Source: Economic Daily
"Why should users buy your products?" This is a question Xu Hefeng, chairman of Shenzhen Huion Animation Technology Co., Ltd., asks himself every day.
In Xu Hefeng’s view, “marketability” is one of the most important criteria for judging innovative products. "Seizing the needs of target users and making the best products and services to meet their needs is the basis for our survival. We must maintain a clear understanding every day and keep our feet on the ground." Since 2011 Since founding Huion, Xu Hefeng has led his team to always adhere to technological innovation as the main strategy for corporate development, product quality as the foundation of corporate development, and is committed to bringing the digitalization of original handwriting into thousands of households.
If you are sure, go ahead
Xu Hefeng has been working in Shenzhen for many years. In 1998, the electronics industry in Huaqiangbei, Shenzhen, was booming, and Xu Hefeng was engaged in the production and sales of mobile phone spare parts here. "From mobile phone lenses, resistive screens to capacitive screens... I have experienced the iteration from feature phones to smartphones. During this period, I saw the huge changes brought about by technology, and began to think about how to stimulate and maintain the vitality of the enterprise. If we do pure manufacturing How far can a company go without its own core technology?" Xu Hefeng recalled that by chance, I learned about products such as digital tablets. It has certain technical thresholds, and at that time, this industry was relatively blank in China.
After choosing a track, Xu Hefeng began to form a team to start a business. Starting a business requires money, where does it come from? In 2010, he resolutely sold his only real estate in Shenzhen, raised nearly 1 million yuan, and registered Huion Company in 2011. Xu Hefeng said: "Only when you have money can you have the confidence to do things."
However, the determination to burn everything did not lead to a smooth career. Xu Hefeng is facing a severe test: the domestic market has not yet been opened, foreign markets are difficult to develop, and sales have not been able to increase. Should you continue to hold on, or give up?
"I was struggling at the time. In the first month, sales were only a few hundred units, and others were not optimistic about it." Xu Hefeng recalled those days with mixed emotions and a feeling of taking a gamble. But thinking about it conversely, digitization is the future development trend, and the digital tablet industry will also develop accordingly. While Xu Hefeng continued to adhere to his entrepreneurial ideals, he maintained his work and life by trading other products. But regarding enterprise development, Xu Hefeng has always had a clear understanding: "Product development should always be oriented to user needs."
"Brand is very important to the development of the enterprise." His conceptual understanding was not deep, but in the first year of starting his business, he registered the Huion trademark. In order to establish the market recognition of the product, he did not hesitate to negotiate with customers at a price reduction during the initial processing and production, and put the Huion trademark on the product, thus gradually realizing the transformation from OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) to ODM (Original Equipment Manufacturer). original design manufacturer). Market recognition allowed Huion's sales to grow exponentially in the next two years.
Putting talents first
Whether you are wearing a medium-black T-shirt, light-colored casual pants, and sports casual shoes, showing a gentle and elegant temperament, or your hearty laughter during the conversation, Showing Xu Hefeng's strong affinity. This affinity is reflected in his "people-oriented" corporate management philosophy. Looking back on the past 10 years, in Xu Hefeng's view, every strategic change of Huion has put talents first. "Talent is the most fundamental core competitiveness of an enterprise. Where the talents are, the company will be there."
In 2013, Xu Hefeng targeted overseas markets and officially planned to shift from B to B (business to business) to B to C (business to consumer), with Amazon becoming the preferred platform. "Most people who do e-commerce are young people, and they don't like to work in remote factories." Xu Hefeng said frankly that in order to smoothly promote the Amazon project, he rented private houses to work, just so that the e-commerce team could work in an area with more convenient transportation. Life. "This time is equivalent to starting a business for the second time. I took a team of five people to work in a private house for half a year before moving to an office building." Not only that, due to business development needs, Xu Hefeng traveled all over the country, working in Wuhan, Guangzhou and other places. Establish a branch.
Subsequently, Xu Hefeng vigorously expanded the market while seeking breakthroughs in product technology.
"At that time, the tablet driver software could not adapt to the Apple system. This was a huge lack of market channels for us." Xu Hefeng said.
