Topbond: agile innovation partner

Topbond is my country The pioneer and leading enterprise in the intelligent controller industry, the world's leading provider of intelligent control solutions. In 2007, Topbond was successfully listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, becoming the first listed company in the intelligent controller industry. The company's scale has ranked first in the domestic industry for many years. In 2018, it achieved operating income of 3.4 billion yuan, maintaining a growth rate of about 30% for five consecutive years. Topband has always led the technological development of my country's intelligent control industry with the concept of agile innovation partners, developed the first domestic intelligent controllers for a series of products such as air conditioners, microwave ovens, and induction cookers, and continued to promote high-end and intelligent upgrades of products.

Wu Yongqiang, founder of Topbond, holds a master's degree in automatic control from Harbin Institute of Technology. He has won honorary titles such as "Shenzhen Youth Science and Technology Leader", "Top Ten Outstanding Youths in Nanshan District, Shenzhen", and "Shenzhen Local Leading Talent". He has served as a lecturer at Harbin Institute of Technology and vice chairman of Topbond. He is currently the chairman and general manager of the company, and a pioneer in the domestic intelligent controller industry.

Focus on award-winning management practices

1. Customer intimacy. The company always insists on building a customer-centric corporate culture, strengthens the "iron triangle" organization construction of customer service, and builds an "iron triangle" customer service organization with customer managers, solution expert teams and delivery teams based on product lines. Form an all-round intimate partnership with leading customer groups, continuously improve the concept of full-staff service, optimize the quality of customer service, and enhance the synergy of customer service.

2. Innovation-driven. The company insists on using technological innovation to drive the creation of customer value: the company continues to strengthen the research and development of general technology and platform technology, and build a multi-level, three-dimensional advanced technology system of "product solution + product platform + technology platform"; in terms of technology products, It is positioned to provide industry-leading intelligent control solutions, promote the "high-end, intelligent and personalized" of technical products, and continuously improve the added value of products. The company actively uses business innovation to drive industrial upgrading: the company actively promotes the implementation of the "intelligence + upgrade strategy", takes T-SMART as the core platform, accelerates the layout of the intelligent IoT industry, and promotes the company from "intelligent control product provider" to "intelligent control". “Solution Provider” and “Intelligent System Service Provider” upgrade. The company carries out management reform based on strategic planning: using management innovation to drive operational performance improvement, a series of management reform actions such as IPD integrated product development have been carried out at all levels of the company, business divisions and product lines.

3. Agile operation strategy. Promote agile culture, vigorously build a core platform combining agile R&D, intelligent manufacturing, and agile delivery, and improve the company's agile operation capabilities through digital transformation.

The company vigorously promotes agile culture, promotes agile work culture and concepts at all levels of the company, cultivates agile talents, and builds agile organizations. Vigorously build a core platform that combines agile R&D, intelligent manufacturing, and agile delivery, continuously build and enhance system capabilities in R&D, supply chain, manufacturing, and quality, and achieve agile and excellent operations around the combination of "agile + lean" .

Promote digital transformation, comprehensively use informatization, networking and automation technologies to enhance intelligent operation capabilities, thereby enhancing future-oriented agile operation capabilities.

Conversations with award-winning companies

CEConlines: What was the opportunity that drove your company to implement "Agile Innovation Partners"? What kind of internal and external environment was your company in when the practice was launched?

Wu Yongqiang: Since the establishment of Topbond, I have believed that an enterprise is not a machine, but a living body like a human being. When a company grows to a certain stage, it will naturally start to think about who it is? What value can it bring to society?

Topbond has also gone through such a process. We were established in 1996. For more than 20 years, we have been working hard in a "face to the loess and back to the sky" style, rarely raising our heads to ask the sky. Until 2017, we began to look up at the stars more, to think and recognize ourselves. The value concept of "agile innovation partner" was put forward at this time and became the positioning of our corporate brand.

In the complex and changing world, we take the "agile innovation partner" as a guide, focus on the investment of resources and the building of capabilities, so that we will not easily get lost.

CEConline: How does the management practice of "Agile Innovation Partner" relate to your company's corporate strategy or your long-term future plan?

Wu Yongqiang: Our strategy is driven by the corresponding capabilities of "Agile Innovation Partners". Specifically, we have summarized our own development experience and the needs of core customer groups, such as innovative and high-growth customers and leading customers in the industry. Their core value needs for us are reliable quality, innovative technology and solutions. Solutions, high responsiveness, and of course, helping them reduce costs, etc. These core value requirements are highly compatible with the value concept of "agile innovation partner", which is reflected in the strategy, which is our three capability-driven strategies of "agile operation", "innovation-driven" and "customer intimacy".

"Agile innovation partner" is Topbond's differentiated ability. I believe this value concept will accompany Topbond throughout its life, help Topbond to bridge the gap from strategy to implementation, and lead the long-term layout in the future.

