With the Time Shop, I Too Am the Greatest Conglomerate of All Time

Episode 89. Speaker uprising.

“I think you are saying that you will be charged differently depending on the time and storage capacity of the server in the data center. Wouldn’t the damage be greater?”

“You don’t need to set your rates lower than your competitors right now. Consumers will feel that our service is much cheaper than our competitors, just for the amount of time and capacity not used. After all, even with this amount, the discount was so large that it could lead to a loss, so competitors will not be able to easily follow our plan.”

Not in the future though.

At that time, the rates for hosting services were generally set based on some reference capacity offered by the hosting company.

For example, if the consumer initially commits to using 5GB of storage space.

That person can freely use the server as long as it does not exceed 5GB.

If a consumer using 2GB was paying the 5GB standard, that person was paying 3GB more.

The hosting company does not refund the difference.

This was also the case with time.

In general, even if 15 days were spent on a one-month contract and the remaining 15 days were not used, the difference could not be refunded.

The rate plan I was about to offer was a rate plan with the concept of returning the difference to consumers.

This would spur consumers who were using other competitors to move to DDCs.

“I think so.”

“Later, when competitors are hesitant because they can’t keep up, lower the price again when users gather above a certain level.”

“Well. Then making money in DDC can be difficult. Will you still be okay?”

Even if hourly and capacity unit charges were applied, it was possible to make a profit if a sufficient number of customers were secured.

But that profit would disappear like a mirage if the competitor lowered the price.

Rather, it was advantageous in the long run to use the profits to lower rates and secure more customers.

“yes. It’s okay if you don’t make any money from DDC for the time being. Zero margin or a loss is fine, so just focus on outperforming your competitors. When they reach a level that they cannot dare to follow, then the DDC era will begin.”

It would be similar in any field, but if there was a price competition, it was likely to lead to bleeding competition.

Hosting services were not the main business, but the side had an advantage to withstand such a bloody competition compared to other competitors.

“All right. We will keep you informed of our progress on a regular basis.”

Of course, this price competition is not the only thing that determines the success or failure of the hosting business.

Although the price is very important in the competition between the fierce data centers in Korea.

When DDC grows in size and competes with giants like Microsoft.

A strategy other than price was required.

However, it is not too late to pay attention after pacifying the country, so I planned to tell President Jung separately later.

#end of October.

Kowon Electronic TV Division.

As I entered the conference room, tension appeared on the faces of the executives seated.

Looking at it, I remembered the first time I met them.

During the TV business new product development meeting.

asked the sound director.

“Hide the speakers inside so you can’t see them from the outside?”

“If you look at the TV products on the market right now, there is no product without a speaker on the front. Are all TV companies stupid and put the speakers out the front? There is a good reason for that.”

“What is the reason for that?”

“When we watch TV, we use the expression watching. Because TV is a product to watch and listen to at the same time. When the speaker is placed in the back, the TV sound is first reflected off the wall or furniture and then reaches the human ear. The sound quality is going to be very poor since it’s already gone through one blockage, and that’s the equivalent of taking away one of the two pleasures of a TV. Who would buy such a product?”

He said, ‘If you don’t know, be still. Because the situation only gets worse for nothing,’ he looked at me with his eyes.

But he was wrong when he said no one would buy it.

Wardo TV from Future Cheers Electronics.

The TV with a unique design resembling a wine glass, in which the lower part of the frame surrounding the display gathers in the center, has fascinated many consumers.

In the end, it became a monumental product that made Hwansung Electronics No. 1 in the global TV market share.

One of the hallmarks of the Wardo TV was that the speakers were placed in the back to complete this unique design.

What this meant was clear.

Sound is an important part of TV.

More important than that is the TV design.

I was thinking of exhibiting an LCD TV resembling that wine glass at this IFA.

The biggest advantage of LCD TVs is that they can be made thin and light, so various designs are possible.

In order to overcome the high price, which is a disadvantage, it was necessary to have a luxurious design suitable for the price.

“I understand what you mean, but the speakers have to go in the rear to achieve the design I was thinking of.”

At my words, the executive in charge of the sound team smiled astonished.

“under. Maybe the speaker was shy? Why do you have to hide a decent speaker in the back?”

“Not out of shame, but out of necessity.”

“So, why do you need it? Didn’t everyone tell you not to pull the speakers back?”

“I cannot agree with that. I will definitely go with this design.”

He trembled and answered.

“If speakers are cumbersome, they launch TVs without speakers at all. The sound team never cooperates.”

It seems that the pride of the speaker is great.

Now, I needed someone who listened to me more than someone with such pride.

“Then there is nothing you can do. Unfortunately, the sound team leader will be dismissed from his position as of today.”

The sound team leader’s face turned blue.

“All… by what authority do you have? The only person who can do that is Vice Chairman Jin Seon-ho.”

“The vice-president gave me the right to salute all the TV divisions. If you don’t believe me, would you like to check it out?”

I’m not the owner, even when I’m young.

I expected something like this to happen.

