Chapter 757 – Steve’s doubts
The board meeting was very short. This was mainly because these directors also held other positions in Microsoft, and they do not have much to discuss during the session.
Feng Yu had become Microsoft’s director and got his own office. His office was the same as the rest of the directors. It was a small office located on the top floor.
Feng Yu was surprised to learn that Ballmer was the President of Microsoft’s Asia-Pacific region. Now, Feng Yu had the chance to speak to Ballmer in private.
“Steve, have a seat. Ralph, help us get 2 coffees.” Ralph was Feng Yu’s a.s.sistant in Microsoft. Feng Yu had hired him personally. He does not want to use the people a.s.signed by Microsoft. Of course, he got to pay his a.s.sistant himself.
Steve Ballmer seat down on the sofa and looked at Feng Yu: “Feng, you are from China?”
“Yes. What’s wrong? Are you looking down on Chinese?” Feng Yu pretended to be angry.
Steve laughed. “Feng, you think I will look down on someone richer than me? I am only curious. China’s economic development is still in its starting phase, how come you are so wealthy? Are you from some ancient Chinese family line and got the support from them?”
Family line? To these westerners, a young man with so many a.s.sets must have some family backing him. But in Feng Yu’s previous life, a young man by the name of Mark Zuckerberg changed all these stereotypes.
Without any backings and only with his visions and dreams, Mark Zuckerberg worked hard and became one of the world’s top billionaire.
“You can say so. My father and my brother-in-law are considered tyc.o.o.ns in China. But I feel that I got so much money is because of my hard work.” Feng Yu purposely said this.
Steve raised his brows. Due to your hard work? This young man is proud. But if his family dares to let him handle so many a.s.sets, he should have some capabilities. But more importantly, he is the only successor in his family.
Feng Yu had mentioned that his father and brother-in-law were tyc.o.o.ns back in China. Steve had heard that in China, there is discrimination against women. Families felt that daughters are outsiders, and all their fortune will be pa.s.sed down to their sons. That means Feng Yu will be the next successor. Did his family send him to the US to train him?
Steve thought for a while and then smiles. “That’s right. All your achievements must be due to your hard work.”
Steve still had something he kept to himself. It is your family that had helped you. If Bill Gates and Warren Buffett did not have their families helping them, they will also not be the world’s top billionaires! I am the one who used my own abilities to get to where I am now. I did not invest a single cent and become Microsoft’s shareholder. I become a billionaire based on my own efforts!
These were what Steve was thinking in his heart.
“Steve, you are the overall in charge of the Asia Pacific region. You have heard what was discussed during the board meeting. The Chairman had said that I will be handling the China market and have the final say. Are you unhappy with this arrangement?”
Steve thought to himself. If it was you will you be happy? I had planned to enter the Chinese market. Now, the most potential market is taken away from me. The rest of the markets combined are not as big as China. You have taken away half of my authority, and you are asking me if I am unhappy with this?
“You are Chinese, and you understand China better. You are the best person to handle this market. I will also have less work too. Furthermore, all of us are working for the good of Microsoft. The better Microsoft is, the more we will earn, right?”
Feng Yu smiled and looked at Steve. You really think this way? I remembered in my previous life, the media reported you as someone power-hungry.
“Steve, if it is you, how will you open up China’s market?” Feng Yu asked.
Steve was puzzled. This Feng Yu did not have any plans? If he did not have plans, why did Bill Gates give him the Chinese market?
Could Feng Yu be testing him?
Arrogant!
Steve only respect a few people in his life, and this young man in front of him is definitely not one of them!
“If I were to open up China’s market, I will use aggressive advertising in China and work with every single PC brand there. I will make sure every PC buyers will think of our operating system when they purchase their PC. I will make sure they can only choose our operating system!”
Feng Yu nodded: “This is a good strategy. But if Microsoft can do this, the rest of the software companies can also do the same.”
“We have software which only works on our operating systems. You should know how good our software is. Now, in the US and many countries in Europe, many governments and companies are using our software. They can only use our operating system!” Steve replied proudly.
“I remember that other companies have similar software like our Office. There are at least a dozen of such programs out there. If Microsoft did not have agreements with those hardware manufacturers, then Microsoft operating systems will not be so popular, and our software will not be able to get so much market share. Maybe you do not know about this. Currently, in China, the most popular way of working in offices are still pen and paper.”
Why was this happening? It is not hard to use a PC. But to some, it is not so easy. Win 95 might be easy to use, but it is not as user-friendly as XP. No matter whether if it was the government agency or private companies, the first users of the PC were not those office staffs. It was the leaders.
The leaders were much older and were reluctant to accept changes or new things, compared to young adults. This resulted in a weird cycle. Those who knew how to use computers do not have a PC, and those who do not know how to use were given a PC!
When the leaders buy things, they will not consider whether if that item is useful. Their first consideration is what benefit will they get from purchasing this item. In Feng Yu’s previous life, there are a lot of operating systems in this era.
Steve frowned and asked Feng Yu back. “Then how will you market?”
“My method is similar to yours. But I will focus on the price. Our operating systems and Office software are cheaper than other operating systems. Also, I can make use of the lowest cost to speed up the marketing of our products. Our main profits will not be from the retail sales of our systems.”
Whenever there was an upgrade of the operating system, someone would crack the code within 2 days. Very soon, the whole nation will own your latest version of the operating system. Very few people would choose to buy more expensive items. The Chinese still does not know about Intellectual property rights. They only know whether this item is expensive or cheap. Why should they spend a few hundred dollars for an item which can be bought for 10 to 20 dollars?
Of course, the receipt can be written as a few hundred dollars for that cheap item.
“Then how do we make money?”
“Wait. Wait until they are used to our operating systems and software, then we will make money. The initial phase of opening up a new market is the most difficult and high resources are needed. I guarantee that within 3 years, more than 90% of the PC in China will be using Microsoft operating system!”
Yes. I cannot promise if they had spent money to buy Microsoft products. I only want to get more time for Lenovo to gain experience for developing operating system. This will be their foundations of overtaking Microsoft in the future……