CEConline: What measures has your company taken to promote the implementation of "Agile Innovation Partners"? What obstacles did you encounter in the process of advancing, and how did you solve them?

Wu Yongqiang: In the living body of Topbond, the "agile innovation partner" should be internalized into every cell and become an autonomous requirement, without the need for the center to issue instructions by means of command and control. Therefore, Topbond has always adhered to the concept of decentralization since its establishment, and implemented the division system, so that front-line organizations have sufficient decision-making power, and do not waste time or miss opportunities in tactical decision-making.

After establishing the value concept of "agile innovation partner", our management practice is also upgraded: more boldly delegate power, so that product lines, marketing centers, and other organizations closest to customers and markets, have more decision-making power ;Continue to carry out the reform of the supply chain to meet the delivery of customers more quickly and reliably; In terms of research and development, our investment is resolute, and we continue to increase investment in technology and talents to create strong technical strength and superior products and services. .

Of course, we also experienced some challenges. For example, in 2018, everyone felt that life was not easy, and Tuobang was no exception: the downstream is that the speed of market consumption upgrade has slowed down significantly, and the development of intelligence is not as expected; the upstream is that the key raw materials have skyrocketed dozens of times due to roasted seeds and nuts, and they are frequently out of stock. ; Coupled with the intensifying Sino-US trade war, it can be said that the chill of winter has been clearly felt. Under such circumstances, we have instead strengthened the value of "agile innovation partners". For example, in order to cope with the price increase and shortage of key components, we withstood the pressure of cash flow and prepared more than 100 million goods to ensure the delivery of customers' orders; in order to cope with the impact of the trade war, we invested in the construction of Vietnam production base, Matching the customer's layout, the whole process only took about half a year; and in response to changes in market consumption trends, we completed the development, testing, verification, production and delivery of dozens of product solutions for customers in a short period of time. Can go to market quickly and gain first-mover advantage. In times of adversity, our core customers are willing to expand the scale of cooperation with us, and they are also very confident to hand over highly innovative and high-value projects to us.

"Agile Innovation Partners" is like a beacon, which allows us to move forward soberly and firmly to our long-term goals despite difficulties.

CEConline: So far, what positive influences and achievements have the "Agile Innovation Partners" brought to your company's business development, especially in terms of performance?

Wu Yongqiang: In recent years, our business has maintained high growth. In 2018, our revenue was 3.4 billion yuan, maintaining a high growth rate of nearly 30% for 5 consecutive years. The company has ranked first in the domestic industry for many consecutive years. , which is inseparable from our value creation around "agile innovation partners".

In terms of agile operations, we have built a powerful platform system from R&D design, supply chain, test verification and quality management to intelligent manufacturing. promote. In 2018, customer service response speed increased by 10%.

In terms of innovation, we have always regarded R&D as an investment behavior. Every year, our R&D investment accounts for 8% of our income. We have a high-level R&D team of more than 1,000 people, and have accumulated more than 600 patents. More than 100 patents. We have formed the most complete technology platform in the industry, covering all aspects of intelligent control integrated solutions, such as intelligent control algorithms, motor control, sensing, human-computer interaction, heating, cooling, etc. We also have the most abundant product lines in the industry, each of which has accumulated a complete and mass-production-proven product platform, covering white goods, small household appliances, power tools, garden tools, smart hardware and other fields. Our innovative vitality is continuously stimulated and released through the internal and external exchanges of the technical committee, joint research with universities such as Harbin Institute of Technology, and the establishment of post-doctoral practice bases.

Our core customer satisfaction and share of customer intimacy are also increasing. In 2018, the old customers who have cooperated with Topbond for more than 5 years contributed more than 2/3 of the company's revenue, and the satisfaction of more than 90% of core customers has been improved for 3 consecutive years.

CEConline: What is your company's focus on management optimization and upgrading in the next stage? Faced with the current complex economic situation at home and abroad, how will your company respond?

Wu Yongqiang: Topbond has never stopped being Topbond. Facing the future, it is very important to insist on being yourself. No matter how complex and changing the external situation is, we still have to focus on the construction of differentiated capabilities. R&D is an investment behavior. We must continue to invest to build technological leadership; discover more agility indicators and continuously improve the organization's agile operation capabilities. For example, 48-hour effective feedback has been basically achieved now, and will continue to be optimized in the future. , and even more agile metrics to come.

Faced with the complex external environment and economic situation, I am still full of confidence. One is to have confidence in the development of China and Shenzhen. Although we are in a rare historical moment where trade frictions, economic cycles, and rapid technological development are intertwined, many opportunities have also been released. The diligence and bravery of Chinese sons and daughters have the ability to create long-term wealth and value; Shenzhen, as a pilot demonstration area and the core city of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, gathers a large number of outstanding talents and is full of innovative vitality, providing huge development for enterprises rooted here. kinetic energy. The second is to have confidence in the future of intelligence and the Internet of Things. The coming industrial 4.0 mechanization, electrification and informatization, a large-scale wave of intelligence will inevitably have a profound impact on human production and lifestyle. AI, 5G, smart home, smart manufacturing, driverless... There are so many It depends on our ability to gain insight into and seize opportunities in a complex environment.