Before taking over the business unit, I asked for the right to personnel management from Vice Chairman Jin.

Permission had already been obtained.

“Don’t be silly. I’ve known the Vice President for 10 years. I can’t allow the Vice-President to do such nonsense.”

I’m forced to confirm.

I reached out to Vice President Jean, who picked up my phone.

“Vice President. This is Jaewoon Kang.”

“uh. Is there any problem?”

“yes. I can’t believe that the executives here have the right to greet me. It may be troublesome, but please just say one thing.”

“okay? Anyone change one. I’ll explain it to you so you can understand.”

I handed the phone to the sound team leader.

“Take it. The Vice-President will explain it to you.”

With trembling hands, he took the phone and put it to his ear.

“yes. This is Senior Vice President Noh Noh-woo…Yes…Yes, Vice-Chairman…I understand…Yes…Yes.”

The sound team leader hung up the phone and returned the phone to me with a lost face.

“You still don’t believe me?”

I told the circuit development team leader who was sitting nearby.

“manager. Senior Vice President Noon-woo has been dismissed from his position as of today. Still, we need a person in charge of the sound team, so please bring the manager right under Mr. Noh now.”

The circuit development team leader immediately stood up as if he felt the atmosphere was unusual.

I said to the ‘ex’ sound team leader.

“No, In-woo, please leave. This is where the executives of the TV division meet.”

Noon-woo looked at me with a red face.

He quickly turned around and left the conference room.

After a while, a man in his late 40s came in with an executive in charge of circuit development.

With a puzzled expression on his face, he sat down and looked around.

He straightened his back as if he were a new recruit who just joined the army.

“What is the name of the person who came in now?”

He answered in a trembling voice.

“This is Song Kwang-min, manager.”

I smiled and continued.

“From now on, I should call you Mr. Song. First of all, congratulations on your promotion.”

“Is this… an executive?”

“yes. From now on, I am the managing director. And the sound team will be in charge of Director Song from today.”

Song Kwang-min blinked a few times and shouted loudly.

“thank you! I will do my best.”

“yes. Those of you who came with me must have heard about the details, so I will omit the explanation. To apply the design I’m thinking of, the speaker needs to be pulled out to the rear, so I’d like to entrust that task. Can you do it?”

As soon as I finished my words, Director Song’s reply came out at about the same time.

“of course! Designing the sound to spread well in all directions will also minimize loss of sound quality.”

Look.

knew it would be

“haha. very good. I’m glad that Manager Song seems to be a good talker. Then make a prototype, test it, and report the results next week.”

Since then, there have been no more executives openly protesting against my instructions.

“Thanks to everyone here, we are almost at the final stage of new product development. There’s not much notice left now, but still, you shouldn’t be vigilant. Please do your best until the end.”

“Chief of circuit development. Is the AD board for LCD ready?”

AD (Analog to Digital) board converts an analog signal coming from a broadcasting station into a digital signal.

It refers to a driving part that finely adjusts the brightness of the R(Red), G(Green), and B(Blue) pixels of the display.

There is no need for CRT TVs because they receive analog signals directly and display them on the screen.

It was an essential part for LCD displays using digital signals.

“yes. It was my first time making it, so there were a lot of problems until the end of last month, but now everything has been resolved except for the occasional board death due to overcurrent.”

“okay. Please solve the overcurrent problem as soon as possible. It will be announced at the IFA and mass production will begin in December.”

“Head of the development team. Is there any problem with the external case?”

An external case is a plastic cover that surrounds the outside of the TV.

In fact, it can be said that it is as important as the display because it is a factor that determines the design.

“The black collar is ready. However, the wine color you mentioned is still not coming out properly. We need a little more time.”

“How much more can I give you?”

“We will pick the right wine color within two weeks.”

“In two weeks, IFA is already around the corner. I need a final check before that, so please fix it by next week. We will support you with anything you need.”

“Chief of sound.”

Song Gwang-min, the head of the sound team, whose eyes were dyed black, answered immediately as if he had been waiting.

“yes. The speakers are perfectly ready. Even with the speakers in the back, consumers won’t notice much of a difference.”

He was the most cooperative among them, probably because he saw that the executive above was dismissed.

Thanks to the passion of the team leader, there were rumors that the entire sound team couldn’t go home for a month.

What would you do?

Everyone has their own luck. What.

“That’s great. You did a great job.”

“I just did what I had to do, of course.”

“Nevertheless. I am well aware of the hard work of the sound team leader. I will remember.”

My words reminded me of the sound team leader’s face.

“thank you. Vice President.”

On the other hand, other executives hardened their faces as if they felt a sense of crisis.

Rewards and punishments were like chopsticks that should always be together.

This is because the effect is maximized.

He showed that he had the ability to punish by dismissing the former sound team leader.

By praising the current sound team leader, he announced that he was willing to give a prize.

In order not to be left behind by this, or to preserve positions.

You will have no choice but to actively follow my words.

When the new product inspection meeting was over,

Vice Chairman Jin received a call.