An electric kettle? No fire needed to boil water?!
Everyone was completely stunned, even the employees of the automobile factory under Wang Yu.
If the timed fans had only surprised them, the electric kettle this time completely overturned their worldview!
Boiling water naturally required fire; this was already a fixed notion in everyone's minds.
Many units even had their own boiler rooms to boil water, providing hot water directly during work hours and allowing employees to collect some for free as a benefit after work.
Some larger units could even use the excess hot water to supply bathhouses.
For units or residential areas without boiler rooms, they had to buy water from privately operated places, commonly known as "opening water."
Many children, after school, would help their parents with chores by carrying thermoses to fetch hot water, which had become a common sight for everyone.
It was a unique memory only of this era.
Even, the boiler operators were considered a very important and well-paid profession back then!
It wasn't just anyone who could do it!
But, what did they hear now?
Wang Yu had actually invented an electric kettle? It only needed electricity?
"That's right, an electric kettle."
Wang Yu smiled. Brother Hu, already acting subserviently, had filled the kettle completely with water and was preparing to plug it in to boil.
"Don't panic, pour some out," Wang Yu told Brother Hu to pour out some water, leaving some space in the kettle.
"If the water is too full, it will overflow when it boils, and there will be a risk of electric shock."
Listening to Wang Yu's explanation, Brother Hu nodded repeatedly. Although he could understand every word, he couldn't make sense of it when put together. However, this didn't affect him following Wang Yu's instructions.
After plugging it in, everyone stared intently at the strangely shaped kettle. From the initial silence to the gradual sizzling sound, then the white steam emerging, and finally, it began to boil vigorously.
"This… it really boiled?"
Everyone was given an enamel mug and poured a cup of hot water, just to moisten their dry mouths from the bidding for sales regions earlier.
Feeling the scalding, steaming hot water, everyone still had an expression of disbelief.
Especially some people, who almost thought Wang Yu was a magician.
"Everyone, what do you think of this product?"
Wang Yu asked with a smile, his gaze sweeping across the crowd.
However, it was strange that Wu Lingling, standing by, smiled and remained silent, showing no surprise. She simply held her enamel mug, letting the rising steam drift, lost in her own thoughts.
Something was odd!
It was unlikely that this shrewd woman would remain so quiet until now. Was she concocting some peculiar idea again?
Wang Yu felt a bit puzzled.
However, the electric kettle he specifically designed was definitely unique in the market, so he wasn't worried about sales or making money.
"This product is excellent! But it also has significant limitations."
The old man from the retired agricultural machinery company, who had previously competed with Hu Pangzi for the Jiangping City dealership, spoke up. He looked at Wang Yu with a shrewd, calculating gaze.
"Boiling water with electricity is magical, and the product is clever! But electricity for ordinary households is quite expensive. If fans are indispensable necessities, then electric kettles are not as essential.
For ordinary people, it's better to just get water from the boiler room.
Therefore, if this product doesn't have a price advantage, it's more practical for ordinary people to buy a regular kettle!"
The old man's words made sense and many nodded in agreement.
"You old man are just spouting nonsense. You're deliberately downplaying the electric kettle just to drive down the price."
Hu Pangzi retorted from the side.
"The reason ordinary people get water from the boiler room is simply because boiling water at home is too troublesome. If there's a more convenient and faster option, I believe many people will choose it.
Besides, isn't the main market for such a product various companies and offices?"
Hu Pangzi's words resonated with many, including Wang Yu.
Indeed, those "old gentlemen" who "drink tea, smoke a pack, and spend the day with a newspaper" would love this the most.
They couldn't set up a stove to boil water in their offices, and fetching hot water from the boiler room was also troublesome for them!
As for the cost? Was that something they needed to worry about? Cough, cough!
Anyway, if this thing were presented to them, these guys wouldn't be stingy.
Wang Yu's initial target market was precisely these people.
It had to be said, Hu Pangzi was truly a talent! A talent in every sense of the word!
"You… you vulgar fatso!"
The old man, enraged, glared at Hu Pangzi. He himself had retired from such an environment, so how could he not know?
Saying what he did was useless; it was purely to suppress the price.
But he didn't expect Hu Pangzi to expose him so directly.
"Alright, everyone!" Wang Yu intervened at the opportune moment, drawing everyone's attention.
"For these two products, we'll adopt a principle of cash on delivery. However, there are no mandatory sales targets. Anyone interested can directly take the goods.
Additionally, for every order of new agricultural vehicles and small dump trucks, you will receive 5 fans and 10 electric kettles for free. These are all free gifts for you!
You can use them yourself, give them away as gifts to your customers, or sell them separately."
Yes, Wang Yu was engaging in bundled sales. It could not only spread the costs but also increase the sales channels for these two new products.
As long as people started using them, sales wouldn't be an issue.
Wang Yu's words immediately piqued everyone's interest. They hadn't expected such benefits!
Looking at it this way, it didn't seem like a loss. Free gifts were free gifts.
Of course, some were thinking of ordering extra, as these items were much cheaper than vehicles and wouldn't incur much cost.
"Alright, everyone! The new product launch has concluded. If there are no further questions, we can proceed with signing the contracts!"
Wang Yu clapped his hands. Feng Daochun and the sales department employees stepped forward to sign sales and order contracts with everyone one by one.
Of course, Old Ma, who was with the finance department, led his team in collecting payments. Entrusting professional matters to professional people made Wang Yu feel very at ease.
More importantly, renting the county high school's playground was indeed the right decision!
With the long rows of tables and chairs set up, everyone signed contracts in an orderly fashion, which not only increased efficiency but also created an impressive scene.
"Click! Click!"
Old Director Li Ming, standing nearby, was holding an old-fashioned camera and took several photos.
Wang Yu had only recently learned that this old director knew how to take photos. Cameras in this era were not like the digital cameras or even mobile phones of later times where a simple touch could capture and beautify an image.
In those days, someone who could take photos was skilled. With the presence of this old director, Wang Yu deeply felt the truth of the saying "an old person in the family is a treasure."
Later, these photos could be submitted to major newspapers for promotional articles, which would serve as excellent positive advertising.
Soon, after everyone had signed contracts, paid deposits, and completed a series of procedures, they began to leave one after another. Wang Yu finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He had arranged a dinner that evening at the Jiangyang Hotel to invite these people, as a gesture of hospitality, and then…
"Something's wrong, Little Factory Director!" Han Jun suddenly appeared before Wang Yu, his face panicked.
"Those agents who just signed contracts were intercepted by people from the agricultural machinery factory right after they left.
They brought products identical to ours and are blocking the entrance, trying to poach our clients!"