Lü Mingliang’s speech left Nie Yunsheng completely stunned.
Shocked and bewildered!
What was wrong with this young man? Why wasn’t he following the usual script?
How could he say such things so casually during a livestream?
Had he lost his mind?
Nie Yunsheng almost thought his hearing was malfunctioning, hearing sounds that shouldn’t exist in this world.
Lü Mingliang’s speech directly pointed to Shengrun Group’s responsibilities as a platform, clearly identifying their tactic of inciting conflicts between customers and delivery personnel while remaining detached. He even took the opportunity to criticize all similar platform companies in an area-of-effect attack.
It’s worth noting that many of China’s massive internet giants are platform companies.
Beyond express delivery, recent rapidly emerging trends like ride-hailing, housing rentals, food delivery, and so on—which of these isn’t a platform business?
Many major investors have poured into the mobile internet sector, with vast amounts of capital flooding these companies. Isn’t it precisely because they’ve identified a ready-made business model?
First, they burn money on subsidies to expand market share and control customers and frontline employees. They establish comprehensive business networks, then use competition, acquisitions, and all other means to eliminate or swallow competitors, forming a de facto monopoly. Finally, they find ways to recoup their investments.
Food delivery companies try to extract money from merchants, delivery personnel, and customers; real estate agencies profit from brokerage fees charged to both agents and home buyers.
Express delivery companies might be slightly better, as the industry hasn’t yet formed a de facto monopoly. No single company has achieved a dominant market position where they can dictate terms unilaterally. Sometimes courier companies even engage in price wars against each other, so they still operate with relative restraint, not being so obvious in their practices.
Nevertheless, this was the direction Nie Yunsheng and Shengrun Group were striving toward.
This wasn’t exactly a secret—many people understood it but felt powerless.
Because for ordinary people, even if they recognized these platforms’ calculations, could they really stop using them?
While major platforms fought bloody battles, customers could indeed enjoy many subsidies. But these conflicts would eventually cease, with major platforms compromising, accepting each other, reconciling, and establishing a monopolistic platform to happily profit together.
Even if customers tried to vote with their feet, it wouldn’t be effective. In the end, they only had two choices: use the service or don’t use it.
But in the mobile internet era, not using these services isn’t really an option. So customers could only bleed money, dutifully returning all the subsidies they had previously received from platforms.
Of course, while this was the reality, it couldn’t be openly discussed.
Because the word “monopoly” would create massive negative publicity for these major platforms once uttered.
If customers casually discussed these issues privately without generating too much attention, it wasn’t a major problem.
For these platforms, such matters absolutely could not be mentioned, not even hinted at—this was their unspoken mutual understanding.
After all, in business competition, even if rivals eventually reconciled or acquired each other, it was merely a question of making more or less profit.
But if this secret were widely publicized, if the last fig leaf were torn away, it would be like flipping the table, smashing the pot, ruining the business of all platforms using similar models—leaving everyone without food to eat.
There are individuals who betray their class, but is there ever a class that betrays its interests?
So for Nie Yunsheng, Lü Mingliang’s speech went beyond simply being “dishonorable”—he was essentially self-destructing!
More crucially, this Lü Mingliang’s tone was truly irritating…
What Nie Yunsheng didn’t know was that Lü Mingliang had voiced the narrator in “Game Developer.”
Lü Mingliang naturally had a somewhat nasal voice. Though he wasn’t pinching his voice like he did for the “Game Developer” narration, his mockery was evident, and his tone naturally carried a hint of sarcasm.
This infuriated Nie Yunsheng.
But with matters having reached this point, Nie Yunsheng certainly couldn’t leave.
Because leaving now would be tantamount to admitting guilt and acknowledging Lü Mingliang’s words.
He calmed his shocked emotions and even managed to force out a seemingly composed smile: “As a platform, we certainly bear certain responsibilities. As the company’s representative, comforting the delivery personnel and mediating conflicts between them and customers—isn’t that taking responsibility?”
“Admittedly, our platform has some shortcomings, which we’re working hard to improve. Improvement takes time. Director Lü, is Headwind Logistics’ service perfect? Have you never had any oversights or mistakes?”
Lü Mingliang smiled: “Headwind Logistics’ service certainly isn’t absolutely perfect, but it is genuinely sincere.”
“Chairman Nie has committed a classic logical fallacy, a false dilemma: pushing a topic toward two different extremes, as if the opposite of imperfection is absolute perfection.”
“In fact, imperfection has levels. We certainly can’t achieve a score of 100, but from 10 to 90, each step has a tremendous impact on customer experience. As for how many points Headwind Logistics and Shengrun Group have respectively achieved… I believe just checking the customer satisfaction data would make it clear.”
Nie Yunsheng’s lips twitched slightly. Lü Mingliang had killed this topic again.
Customer satisfaction?
Nie Yunsheng knew very well—how could Shengrun Express compete with Headwind Logistics on customer satisfaction? Even riding a rocket wouldn’t catch up!
Seeing Nie Yunsheng put on the defensive, one of the Vice Presidents beside him quickly jumped in to change the subject: “Director Lü, Headwind Logistics’ customer satisfaction is indeed high, we acknowledge that. But we must clarify one point: Headwind Logistics ultimately provides services in limited regions for limited customers, whereas Shengrun Express operates nationwide.”
