilian motorcycle, made in 1979 by imitating the Honda PA50, and it only costs 1150 yuan!"

Ye Dongsheng became interested upon hearing this; the price was acceptable!

"Give me a detailed introduction to this car!"

"Single-cylinder engine, two-stroke, 50ml displacement, the vehicle can reach a speed of 60km/h and a load capacity of 110kg. The vehicle is lightweight yet has a strong load-bearing capacity, hence its nickname 'Red Rooster'!"
Moreover, this car was even taken to participate in the grand celebration of the 30th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1979!

Don't let its unassuming appearance fool you; this car is incredibly durable and rugged. It can handle even the roughest roads and can withstand a lot of wear and tear!

Ye Dongsheng was increasingly satisfied as he listened. It was good that it could withstand rough handling! The deliverymen were going to various towns and villages, so they had to be sturdy and durable!

Then he pointed to the foot pedals on both sides of the vehicle and asked, "What are these for? Can you pedal them?"

"Yes! This car is started by foot pedals, and you can ride it like a bicycle even when it runs out of gas!"

Xiao Fu exclaimed, "Brother Sheng, this is great!"

Ye Dongsheng smiled and nodded. Running out of gas would be perfect for a deliveryman, as he could ride it like a bicycle! If he ran out of gas halfway through, he wouldn't have to push it back.

Then he asked, "What is the fuel consumption of this car per 100 kilometers?"

"The only downside to this car is its high fuel consumption, at 2.2 liters per 100 kilometers, hence the nickname 'gas guzzler'!"

Ye Dongsheng did the math in his head. The current price of oil is 1.8 yuan per liter. Considering that the distance from the town to the express delivery store is 25 kilometers, and the round trip twice a day would be 100 kilometers, the fuel cost would be 4 yuan, which the deliveryman should be able to afford.

Then Ye Dongsheng asked the salesperson, "What kind of discounts are there if I buy several?"

"Sir, how much would you like to buy?"

Ye Dongsheng thought for a moment and said, "At least 20 vehicles!"

"20 vehicles?!"

The shop assistant exclaimed in surprise, then quickly said, "Sir, please wait a moment. I can't make the decision myself; I need to go find our boss!"

A moment later, a slightly overweight boss warmly shook hands with Ye Dongsheng: "Hello Mr. Ye, are you going to purchase 20 vehicles at once?"

Ye Dongsheng smiled and nodded: "To be precise, it should be 25 vehicles."

In Dongguan, the area has already been naturally divided up for him, with one courier responsible for each town, which means there are about 30 couriers in total.

However, the main urban area where both stores are located, Changping Town, and several nearby towns may not need motorcycles; bicycles are sufficient, so 25 motorcycles are definitely enough. Even if there are one or two extra, they can be kept for the stores.

The store manager looked embarrassed and said, "Mr. Ye, I'm really sorry, we only have 10 vehicles in stock right now. But I can arrange for delivery immediately and have them sent over as soon as possible!"

"Approximately how long will it take?"

"About 10 days."

These days, there's no such thing as a supply chain. Delivery times of half a month to a month are normal, and 10 days isn't considered long.

Ye Dongsheng understood this, and he wasn't actually in a hurry to use it. He still needed to find a shop, then renovate it, and hire staff; all of this would take about half a month.

However, he didn't agree immediately, and instead said, "Boss, how much of a discount can you offer?"

The boss pondered for a moment:
"Since Mr. Ye is buying in bulk, I won't hesitate. The original price is 1150 yuan, but Mr. Ye can take it for 1000 yuan. How about that?"

They gave him a discount of about 15%, so the 25 motorcycles cost a total of 25,000 yuan. It wasn't a huge sum, but Ye Dongsheng was quite satisfied with the boss's attitude.

"Okay, that's the price!" After paying a deposit of 5000 yuan, Ye Dongsheng and his group walked out of the motorcycle shop. They could pick up the motorcycle anytime in 10 days.

"Brother Sheng, shall we go find a shop now?"

Ye Dongsheng thought for a moment and said, "Dongguan City is so enthusiastic about attracting investment to us, let's communicate with them first!"

……

"Mr. Ye, I wonder how your sightseeing in Dongguan has been these past few days?"

Ye Dongsheng smiled and nodded: "Thank you for your concern. I've seen a lot in Dongguan these past few days and met many fellow mainlanders. They are hardworking, warm-hearted, and simple. I'm deeply impressed!"

Li Lei and Han Mei exchanged a smile: "Mr. Ye, have you considered investing in and building a factory in our Dongguan City? Not only are the costs low here, but there are also policy support measures. We will provide all the conveniences we can!"

Faced with the still enthusiastic Li Lei and Han Mei, Ye Dongsheng simply opened up:
"Gentlemen, I do indeed intend to invest in Dongguan..."

Both of them were delighted to hear this, but the next moment they heard Ye Dongsheng say:
"However, it is not a direct investment in building a factory."

Li Lei and Han Mei exchanged a glance: "Not investing in building a factory? Then Mr. Ye, you want to..."

They were indeed a bit confused. After all, all the Hong Kong businessmen who came to the mainland were attracted by the low labor and land prices. What else would they do if they didn't invest in building factories?
Ye Dongsheng smiled and said, "I plan to open a courier store to provide supporting services for Hong Kong businessmen who invest and set up factories here, and improve their business efficiency."

