 |
Now his current business model, promoting franchise stores is a long-term development for his mobile-dressing business and will lower risks. Li has decided to pass his expertise to others and grow his business nationwide through franchise stores. As he was hoping for a bigger pie, he realized an upgrade of his technologies and equipment was urgently needed. If not, his small mobile parlor in Xidan could fail and his dreams could die in its infancy.
Du Xin, Beijing Qinfengxinxin Trading Co. ltd said: "Many customers complained that our services actually disfigured the cell phone after a month of use. For nearly half a month, we had no business coming through the door."
Li said: "The modification of mobile phone cases is all done using some ordinary equipment and tools such as digital camera, color ink-jet printer, and even knives. These are all things you can easily find on the market.
 |
Actually, there is no special technology to transfer. But if this continues, my business will not go far. I have to capture some form of unique technology. "
The existing technologies have many shortcomings, for example, materials which are not water-proof. After a while, a lot of problems emerge in the casing: the edge was frayed and the quality was poor.
Li said: "I remember when Edison invented the light bulb, he tried thousands of different materials. In my case, I have also tested hundreds."
 |
Every day, Li strolls around all kinds of fairs, looking for new materials. His efforts have paid off. At one expo, he saw a special printer.
Li said: "The staff demonstrating the printer took a photo and immediately printed it out. Then he poured a cup of water on the picture, but the image was not affected. I knew I had found what I wanted.
However, the manufacturer is a major brand. They didn't care much for my business.
 |
But I didn't give up. I turned my eyes from big enterprises to small ones. Finally ,I found a smaller printer maker at the expo."
Li Junfeng began cooperating with the printer firm to develop a new printer designed for mobile phone decoration. After half a year, the world's first and only professional mobile phone decoration printer hit the market. Li named it "Heixuanfeng", hoping it would spark a new generation of mobile phone printing technologies.
Hardware is one hurdle while software is another challenge that he has to deal with. To do decorate mobile phones, he needs to build a software database in the computer to cope with a variety of mobile phones. Does Li buy all kinds of cell phones to build his database?
 |
Li said: "I went to stores and saw the display models rather than the actual mobile phones. Most of them were useless after a brief display period. Finally, for the price of less than one mobile phone, I collected all of models by picking up the discarded models, haggling for a good price."
When he finished collecting the display models, however no one had time to scan and input the information onto the computer. As a newly established company, the team had only three members including himself. Luckily, someone stepped up to the challenge.
Li said: "When I woke up early in the morning, I saw the light in the living room was still on and heard sounds coming from that room. When I came in, the scene moved me to tears.
 |
My father was sitting before the computer, scanning mobile phone models into computer one by one.
My father worked several days on the computer database. As he finally finished, I thought he had achieved a mission impossible."
With the computer software as well as the specialized printer, Li Junfeng found success. Within two months, over 50 franchisers joined to develop his business nationwide. But Li is not resting on his laurels. He always comes with new ideas to improve mobile phones in various ways, changing and adapting his offerings to customers' needs. From using bronzing technology to inlaying glistening diamantes, Li junfeng has so far developed over ten specialized instruments and thirty ways to "do-it-yourself".
 |
These days, the younger generation like to express their personality and mobile phones have become a part of their identity. And China's huge and fast growing number of mobile phone users means Li can dream big.
When talking about his dream , the 30-year-old says he still has a long way to go. As he says "out with the old and in with the new ".
Reprint:
http://www.cctv.com/program/bizchina/20060927/102403.shtml