How to make up for this shortcoming? Xu Hefeng did not answer directly, but told a detail, "No one in the company understands the Apple system. Later, after a friend introduced me, I found an engineer who was engaged in Apple system software development. When I contacted him, I found that he had a habit of calling Always on mute, no one answers nine times out of ten. So, as long as I call him, no matter where he is, even if he is in Shanghai, I will tell him that we happen to be nearby and fly over to him immediately. The reason is to learn from him.”
If you persist in giving, you will be rewarded. With Xu Hefeng's unremitting efforts, Huion developed the prototype of the Apple system driver software for the tablet at the end of 2013, and launched the first official version at the end of 2014. In the following years, through continuous system upgrades and iterations, Huion has created a product matrix that combines software and hardware with digital content output. It has four independent brands and two major R&D centers.
Stability trumps everything
Behind the tea table in Xu Hefeng's office, there is a calligraphy work with the word "self-discipline" written on it. This kind of "self-discipline" can be seen in his control of the quality of the company's products.
"Stability is paramount" is the development principle that Xu Hefeng has long emphasized within the company. "Stability refers to stable quality, stable supply, stable delivery, etc. Products are like character. In the eyes of others, quality is a standard, but in our eyes, quality is belief," he said.
"Without good flour, you can never make good noodles." Xu Hefeng believes that if we want to ensure quality, we must start from the upstream supply chain and formulate a strict production and manufacturing standard system. "A display panel manufacturer once asked if the production standards could be lowered, but I firmly refused. Different from the distance used by TVs or tablets, users' eyes will even 'stick' to the panel when creating. In Under such an infinitely close viewing distance, any product defects will have no place to hide. If there is no concession in principle, the product will not be successful. "Xu Hefeng has a stubborn insistence on quality.
Remitting efforts will eventually pay off handsomely. Xu Hefeng said that since the establishment of Huion, Huion has been constantly exploring new scenarios of digital intelligence applications and integrating technology, art and life. Huion's products have expanded from digital tablets and digital screens to digital handwriting-in-one computers, Bluetooth handwriting tablets, signature screens, Smart conference tablets and many other categories.
"As a consumer product, we must continue to promote technological innovation and constantly upgrade and iterate products in order to secure the market. Run fast in small steps, iterate quickly, try and make mistakes quickly at the lowest cost, and keep a close eye on User demand drives rapid product upgrading through continuous micro-innovation," Xu Hefeng said with full confidence.
Advancing and retreating with the industry chain
"Behind every crisis, there must be dangers and opportunities coexisting. It is difficult for you to surpass others when walking on flat ground. On the contrary, everyone is It's time to distance yourself when climbing." Xu Hefeng said.
In the early stages of expanding overseas markets, Huion inevitably encountered patent barriers. "Around 2014, we suddenly received a letter from a lawyer in the United States, saying that the appearance and technology of our products were suspected of plagiarism." Xu Hefeng recalled that generally when encountering this kind of situation, many startups would choose to avoid head-on confrontation. , and immediately removed the relevant products from the shelves. If you are not careful, you may face tens of millions of dollars in costs.
What’s next? Faced with the accusation, Xu Hefeng was not worried, "Our products have already obtained relevant intellectual property certificates in the early stages of mass production. It is imperative to develop overseas markets and we must not give in. We hired a Chinese-American lawyer to represent us. After replying to the other party's lawyer's letter, the matter was finally resolved smoothly," Xu Hefeng said with emotion. Looking back now, this was a threat and temptation from the other party. By holding on this time, our overseas markets will be able to advance smoothly.
In 2020, Huion’s business was affected by the COVID-19 epidemic. "At this time, I must first stabilize the supply chain. Because in the end, it is not just one company that is fighting, but the entire industry chain is advancing and retreating.
"Xu Hefeng said, on the one hand, we must ensure our credibility and never default on payments; on the other hand, we increase purchase orders to allow suppliers to produce more and make more money to protect their production needs. Everyone*** Overcome difficulties.
Regarding future development, Xu Hefeng has his own ideas, “A product cannot be sold for 50 years. In recent years, in addition to the technology department, the company has also established a new technology department and a scientific research office to focus on exploring cutting-edge science and technology fields. "In order to further promote the transformation of scientific research results, in 2020, Huion joined hands with Southern University of Science and Technology to establish a joint school-enterprise scientific research laboratory to jointly build a physical scientific research platform.