I believe that the mission of Topbond is to allow more people to engage in more valuable creations instead of boring and repetitive work. The management practice of "agile innovation partner" we adhere to makes us full of resilience and determination in the change, flexibly and quickly respond to external changes, and also creates the changes we hope to see to shape the future.

Reviews from experts

Liu Shaoxuan

Vice Dean of Shanghai Jiaotong University Antai College of Economics and Management

How to upgrade Made in China to Made in China ? Topbond gave its own answer - agile operation, innovation drive, customer intimacy. Agility gives enterprises more vitality, innovation gives enterprises endless potential, which effectively improves customer experience and builds competitive barriers for enterprises.

Gao Jingxin

Director, Executive Education Center, Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Jiaotong University

The customer-centric corporate culture is the original intention of Topbond to carry out agile innovation. Quick response to changing business environment? This is the only way for an enterprise to gain a first-mover advantage in business promotion. Behind this rapid response is system engineering, and the agile operation and innovation drive organized under the guidance of the customer are the engines of acceleration.

Zhang Yulai

Deputy Dean of the Japan Institute of Nankai University

Always focus on customers, Topbond actively integrates "agile operation" into the foundation of corporate culture among. Continuously enrich and develop this core value in business practice, forming a high degree of fit between "agile operation", "innovation-driven" and "customer intimacy". Under this new spirit of cooperation, Topbond has created a different kind of brilliance.

Wang Sai

Partner of Kotler Consulting China, well-known growth strategy expert

Topbond's "Agile Innovation Partner" strategy has several hidden meanings : Customer-centric, truly innovate based on customer needs, achieve mutual success, and at the same time assume the social responsibility that the enterprise should have. In the future, we will see Topbond make a solid footprint on the road of business innovation-driven industrial upgrading.

Zhang Zhenghua

Founder of Best Consulting Group, China Enterprise Transformation Expert

Nowadays, the business market is changing rapidly, and customer needs and technological development are far beyond our expectations. This poses a higher challenge to enterprises. Faced with these challenges, Topbond adheres to the customer-centered cultural thought, builds an "iron triangle" combat organization system, provides better, faster and more professional services for customer relations, technical solutions and product delivery, and responds quickly. Customer needs, respond to market changes. The "agile innovation partner" proposed by Topbond just confirms the new requirements of the new era of competitive environment for enterprises: "speed is king, innovation is the foundation"!

Duan Lei

Chairman of Hanzhe Consulting Group and President of Hanzhe Investment

The "agility" problem raised by Topbond is a problem for many large-scale enterprises today. problems that must be faced. On the one hand, after a long period of development, the enterprise has formed a certain industrial scale and personnel scale. At the same time, it will inevitably bring a certain inertia and inertia. The response to the market is no longer so agile, and the research and development process is no longer so fast. , The manufacturing process is no longer so accurate and fast. In the face of economic restructuring, fierce competition, and consumption upgrades, if there is no agile transformation or even revolution, let alone development, there may be problems in the survival of enterprises. Taking agility as the starting point to promote all-round changes in the enterprise, Topbond has set an example for us.

Li Hui

Mercer China Partner

The company's management practice covers the three major elements of a company's success, namely customers, products and operations. Emphasis on customer-centric architecture and corporate culture on the client side, product, business, and industrial innovation and upgrading on the product side, and agile operation and rapid iteration on the operation side are beneficial explorations made by China's manufacturing industry.

Xie Zhaohui

Founder of Zhixue Consulting, China Partner of Balanced Scorecard

Agility is the combination of deep customer insight and rapid organizational response , Innovation is the breakthrough and iteration of products, services, and models, and partners are a symbiotic and win-win "new ecology" built for enterprises. "Agile Innovation Partners" is not only a conceptual innovation, but also the core competitiveness of the unique gene of enterprise development. reshape. Topbond provides a profound reference for enterprises to effectively cope with the industry competition characterized by technology-driven and model innovation.

Ye Xiaosong

India Group-Chairman of Xiamen Hill Enterprise Management Consulting Co., Ltd.

Three keys to success: 1. Close to customers, the best in B2B industry core success factors. And realize the strategy of getting close to customers with the "iron triangle" model similar to Huawei; 2. The multi-level, three-dimensional advanced technology system of "product solution + product platform + technology platform" realizes customer value in a more effective way; 3 .By building an agile organization and an agile team, it can respond more quickly to customer needs.

Liu Jingjing

General Manager of Mercer Shenzhen Office

Agile innovation and agile operation both require agile organizational capabilities, as well as core talents. With different definitions, many companies will look at the optimization of digital teams, re-evaluation of positions, and talent transformation plans while proposing digital organizations.

Picture/ Topbond