franchises may hold a seemingly “ordinary” status within the industry, yet they play a vital role as essential partners for enterprises. It is their quiet dedication that enables companies and brands to attain certain achievements and market acknowledgment.
The “Zuliz franchise Series Stories” aims to showcase the outstanding franchises of Zuliz elderly shoes, recount their entrepreneurial journeys, share sales techniques, and explore promising business opportunities together. Within these narratives, one may find success secrets, touching stories, or discussions about past challenges faced. It is hoped that these stories will inspire readers and provoke thoughtful reflection.
Wu Shuqin, a franchise of the Zuliz store on Dongwang Road in Shangri-La, Yunnan Province, joined Zuliz in 2017 and has since managed three offline stores. This year, he made his debut in Douyin live streaming. At 53, Mr. Wu has maintained his learning abilities and achieved remarkable results through his unwavering perseverance and customer-centric philosophy.
Proceeding steadily, advancing step by step to cultivate Zuliz
Mr. Wu, originally from Shaanxi, had been working in the pharmaceutical industry for 22 years before joining Zuliz. Why did he choose to join Zuliz? Mr. Wu mentioned that it was a serendipitous encounter when he came across Zuliz on social media and developed a keen interest. He then contacted friends to visit Zuliz’s factory for inspection, learned about the founder’s original intention in establishing the Zuliz brand. Based on his past experience in business and his judgment, Mr. Wu decisively chose to switch careers and join Zuliz.
In his daily life, Mr. Wu demonstrates great filial piety, often taking care of his parents diligently, such as washing his mother’s feet. Even before his involvement with Zuliz, he had encountered the frequent dilemma of not being able to find suitable shoes for his parents. Observing the changes in his mother’s foot shape over the years, Mr. Wu genuinely acknowledged, “At the very least, Zuliz has addressed the issue of my mother’s footwear.”
“I frequently recommend Zuliz to my friends, and now many of them are working alongside me. We support each other and progress together, which undoubtedly provides Master Wu with significant motivation.”
Master Wu not only displays filial piety towards his elders but also sets an example for his children. His daughter is pursuing a postgraduate degree at a university in London, alleviating any concerns for Master Wu. His family has also provided him with much encouragement and support.
Over the course of 6 years, through his participation in Zuliz’s regular product and marketing training courses and his continuous efforts, he has steadily cultivated his presence within Zuliz.
In the face of storms, perseverance seeks longevity.
As one of the earliest franchises to join Zuliz, Master Wu can be said to have weathered challenges alongside Zuliz. During the pandemic, offline stores faced significant challenges, but Master Wu never considered giving up. He stated, “When you’re going through tough times, remember others are too. In the end, it’s about who can endure. You have to learn to move forward amid difficulties.” Master Wu continuously motivates himself to persevere.
Master Wu has great faith in the company, seeing determination and vigor in Manager Zhang. Manager Zhang’s high trust in the products and caring attitude towards employees deeply inspire Master Wu. He mentioned, “Manager Zhang is persistent, so we have no reason to choose to give up.”
In conversations with Master Wu, one can feel his resilience and courage in the face of challenges. “Either don’t do it, or do it well” has been his motto for many years.
Through his actions, he shows us that only with unwavering faith and relentless effort can we stand tall and persevere in the face of difficulties.
At the age of 53, Mr. Wu, though in his fifties, exudes vitality in both his personal and professional life. Besides his fervor for his career, he avidly engages in physical exercise, recognizing the significance of maintaining good health as the foundation for progress. He firmly believes that adherence to a disciplined lifestyle is essential for enduring success.
Mr. Wu’s success is not happenstance; it is a result of years of accumulated experience in business and the following three key principles:
- Stay abreast of the market and cultivate a lifelong learning ability.
Throughout the years, Mr. Wu has maintained a habit of continuous learning and reading. Whenever a decision is made, he takes action and commits to learning where there are gaps, ensuring he keeps pace with the times. Having operated milk tea and trendy brand stores, Mr. Wu never ceases his self-improvement and growth. He emphasizes that as the era progresses and market demands evolve, continuous learning is essential to stay relevant and not be left behind by the times.
