Founder and CEO Zhou Yuxiang of Black Lake Technologies is making waves in China's manufacturing sector. His new sales strategy taps into the workforce of food delivery workers to push AI automation solutions to family-run factories nationwide .
Black Lake,since 2016, has quickly become a leader in cloud-based production management software. It serves around 35,000 factory clients, with 95% being small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The International Data Corporation recognized Black Lake as the top provider in mainland China.
Zhou's unconventional strategy involves a sales team of over 420 food delivery workers from industrial cities. They went through a tough five-day boot camp, learning how AI can solve manufacturers' specific problems. Zhou sees street smarts as key,saying,“Good college graduates are often thin-skinned. They linger in front of a factory and can’t get in.”
In contrast, delivery workers have grit and resourcefulness to overcome obstacles. Zhou pointed out, “But for food delivery guys,they just give a cigarette to the security guard and get in. They can also bypass guard dogs or find back door to get into a factory to meet the owner because they deliver food.” This practical approach gets Black Lake access to decision-makers in otherwise hard-to-reach factories.
The strategy shows a shift among tech companies, rethinking traditional sales methods for more grassroots tactics. By using workers familiar with factory settings,Black Lake builds trust and rapport with clients. This method enhances outreach and meets the needs of SMEs,which often need custom solutions to boost efficiency and productivity.
As AI demand in manufacturing rises,Black Lake's unique approach could be blueprint for other tech firms looking to grow their market share. Zhou's vision of using everyday workers in sales might just change how tech companies engage with China's manufacturing sector…
