Thomas was stunned by all the home appliances in the show flat. Jiang Wanmeng was trying to hold back his laughter. These appliances were mostly samples.
For instance, that universal remote controller. Although it could control the TV, VCD player and many other appliances, there was a problem with the signal. If you are not careful, you could switch off the VCD when you are switching on the TV. The controller can be considered a useless product.
Also, that vacuum robot. The cost of producing it was very high, and it was almost impossible to mass produce it. That infrared sensor was not sensitive enough, and there was no timer set in the robot. It wastes lots of electricity.
The water heater was simple to manufacture, but with the heating controller in the heater was very expensive. That LCD display indicating the temperature was only a prototype.
The infrared sensor tap, voice control switches, automatic electric kettle, air conditioner equipped with air purifying features, etc. had shocked Thomas.
This was the power of Wind and Rain company? It was too advanced. How did they come up with these ideas? Are these invented by the staff who were all drinking tea and playing ping pong during their working hours?
“Mr. Thomas, you can leave your luggage here, and we will go for dinner. I bring you around and have a taste our local cuisine.”
“Ah? Oh ok. Let’s go.” As Thomas was walking out of the room, he kept turning back to look at the appliances. If possible, he would like to bring some of those products back to experiment with it.
Thomas even wanted to dismantle all those appliances now. He knew he would have lots of inspirations from those appliances. But since Jiang Wanmeng dares to show him these products, that means they would have applied for the patents and was not afraid of letting him know the theories and technologies behind the appliances.
These appliances had shocked him. This was the strength of Wind and Rain company? Philips should be cooperating with such company fully and not bargaining with them over one or two technologies.
“Mr. Jiang, I would like to make a phone call first,” Thomas said.
“Are you calling Holland? Come with me. You can make long distance calls in my office.”
Jiang Wanmeng brought Thomas to his office and left. Leaving Thomas alone in his office with the door closed.
Thomas was about to make his phone call when he noticed there was a stack of documents left on Jiang Wanmeng’s desk. Although he knew that it was unethical and even against the law to peep at another person documents, he could not resist it.
Chinese, Chinese, Chinese. Most of the documents were in Chinese, and Thomas could not understand. He finally found a document in English. He opened it up and was shocked.
This was a report about a collaboration with Dell. Dell wanted to cooperate with Wind and Rain Electronics and Wind and Rain Home Appliances and enter the Chinese market. They wanted to set up their Asia headquarters in China and expand their operations to the rest of Asia.
Dell was also a juggernaut in the electronics industry. If Wind and Rain Electronics and Wind and Rain Home Appliances cooperate with Dell, then Philips will be out of the game.
So, other than Sony, Wind and Rain Electronics still have other partners to choose from!
Thomas immediately called his headquarters and report his findings and what he saw to the President of Philips. He requests the company to give him an answer as soon as possible. His opinion was to cooperate with Wind and Rain Electronics fully. Just this company’s creativity was worthy for Philips to collaborate with them!
Philips top management was very concern after they heard Thomas’s report. They had sent Thomas over to China was because they knew Thomas was capable and was able to make the right decisions. Thomas also owns Philips shares and will never betray the company. In the past, Thomas had also represented Philips for several negotiations and had never made any blunders.
This time, Philips top management trusted Thomas’s judgment and sincerely wanted to collaborate with Wind and Rain Electronics after knowing how strong this company was.
Philips knew how much profits can an advanced technology, or an advanced product brings to the company. This Wind and Rain Company was able to invent so many advanced technologies. The future of this company was limitless. If Philips were able to cooperate with such a potential company now, they would be establishing a good working relationship with this company, and they would also be able to share those technologies. They would be ahead of their competitors!
During dinner, Feng Yu used his tactics to make his guest drunk. He would raise his glass every few minutes. They were drinking Baijiu. But Feng Yu used an excuse of under medication to avoid drinking. He was drinking fruit juice!
Toasting with a glass of fruit juice was too embarrassing for Jiang Wanmeng to watch. But when he saw Feng Yu continued toasting Thomas with his fruit juice and Thomas was about to pass out, he also joined in to make Thomas drink more.
Those home appliances still have lots of defects. If Thomas were sober, he would notice the problems in those products and the surprise they gave him will be gone. That English document about the cooperation with Dell was also fake.
These were all traps laid for Thomas. If Thomas did not peep at the documents on the desk, he would not fall for the trap. But since he peeked at the documents, naturally he would fall for it.
If someone read that document carefully, he would realize that it was fake. But Thomas did not have the time to read it carefully. He also did not dare to read someone else documents so openly in their offices. If he were caught, he would bring trouble to Philips and might even be fired.
Feng Yu said that this trap cannot fool gentlemen. It was only applicable to sneaky people.
That afternoon, the top management of Philips held a meeting. They wanted to contact Thomas again to discuss their cooperation with Wind and Rain. In the phone call earlier, Thomas had asked them to make a decision as soon as possible.
But Philips China staffs told the top management of Philips that Thomas was drunk and was sleeping!
The next morning, Jiang Wanmeng woke Thomas up for breakfast. Thomas had a bad hangover. He could not even remember how he returned to the show flat yesterday.
Thomas swore that he would never drink with Chinese again! These Chinese can hold their liquor well. He did not know what happened, and he passed out. The Chinese are the ones who invented Baijiu, and it is in their blood to hold their liquor well!
“Mr. Thomas, yesterday during dinner, you said that you will be able to give us a decision this morning. I wonder, what’s your company’s decision.” Feng Yu asked.
“Mr. Feng, can I make a phone call?”
“Of course.”
After breakfast, Thomas called his headquarters and was scolded for being drunk yesterday. The management asked Thomas about some details, and he explained. Thomas still insisted on cooperating with Wind and Rain Electronics and Wind and Rain Home Appliances fully. Philips must collaborate on both electronics and home appliances.
Thomas also mentioned that Wind and Rain was a powerful company, and they could not make use of their government to pressurize them to give in to their demands.
Philips made its decision. They agree to Thomas’s views and will collaborate with Wind and Rain Electronics and Wind and Rain Home appliances fully. The details of this cooperation will still need to be discussed after Thomas negotiation.
After leaving Jiang Wanmeng’s office, Thomas said to Feng Yu: “Mr. Feng, our board of directors had decided to collaborate with Wind and Rain Electronics and Wind and Rain Home appliances fully!”
“Collaborate fully? How are we going to cooperate? Can you be more specific?” Feng Yu replied calmly. But in his heart, he was jumping with joy.