“Development levels and specific conditions vary across different regions of the country—how can one make sweeping generalizations? Our Shengrun Express is already working hard to provide good service to customers across the country, and we’re continuously improving and enhancing.”
“For instance, we’ve invested massive funds to build delivery lockers and community stations in various cities and communities, gradually improving our service level.”
“To make a not entirely appropriate comparison, first-tier cities and second-third-tier cities are like two completely different exam subjects. Headwind Logistics scored 90 on one subject but didn’t take the other at all; whereas Shengrun Group scored 80 on both.”
“Director Lü is only using the score from one subject to claim victory over us, which seems somewhat biased, doesn’t it?”
Lü Mingliang nodded with a smile: “Indeed, this Vice President’s comparison isn’t quite appropriate. First, whether Shengrun Express has actually achieved 80 points—I believe customers naturally have their own answers. Your self-assessment standards seem a bit too lenient.”
“As for whether the service gap between Headwind Logistics and Shengrun Express is really a 90 versus 80 difference, every customer knows the truth.”
“Second, Headwind Logistics isn’t avoiding the second-third-tier city exam. Our next target is precisely second-third-tier cities, and we promise that our delivery service will never be compromised. We treat customers in second-third-tier cities and first-tier cities equally.”
“I’d like to ask this Vice President a question: You say Shengrun Express has invested massive funds to build delivery lockers and community stations in various cities and communities, improving service levels… Has it really improved? Is it truly for the customers’ benefit?”
The Vice President stuck his neck out: “How has it not improved? How is it not for customers’ benefit?”
Lü Mingliang smiled slightly: “Oh, packages that should be delivered to your door are now dropped directly into delivery lockers without even a phone call—this is service improvement?”
“Large items left at community stations without door delivery, only providing customers with a cart—this is service improvement?”
“Station managers posting notices at their entrances that ‘packages unclaimed for two days will be returned,’ forcing customers to retrieve items early to avoid occupying shelf space—this is service improvement?”
“Some station managers don’t even help locate packages, leaving customers to search and check out entirely on their own—this is service improvement?”
“Customers having to watch advertisements and bypass tipping QR codes when retrieving packages from lockers—this is service improvement?”
“If I’m not mistaken, delivering packages to customers’ doors is clearly stipulated by law, isn’t it?”
“Sending a token text message notification and considering your legal obligation fulfilled? Honestly, customers are just too easy to take advantage of.”
Nie Yunsheng coughed lightly: “Whether deliveries are made to the door depends on the specific circumstances. Some customers are office workers who work hard and get off late. Even if delivery personnel deliver to their doors, no one’s home, and packages can’t be left outside due to the risk of theft. In such cases, placing them in delivery lockers or stations, allowing customers to pick them up on their way home from work, objectively makes things more convenient for customers.”
Lü Mingliang shook his head with a smile: “Chairman Nie is playing dumb again.”
“I don’t deny that such situations exist, which is why Headwind Logistics offers customers different service options: those who find door delivery inconvenient can choose to pick up from Headwind stations; those who prefer door delivery can schedule an approximate delivery time.”
“For some customers, self-pickup is indeed fine, but how many people actually prefer door delivery, yet you’ve failed to meet their needs? Even after repeated complaints, you’ve remained indifferent?”
“In my view, Chairman Nie’s explanation is merely a high-sounding excuse. The so-called massive investment in delivery lockers and community stations is still about cost reduction, shifting the last-mile costs entirely onto customers themselves.”
“Perhaps Chairman Nie could briefly explain how many delivery personnel can be cut after delivery lockers and community stations are fully implemented? How much can be saved on delivery personnel wages? How much market share can be seized through price wars, and how much profit can it bring to Shengrun Group?”
Nie Yunsheng was speechless again, because he didn’t dare stubbornly claim that Shengrun Express hadn’t cut delivery personnel.
First, too many people knew about the staff cuts to keep it a secret; second, the reason Shengrun Express terminals in first-tier cities were overflowing after Headwind stations stopped accepting Shengrun packages was precisely because Shengrun Express had reduced their delivery personnel.
If Nie Yunsheng dared claim they hadn’t done so, Lü Mingliang would likely immediately produce photos of overflowing delivery lockers and community stations to embarrass him.
That would only make the situation even more passive.
The other Vice President hurriedly explained: “Director Lü should be well aware that profit margins in the courier industry are very thin. Compared to expensive and slow delivery services abroad, domestic courier services already offer high quality at low prices. Although Shengrun Group hasn’t achieved the best service, calling it excellent isn’t an exaggeration. More importantly, our prices are absolutely low—one or two yuan can send a package anywhere in the country.”
“Director Lü’s remarks somewhat smack of ‘why not eat meat instead?’: The highest quality service means high prices, but many of our customers’ economic level cannot support such high prices. They would rather accept somewhat lower service quality for lower prices.”
“I believe Shengrun Express’s approach better meets current market demands. What does Director Lü think?”
Lü Mingliang shook his head slightly, his expression somewhat disappointed: “I thought you were all senior executives at Shengrun Group who could offer some profound insights on the current state of the courier industry, but unexpectedly, everything you’ve said consists of arguments already circulating online.”
“How disappointing!”