dkrc Chapter 65: The Meeting, Discussing Solutions to the Crisis
Chapter 65: The Meeting, Discussing Solutions to the Crisis
"Chairman, you've arrived."
"Good morning, Chairman..."
Someone noticed the commotion at the door first and spoke in a slightly trembling voice. Everyone looked over and saw Li Jiagang arrive. They all stood up, their movements synchronized yet tinged with a hint of panic.
Li Jiagang raised his hand and pressed down, his voice low but authoritative: "Everyone's sitting down. All the department managers are here, right?"
"Yes, Chairman," Gao Fuhai quickly replied, his voice slightly hoarse, "Apart from President Huo and President Li who are busy, all the management teams of the electrical appliance company are here."
Li Jiagang walked slowly to the head of the table, took off his suit jacket, and gently draped it over the back of the chair. His movements were elegant, yet they exuded a sense of impending doom. He did not sit down immediately, but instead surveyed the entire room, his gaze sharp as a knife, sweeping across everyone's face.
"Okay, let's continue the meeting."
He sat down, crossed his arms on the table, and stood ramrod straight. His cold expression seemed to lower the temperature in the conference room by several degrees.
The management team became extremely cautious.
"Is everyone aware of the numerous negative news reports this morning that have had a huge impact on the company?" His voice wasn't loud, but every word struck like a hammer blow to everyone's hearts. When his deep eyes swept over the crowd, they dared not look him in the eye.
All the managers nodded in unison, their movements so synchronized they were almost mechanical, and they even unconsciously lowered their breathing.
"Have you come up with an effective solution?" Li Jiagang pressed on, his tone still calm, but with a hint of dread in his voice.
For a moment, the conference room fell into dead silence.
Everyone lowered their heads, as if their spines were bent by an invisible gravity.
Even Gao Fuhai, the general manager in charge of the group's daily operations, lowered his eyes, his fingertips trembling slightly. He opened his mouth, but ultimately didn't utter a single word.
They did have a meeting all morning, but they didn't come to any conclusions.
Just then...
With a "click," the conference room door was suddenly pushed open.
Everyone turned around in surprise, only to see Huo Jianning and Li Haiming hurrying in. "Sorry, Chairman, we're late." Huo Jianning and Li Haiming's voices rang out at the same time, both of them slightly out of breath, as if they had rushed over.
"It's alright," Li Jiagang looked up at the two of them, his tone calm. "You have other things to do, you don't have to come to this meeting."
"But... since you're here, please have a seat."
"Thank you, Chairman."
The two responded and took their seats.
At this moment, Li Jiagang sat up straight again, clasped his hands together, and his gaze remained sharp: "Now there are a lot of negative news about the company and our washing machine products. Many media outlets are spreading it. This is definitely someone deliberately trying to smear us."
"I believe everyone knows who is targeting us. I will deal with this matter later. For now, let's focus on overcoming this difficult situation."
His voice suddenly turned cold: "Everyone, please feel free to suggest any countermeasures you may have. This is not the time to shirk responsibility; this is a matter of life and death for the company."
After a brief silence, Li Haiming took a deep breath, raised her hand, and said in a clear and firm voice, "Chairwoman, I believe the first priority is to hold a press conference to show the public that the company is actively investigating. We cannot be passively attacked; we must seize the initiative in public opinion."
Li Jiagang nodded slightly, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.
"Mr. Li is right." He slowly began, "Although someone is deliberately targeting us in this matter, it's not hard to guess the mastermind behind it. It's nothing more than our competitors whose market share we've taken away. But consumers don't know this and are easily misled by public opinion. They only see reports saying that the washing machines are of poor quality, leak electricity, leak water, or even catch fire and burn down houses."
He stood up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looked down at the company entrance which was already surrounded by reporters, and said in a resolute voice:
"Following the meeting, the publicity department immediately prepared a press conference to announce to all consumers that the company has established a special investigation team to conduct an in-depth, thorough, and effective investigation into all matters that occurred today. We will give every customer who purchased a Legend brand washing machine an explanation."
He turned around, his gaze sharp as a knife:
"At the same time, we must state the company's position: we will never tolerate any behavior that harms consumer safety or tarnishes the company's reputation. If there is a problem with our products, we will take responsibility; if there is malicious framing, we will pursue the matter to the end without exception."
"Yes, Chairman!" The publicity director looked up abruptly, his voice filled with long-lost fighting spirit.
Li Jiagang nodded, then his gaze swept across the room like a hawk, finally settling on Zhang Wei, the director of the technical department, and Sun Li, the manager of the quality department:
"Technical Department and Quality Department, immediately establish a joint investigation team after the meeting. First, contact customers who have already purchased washing machines, explain the reason for the visit, and conduct an in-depth inspection of the customers' washing machines on-site."