A courier service store? Supporting services?
This left the two of them somewhat dumbfounded.

Providing services to Hong Kong businesses? Isn't that exactly what they're doing? Are they trying to steal their business?

Han Mei asked, "No, Mr. Ye, we still don't quite understand. Is your courier shop the kind of courier service I'm familiar with, the one that sends mail and packages?"

Seeing Ye Dongsheng nod, Li Lei pressed on, "Excuse my boldness, but what's the difference between your shop and the post office?"

Ye Dongsheng smiled faintly: "We're faster than the post office. EMS from Hong Kong Island takes at least 10 days to get here, but our Dongfeng Express only takes 1 day!"

"One day?!" The two were speechless.

……

"What? Not investing in building a factory? Opening a courier company?"

In the office of the Dongguan Investment Promotion Working Group, more than a dozen people are having a discussion.

"Yes, boss, he said he wants to open a courier company to serve Hong Kong businessmen who invest in factories on the mainland. They can deliver any documents or invoices from Hong Kong Island in just one day!" Li Lei reported truthfully.

"One day? That's impossible, isn't it? Isn't it said that even the fastest EMS takes more than ten days?" Several people questioned.

"That's right, that's what he said! He also said that Dongfeng Express has been operating in Jinghai for a while now, and one-day delivery is absolutely no problem. The local Hong Kong businessmen are very welcoming!"

At this moment, a middle-aged man suddenly reached out his hand: "Wait, you said their name is Dongfeng Express?"

"Yes, Dongfeng Express!" Han Mei nodded in confirmation.

Another person asked, "Old He, is there a problem with this name?"

Old He said, "A few days ago, I was with a Hong Kong businessman. He asked me at the dinner table if Dongfeng Express existed in Dongguan, saying that it was very convenient to use and delivered things very quickly, so as not to waste his time."

I was a little confused at the time about what "Dongfeng Express" meant, but now that you've explained it, I understand!

Immediately, someone asked, "Hey? From what you're saying, Dongfeng Express is quite famous? And it's really popular with Hong Kong businessmen?"

"If it's really like he said, that they can deliver things from Hong Kong Island to us in just one day, then we'll definitely be very happy!"

"Yes, we've heard plenty of complaints from Hong Kong businessmen over the years about how inconvenient it is to communicate and conduct business between the two places."

Take, for example, the Kaida Toy Factory in Chang'an Town that came here the year before last. When their machines arrived, two matching screws were missing. We couldn't find them here, so we had to go back to Hong Kong Island to buy them again. This whole back-and-forth trip took a week!
If Dongfeng Express can really deliver in one day, then next time something like this happens, it'll be resolved in a day or two!

Immediately, the group started discussing amongst themselves.

At this moment, one of them stood up and said, "Wait for me, I'll go make a call and ask what's going on!"

After a while, when he returned, someone couldn't wait to ask, "Director Liu, how did it go?"

Director Liu clicked his tongue twice: "Dongfeng Express is quite famous among Hong Kong businessmen. I just made five phone calls, all to bosses who have already invested and built factories here. They all said they strongly welcome Dongfeng Express to open a store in Dongguan!"
They said that since they opened a shop in Jinghai, it's become much more convenient for Hong Kong businessmen in Jinghai to get things done. They're all incredibly envious!

"Ha, it seems that Dongfeng Express is really capable!"

"This Hong Kong Islander is really quick-witted. He found this direction and actually grasped the needs of Hong Kong businessmen who came to invest and build factories!"

"Boss, I think we should support Dongfeng Express! We're already lagging behind Jinghai in many aspects, we can't afford to fall behind in speed and efficiency as well!"

"Yes, if Jinghai has it, Dongguan should have it too!"

At this moment, the leader tapped on the table:
"Comrades, although this Hong Kong compatriot is not here to directly invest in building a factory, all things considered, the Hong Kong businessmen will definitely welcome the opening of this Dongfeng Express. It will improve the efficiency of our Dongguan factory and be more conducive to our future investment promotion work!"

Then he looked at his two subordinates: "Xiao Li, Xiao Han, you two should go and treat them well, and try to meet their requests as much as possible! Let them open this courier shop as soon as possible!"

"Yes, leader!"

……

"Mr. Ye, whether you come to Dongguan to invest and build a factory or not, we welcome you very much!"
Regarding your desire to open a courier store, we fully support you! Please feel free to let us know if you have any needs!

When Ye Dongsheng saw Li Lei and Han Mei again, they were still very enthusiastic, which made him feel genuinely good towards them.

He started by raising a question that was of particular interest to him: "Gentlemen, regarding the postal service I mentioned last time..."

The two men smiled and said, "Mr. Ye, don't worry, our leader said he will communicate with the post office. You can go ahead and open your shop!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Dongsheng was greatly relieved!

At the same time, I gave it a big thumbs up in my heart. The service in Dongguan is truly impeccable!

"I'm relieved to hear you two say that! I'll pick out the location in the next couple of days and start renovations right away!"

Li Lei and Han Mei exchanged a smile and then said, "Mr. Ye, we have a small request, but we don't know if we should say it?"

Ye Dongsheng raised his hand and said with a smile, "Go ahead and say it!"

"Will your company be able to settle employee salaries in Hong Kong dollars in the future?"

(End of this chapter)