Expanding into Henan: A Documentary on the Establishment of Specialty Stores and Sales Challenges—Qu Baokang, Deputy General Manager of Sales at the Jiaozuo Branch
Release time:2025-12-12
May 7, 2020—this was a day destined to be extraordinary. On that day, together with Zhang Sixia, Chairman of the Board of Directors; Zhang Chuangye, Chairman of Jiaozuo Hanhe; and Sun Liqiang, General Manager, I attended the meeting at which Jiaozuo Hanhe signed an investment agreement with the Shanyang District Government for an overall relocation.
2024 has been a year full of both opportunities and challenges for the company, and I’ve been fortunate to be deeply involved, witnessing and driving the company’s critical progress in developing and building channels in the Henan market. This experience has been profoundly meaningful to me and is one that I’ll cherish forever.
At the beginning of the year, the company set a goal to make a big splash in the Henan market, clearly stating its intention to enhance the brand awareness and influence of its products in the region and strive to achieve an additional 50 million yuan in sales. At that time, the entire team fully understood the weight behind this goal—while it posed a tremendous challenge for us, it also presented a brand-new opportunity.
In March, after several rounds of internal discussions and analyses, we gradually finalized the basic concept and implementation plan for our specialty stores. This stage was akin to groping forward in the dark—market conditions were complex and ever-changing, with a myriad of uncertainties intertwined. Yet, drawing on years of accumulated market experience and keen insights into industry trends, we gradually began to outline the general shape of our specialty stores. Each discussion was marked by intense exchanges of ideas, as everyone freely shared their perspectives, all striving to find the path best suited to the Henan market.
From April to May, the company’s leadership personally led a team on-site visits to Henan Province to identify ideal locations for specialty stores. This underscores the company’s high priority and serious commitment to this channel development initiative. During these visits, we traveled through numerous cities, navigating bustling streets and narrow alleys, all in search of the perfect spot that could fully unleash the brand’s potential for both display and sales. Throughout that period, we often braved the scorching sun, dragging our weary bodies from one prospective location to another, engaging in in-depth discussions with local stakeholders. Back at the hotel, we’d spend late into the night meticulously organizing our field notes and analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of each site. Yet not a single member complained or expressed fatigue—because we understood that every step of this thorough research was laying a solid foundation for future success.
Finally, after carefully considering numerous factors—including foot traffic, transportation convenience, and the surrounding commercial environment—we pinpointed the ideal location. Immediately following that, we entered a period of intensive bidding for renovation work and commenced the foundational construction phase. To ensure both the schedule and quality of the project, I communicated and coordinated repeatedly with the bidding team and the construction contractor, meticulously refining every detail of the tender process, determined to make our first flagship store a true masterpiece. Throughout the construction process, we made regular on-site visits to oversee progress, systematically checking each stage against the original design plans. From installing the ceiling to painting the walls, from laying the flooring to setting up display fixtures—every single step reflected our unwavering commitment to excellence. Finally, on May 8, the flagship store was successfully completed. The store’s brand-new, refreshed image felt like the starting point of an imminent takeoff, brimming with potential and ready to soar.
At the end of May, Mr. Ma, the head of the specialty store, came to our company for a training and exchange session—a crucial moment for the transfer of vital knowledge and experience. We had carefully prepared a series of training courses for Mr. Ma, covering various aspects such as product knowledge, sales techniques, and customer service. During the training, everyone actively engaged in discussions, and Mr. Ma shared his practical insights and experiences from the front lines of the market with complete openness and sincerity. Meanwhile, based on market demands, Mr. Ma placed the first inventory order for the specialty store and worked together with us to draft and sign the annual agreement. This agreement not only provides legal protection for our collaboration but also represents our joint commitment to a bright future.
In June, the Henan specialty store officially began operations, marking the start of a new journey. However, the early stages of operation were far from smooth sailing—various challenges emerged one after another. Issues such as unsatisfactory marketing results, low customer awareness of the new store, and slow growth in sales performance hung over us like a dark cloud. Yet, rather than being discouraged, the team members felt their fighting spirit ignited. The marketing department stepped up its promotional efforts, using an integrated online-and-offline approach to comprehensively boost brand visibility. Meanwhile, the sales team ventured deep into nearby communities and businesses, conducting on-the-ground promotional activities to precisely attract new customers and actively encourage potential clients to visit the store for an experience. During that period, we spent every day shuttling back and forth between the specialty store and the market, giving our all to seize every possible sales opportunity.
In the subsequent operational process, coordinated collaboration among various departments within the company played a crucial role. The Marketing Department, leveraging its keen market insights, promptly adjusted its marketing strategies and provided specialized stores with precise quotation support. The Fulfillment Department efficiently handled tasks such as contract signing and coordination of order delivery dates, ensuring that business processes ran smoothly without any hitches. To guarantee timely delivery of orders to specialized stores, the Low-Voltage Workshop optimized its production scheduling; employees worked overtime and meticulously produced each product. Staff involved in final product inspection, warehousing, packaging, and loading took strict care to ensure both product quality and timely delivery. The Storage and Transportation Department maintained close coordination, making rational arrangements for vehicle dispatch and shipment, thereby ensuring that goods were delivered safely and swiftly to customers. Meanwhile, the invoicing staff carried out collection verification and invoice issuance with meticulous attention to detail, guaranteeing the rigor and accuracy of financial procedures. It was precisely through the close cooperation and seamless integration of these various links that the specialized stores’ operations gradually got on track.
From June to December 31, the franchise stores collectively processed orders totaling 41,419,664.53 yuan, shipped goods worth 41,301,811.53 yuan, and collected payments amounting to 3,979,0258.52 yuan. We successfully onboarded 10 franchisees, five of whom achieved annual sales exceeding 1 million yuan. These impressive figures are the fruits of the hard work and dedication of every member of our team, and they bear witness to our journey—from starting from scratch to steadily growing stronger in the Henan market. Moreover, the franchise stores’ incremental sales of 41.3 million yuan for the year have injected powerful momentum into the company’s development and provided strong validation for our efforts.
Looking back on this journey, we’ve experienced sweat, laughter, setbacks, and triumphs. From setting our goals at the beginning of the year to seeing those goals come to fruition today, we’ve overcome one challenge after another, achieving breakthroughs in channel expansion and sales growth in the Henan region. I’m keenly aware that individual strength is small, but the cohesion and collaborative spirit of our team are limitless. It’s precisely the close cooperation among all departments within the company and with our franchisees that has enabled our specialty stores to get off to such a brilliant start. Moving forward, I look forward to continuing to work hand-in-hand with my team, deepening our presence in the Henan market, and writing an even more brilliant chapter together.
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To promote the high-quality development of the enterprise and further enhance the core competitiveness of Jiaozuo Hanhe Cable Co., Ltd. in the wire and cable industry, we are now launching a public tender to assist the company in applying for the titles of “Excellent-Level Smart Factory” and “Digital Leading Enterprise.” The relevant tendering details are announced as follows:
Throughout my long journey in the cable industry, I personally took part in the pilot production of the 500kV, 2500mm² cross-linked polyethylene-insulated, smooth-aluminum-sheathed cable manufactured by Jiaozuo Hanhe in Jiaozuo. This experience is like a brilliant pearl, deeply embedded in the annals of my career, constantly inspiring me to keep moving forward.