64: Chapter 64 Cutting off Fanmi's hardware supply chain!

Apple Headquarters.

Lu Qun looked at the data in the sales report in his hand with a gloomy expression; the entire conference room was silent.

"Market share for high-end smart new models... Samsung 8%, us 10%, and fanmi 20%. A startup company has double our figures. Do you have anything to say?"

Everyone in the conference room could hear the suppressed anger in his calm tone, but no one dared to speak up because these figures were too embarrassing!

Even though there was still a slight increase compared to previous years' data, no one dared to mention it at this moment.

After a long time, seeing the atmosphere grow increasingly oppressive and Lu Qun's expression darken further, the Sales Director finally couldn't take it anymore and spoke up, bracing himself.

"Our sales channels are mainly offline stores, and the figures are still growing. Perhaps in a while, we can take back the market share!"

"Do you even believe that yourself?" Lu Qun glanced at him, his gaze turning colder as the anger in his heart surged uncontrollably.

Everyone was well aware of the current situation: the slow growth in offline store sales was only because Fanmi's production capacity was limited and they had long since sold out.

Given a bit more time, the market share gap would surely widen again. The so-called growth in offline sales was merely the only piece of news that wasn't outright bad that could be presented.

"Fanmi's counterattack caught us off guard, and combined with the reversal of public opinion, it has significantly impacted our phone sales. To resolve the current predicament, we must suppress Fanmi's momentum, otherwise..."

The Marketing Director's tone was heavy. He knew all too well that they had truly "tried to steal a chicken only to lose the rice." The PR war failed to suppress Fanmi, and their collaboration with Llg led to a lawsuit that damaged the company's image; otherwise, the sales data wouldn't be so dismal.

"I want solutions, not your analysis! Do you think I'm unaware of the situation? Do I need you to tell me?!" Lu Qun could no longer remain seated and slammed the report in his hand onto the table with a dull thud.

The conference room fell silent once more as everyone broke into a cold sweat.

Seeing everyone lowering their heads in silence, Lu Qun's expression grew even more unsightly.

"Talk to all our major suppliers. Tell them that due to commercial competition, they must stop supplying Fanmi, or at the very least, hike up their prices!!"

Fanmi's production capacity was insufficient, and their phones were constantly out of stock. Previously, he had even used the point of hunger marketing to launch a PR attack.

He knew very well that to suppress Fanmi's rise now, they could only do so through the suppliers. Fanmi focused on cost-effectiveness; as long as the supply prices of components were pushed up, costs couldn't be lowered. Then, the more fanmi mobile phones they sold, the more they would lose, and their rising momentum would naturally collapse.

Upon hearing this, everyone in the conference room quickly caught on.

"This is a great idea. Fanmi's hardware supply chain has always been a weak point, and their production process requirements are very high. Many suppliers already harbor resentment..."

"Exactly. We can also team up with Samsung and other manufacturers. If the negotiations go well, we can definitely cut off Fanmi's supply chain and leave them with no hardware to use!"

"This way, unless Fanmi pays high prices for hardware, their claim of focusing on cost-effectiveness will be like slapping their own face—unless they have the guts to keep subsidizing it with their own money!"

"It's impossible for them to keep subsidizing. Fanmi was only founded half a year ago and lacks capital backing. Their cash flow won't last long. If they don't raise prices, they are doomed!"

"Didn't they claim they wanted to make high-end smartphones affordable for all consumers? If they dare to raise prices, the consumers' backlash will drown them!"

One voice after another spoke up, and the atmosphere in the office instantly shifted. The previous gloom was swept away, and the eyes of the department directors were shining.

They could already foresee that once this plan succeeded, Fanmi wouldn't last many more days. Then, all the lost market share could be reclaimed!

"According to the news we've received, Samsung's losses are even heavier. They were even fined a huge sum because they had already signed a technology transfer contract with Llg, which involved technical infringement. They must want Fanmi dead even more!!"

Mentioning this, Lu Qun's face darkened again. If he hadn't been cautious and delayed the contract with Llg to see what happened after Samsung signed, he might have suffered a major setback this time as well.

Fanmi's counterattack was indeed ruthless and clearly a well-premeditated plan. This caused him to feel a hint of wariness toward the person at Fanmi who devised this counterattack.

A barking dog is not to be feared; it's the ruthless ones who remain silent and suddenly jump out to bite you that are hard to guard against.

"Alright, get moving!"

Lu Qun waved his hand, and everyone immediately stood up and hurried out of the conference room.

He looked out the floor-to-ceiling window at the city's silhouette. Although the strategy to suppress Fanmi had been set, he couldn't relax.

Because he knew very well that what made Fanmi most fearsome was never its marketing or business capabilities, nor just the cost-effectiveness of its phones, but the speed of its technological research and innovation.

From Fast Charging Technology to self-developed systems, as well as the innovative upgrades of various phone components, they had released a dense series of technologies in a short period...

Now, after so little time, Second-generation Fast Charging Technology has already come out!

What he had always feared was the powerful research team behind Fanmi and the core of that team; such research and development capability was terrifying!

As long as that team... or rather, that person exists, Fanmi will be invincible!

Cutting off the supply chain is only a temporary measure.

Curbing the speed of Fanmi's technological innovation is the true fundamental solution to the problem.

It's just that he needs to think carefully about how to implement this...