He emphasized, "I need the rawest data, the most realistic results. Not the simulated data from your lab, but the actual state of the machine in the user's home."
He paused, his eyes turning cold: "The entire investigation process will be video recorded. A dedicated filming team will follow the investigation, recording every detail: the machine model, the circuit condition, whether it has been tampered with, whether there are any problems. I need evidence, not speculation."
"Yes, Chairman!" the two replied in unison, cold sweat already beading on their foreheads.
"President Gao." Li Jiagang turned his gaze to Gao Fuhai.
Gao Fuhai stiffened and immediately straightened his back: "Yes, Chairman!"
"You are responsible for coordinating the internal investigation, cooperating with the technology and quality departments, and thoroughly investigating the production process, quality inspection records, raw material testing, assembly line monitoring, and aging test data. In short, no link can be overlooked." Li Jiagang spoke steadily, but every word was firm and resolute. "At the same time, compile and archive all the test reports, safety certifications, and third-party inspection records for the first batch of washing machines, ready to be released to the public at any time."
"Understood! I'll organize a special team immediately after the meeting, working in shifts 24 hours a day, ensuring no detail is overlooked." Gao Fuhai breathed a sigh of relief; at least he had a clear direction. He wasn't afraid of a heavy workload; what he feared was the chairman becoming disappointed in him and having nothing to do.
"Jianning." Li Jiagang finally turned his gaze to Huo Jianning.
Huo Jianning nodded calmly: "Chairman, please give your instructions."
"I'm giving you a task." Li Jiagang's voice suddenly deepened, carrying a sense of impending storm. "Arrange for people to investigate. I need to definitively prove who released these negative news stories? Who are the people behind them? Have any of our clients been bribed to help defame the company and our products? Or is it true, or is it a carefully orchestrated smear campaign?"
Huo Jianning remained calm throughout, responding in a deep voice: "Chairman, before coming to this meeting, I had already arranged for an investigation team to go out and investigate. I will also personally follow up to ensure that everything is investigated and the mastermind behind it is identified in the shortest possible time."
Upon hearing this, Li Jiagang looked at him in surprise.
He then smiled with satisfaction.
"Very good," he said slowly. "Everyone should learn from Jianning."
He surveyed the entire room, his voice as cold and stern as iron:
"The company didn't hire you to come back and be babysitters, nor did it ask you to sit here and wait for my order before you start thinking."
True management should be able to plan ahead, deploy resources, and devise a strategy as soon as a crisis erupts within the company.
His gaze, sharp as a blade, swept over the directors who had their heads bowed:
"If I have to do everything myself every time, then what am I supposed to do with you guys?"
A chill ran down everyone's spine, and no one dared to speak.
"Also, the after-sales center," Li Jiagang continued, "After the meeting, send more staff, add more connections, prepare more phones, and be ready to answer customer calls at any time."
His tone softened, but became even more somber: "Remember, be sincere, listen, and empathize. For users with questions, reassure them first, then explain. Promise that we are investigating and that we will provide a responsible explanation."
"Yes, Chairman!" The customer service director looked up abruptly and answered readily.
"As for the partners..." Li Jiagang's eyes narrowed suddenly, a ruthless glint in them. "I will immediately dispatch the legal team from Hong Kong Electric to intervene. Mr. Gao, you will take charge. All partners who unilaterally breach contracts or violate contract terms, as long as we are in the right and have the upper hand, sue them until they go bankrupt."
His voice was icy: "At the same time, immediately contact new material suppliers and contract manufacturers to ensure that the supply chain of raw materials and production capacity remains uninterrupted, production cannot stop, and orders cannot be delayed."
He paused, his tone softening slightly: "If any customer strongly requests a refund of the pre-sale payment, it will be approved in full. But..."
He paused for a moment, then said, "We must communicate patiently, inform them that we are investigating, and strive to gain the customer's trust in the company. If we can avoid refunds, that would be best; if refunds are necessary, then we should refund them immediately."
"Remember, be polite."
He slowly stood up, placed his hands on the table, and looked around the room: "In short, this is the first full-scale crisis the company has encountered since its restructuring, and it is also a test for all of you."
"I don't care about excuses, I don't listen to excuses. I want results, speed, unity, and responsibility."
"All departments shall implement the above arrangements immediately. If manpower is needed, the administration department will coordinate and allocate resources, but remember, support must arrive as soon as possible."
"Yes, Chairman."
Meeting adjourned.
Everyone quickly stood up and left the room in a hurried but orderly fashion, as if propelled by an invisible force. The meeting room was soon empty.
Only Li Jiagang, Huo Jianning, and Li Haimei remained at the scene.
Li Jiagang stood by the window, looking at the group of reporters gathered at the company entrance.