African Entrepreneurship Record

The triangular business alliance that the Hechingen consortium intends to form is actually the same as forming an alliance with local supermarkets to fight against foreign competitors.

To be honest, the two companies may not really want to cooperate with the Hechingen Consortium, especially the Shanxi merchants. The Hechingen Bank operates in North China, which is actually its sphere of influence. However, the base camp of the Shanxi merchants is far away, and it is difficult for local officials in North China to Their influence is also weak. They don't have the power of local big families like Zhuhai. Scholars, peasants, industry and merchants, Shanxi merchants are the most traditional "merchants". They may still have some say in Shanxi, but not in North China.

It is definitely a good thing for Shanxi merchants that the Hechingen Consortium is willing to cooperate. Qiao Zhiyong was the first to propose: "Cooperation is possible, but we must demarcate our respective areas in advance. The boundaries must be clearly defined, and then no one is allowed to cross the boundaries."

Antony, General Manager of the Far East of Hechingen Bank: "Of course there is no problem, but we must also emphasize that after delimiting our respective regions, in the future, the three parties in the north must give priority to purchasing goods from allies, such as food, industrial products, etc. You should Give priority to purchasing from us, and we will also give priority to you two when we import products from the north.”

Hu Xueyan: "What if there is a problem with the quality of your products?"

Anthony: "There is no problem with the products of our Hechingen Consortium. Of course, we can't just say it. We can set unified standards and grade the products according to quality. Good products will naturally have higher prices, and poor quality products will naturally have higher prices." If it is lower, we will send professionals to each other and set up a unified agency to supervise."

Qiao Zhiyong and Hu Xueyan looked at each other and nodded to each other.

Qiao Zhiyong: "Then this organization is the liaison center for our three parties. Where should the main hall be located?"

Anthony: "Choose one of three locations: Jiaozhou, Xuzhou, and Kaifeng. The specific location is mainly up to you to discuss, but it can only be these three cities."

Qiao Zhiyong: "Then choose Kaifeng! After all, our three families are relatively close to here."

Hu Xueyan: "Kaifeng is okay, but I would prefer Xuzhou."

Anthony: "Then let's go to Kaifeng. As the headquarters for tripartite cooperation and contact, this place can be built next to the Consulate of the Kingdom of East Africa in Kaifeng, which will also facilitate our exchanges and cooperation."

Hu Xueyan: "There is also the issue of demarcation. You have expanded too fast in the Far East in recent years, which is very unfriendly to us."

Anthony: "Be patient, Mr. Hu. This is a market we have obtained through normal trade with the official permission of your country. After all, people will take the initiative to choose high-quality and low-priced goods."

Hu Xueyan: "However, if you continue to expand at the current rate, will you have to cross the Huaihe River and reach the Yangtze River? Then our Huizhou merchants will exist in name only. Sir Anthony, do you think this is cooperation?"

You look up to me so much! This is Anthony's idea. If East Africa is really so powerful, there will be nothing to do with Britain, France and the United States.

Anthony: "Draw the commercial boundaries according to the current respective areas! But Mr. Hu Xueyan, I want to remind you that your biggest enemy is probably the British. Our Hechingen Bank is not stupid enough to go to the Yangtze River Basin and the British In terms of competition, although Germany has two world powers, they have no influence in the Far East, and our Bank of Hechingen must keep a low profile in the Far East."

That's really a low-key life. The places chosen in East Africa are all disdainful to the British. For example, in the north, the business of Hechingen Bank is centered around the southern part of the Yimeng Mountains in a crescent shape and goes deep into the Central Plains. This is especially true in the south. There is a small coastal area in Zhuhai, without entering the hinterland of the south.

Hu Xueyan: "Thank you for the reminder, but does your bank belong to Prussia, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, or the East African Kingdom that few people mention."

Few people mention it, but it is really interesting. After all, the Kingdom of East Africa was only a year old, and not many people in Europe may know about it. Even if it was published in the newspapers when the kingdom was founded, just take a glance at Africa and skip it.

Anthony: "The Bank of Hechingen is a German national enterprise and naturally belongs to the entire German nation, not just the three countries you mentioned. Therefore, the Bank of Hechingen is not an enterprise limited to a certain country."

Hu Xueyan: "Hahaha, don't be offended, Mr. Anthony, I'm just curious about your bank."

Anthony: "It doesn't have to be like this. In fact, all our information is public. It's just an ordinary bank in Europe."

Qiao Zhiyong: "Mr. Anthony, I wonder if we can send someone to Europe to inspect your company's operating model?"

Qiao Zhiyong has long been interested in this so-called bank of Westerners. Although banks are similar, they are definitely two different things.

Anthony: "Mr. Qiao, if you are interested in the banking industry, there is no need to refer to the Bank of Hechingen, because the Bank of Hechingen is not pure as a bank. If you are interested, we can arrange for you to visit the Netherlands, where It is the place with the strongest business atmosphere in Europe and the purest financial industry.”

Qiao Zhiyong: "Oh! Holland."

Anthony: "Is it unexpected? In fact, many modern financial concepts were invented by the Dutch first, and the Netherlands is also one of the most economically developed regions in Europe."

Qiao Zhiyong: "I'm going to make you laugh. I mostly stay in the Far East and the West, and I don't know much about overseas countries. I only heard about England and France, but it was because of the past few years..."

Anthony: "Mr. Qiao, you're welcome. If you really want to understand European countries, you can definitely send someone to study. Our Hechingen Bank is willing to support you and avoid detours."

Qiao Zhiyong: "Thank you so much!"

The imperial court was trying to control the foreigners, and Shanxi merchants should also take action. As early as when competing with the Hechingen Bank, Qiao Zhiyong discovered that the operating model of Western banks was more competitive, such as the interest rate of this bank, to save money. People get more benefits, so where is the bank’s profit point? .

Hu Xueyan: “I wonder if we can also send people to study in Europe!”

Anthony: "Of course there is no problem, but we only give you suggestions. The specific choice is up to you."

Since the three companies are allies, it is necessary for these two traditional business gangs to keep up with the times, and it is also convenient to cooperate with the Heixingen Consortium.

Learning some rules from the West will also help you avoid being deceived by the capital of other countries in the future. The Far East government cannot rely on them and can only rely on their own efforts. To the point that Anthony himself sympathizes with his two colleagues. If the Hechingen Bank has anything to do, it can turn to Germany. , the tripartite governments of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the East African Kingdom can generally solve the problem, but they have to be wary of "their own people".