Mr. Wu often takes his team for internal company learning sessions or invests in professional guidance for his employees. Through these efforts, he continuously enhances his business acumen and managerial skills. Over the years, Mr. Wu has maintained a learning mindset, consistently experimenting with new ventures. His experiences teach us the importance of maintaining a forward-thinking approach to the market in this fiercely competitive society.
Remaining grounded: Customers are like parents, and the elderly are like family.
In Mr. Wu’s view, customers hold paramount importance. He often tells his employees, “Even if customers don’t leave with shoes, make sure to leave them with warmth when they enter the store.” In providing service, his store can be described as going above and beyond.
Understanding the inconvenience and physical strain of elderly individuals bending down to shine shoes, Mr. Wu introduced a “free shoe shining” service. Elderly customers can bring their shoes to the store. When I inquired if they took the shoes to a shoe shining store together, Mr. Wu chuckled and shared that his staff personally shines the shoes for the elderly, letting them dry before returning them. He then sent me a picture of the temperature difference in Shangri-La, noting the nearly 20-degree gap between morning and evening. Despite the chill, the store’s young women diligently shine shoes without a word of complaint.
Mr. Wu’s store is like a big family, where every elderly person is treated as a respected elder or a beloved relative. Helping the elderly trim their toenails, giving them sweets, and chatting with them are all part of their daily routine. When I heard about trimming the nails for the elderly, I was quite surprised and quickly asked, “Is it fingernails?” Mr. Wu clarified that it was toenails. When assisting customers with trying on shoes, if the staff notices the elderly customers’ toenails needing attention, they kindly trim them as a thoughtful gesture.
Mr. Wu has rekindled his online business this year by launching his own Douyin (TikTok) live streaming room in Kunming. How does he manage to coordinate both online and offline operations?
He implements a system where responsibility is assigned to individuals for each role. Whoever is in charge of a specific task must see it through to completion. This approach significantly boosts the efficiency of our entire team’s work. It also allows him to have a better grasp of each aspect, ensuring that operations run smoothly.
Moreover, he fosters a close bond with his employees, never using his position as a boss to suppress them. The team’s strong cohesion naturally leads to improved performance. Mr. Wu believes, “When everyone is doing well, then I will be well.”
Breaking ground with live streaming, achieving great success
This year, Foot Strength Elderly Shoes announced the launch of the “offline live streaming room + cloud retail store” model. Mr. Wu possesses exceptional execution abilities and, under the company’s leadership, ventured into Douyin live streaming for the first time.
He chose the location of the live streaming room in Kunming, a city 700 miles away from Shangri-La. Despite limited experience with online live streaming due to their primarily offline operations, Mr. Wu not only attended the company’s operational training but also traveled to Hangzhou, a hub for e-commerce, to learn about e-commerce practices and live streaming setup and marketing strategies. After thorough preparation, he organized the team, working 17 hours a day on live streaming. He believes in starting the process and focusing on doing it well, regardless of the outcome.
Mr. Wu has always maintained a high level of interest in live streaming. Within just one month of launching, he surpassed 1000 orders! This success further solidifies his choice, as he sees immense potential in live streaming. He states, “I am continuously learning, practicing, and summarizing methodologies. In the future, I plan to open another live streaming room to expand our influence further.”
Mr. Wu, in his early fifties, has a vibrant and energetic attitude that defies the notion of retirement. When playfully asked about his post-retirement plans and whether he would pass the business on to his children, he firmly replied, “I have never thought about retirement. As long as I have the energy, I will continue to learn and work. I don’t feel old at all.”
At 53 years old, Mr. Wu’s perseverance and dynamic approach set him apart from many individuals his age who may be considering retirement. He excels in market observation, embraces new knowledge, and fearlessly ventures into uncharted territories. Despite facing numerous challenges and difficulties throughout his years in business, he never retreats but persistently pursues his dreams and beliefs. His success is not merely coincidental but the result of his unwavering dedication and relentless efforts.
