"Train salesman" Liu Zhe: I want to make the "rail equipment" Chinese "business card" more dazzling

Changsha, 15 Feb (Xinhua) -- Liu Zhe, "train salesman": I want to make China's "business card" of "rail transit equipment" more dazzling

Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Ge

"I hope that in the future, I can do my best to make the Chinese 'business card' of rail transit equipment more dazzling on the world stage."

In the production workshop of CRRC Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co., Ltd., Liu Zhe, who was checking the production progress of electric locomotives, said his New Year's resolution.

At the end of 2019, Liu Zhe quit his job in Germany and returned to his hometown of Zhuzhou, Hunan Province, to become a market development specialist in crucian machinery overseas marketing center.

"As a native of Zhuzhou, I have known since I was a child that CRRC Co., Ltd. is strong in the field of high-end equipment manufacturing." For Liu Zhe, this job in China is very attractive.

After studying and working in Germany for seven years, when asked why he made up his mind to return to China, Liu Zhe recalled that after graduating from his undergraduate degree in 2012, he decided to go abroad to "see the bigger world", and relatives and friends sent "waiting for you to return from your studies" blessings. At that time, he made up his mind: "I will definitely come back with knowledge and skills to create value for the motherland." Liu Zhe said that in his heart, whether to return to China has never been a wavering choice.

After a year of studying in language classes, Liu Zhe was admitted to the University of Essen in Duisburg, Germany, to pursue a master's degree in technical logistics management. After graduating with a master's degree in 2017, Liu Zhe chose to stay in Germany first and work in an overseas subsidiary of a Chinese company. "I want to use my language to my advantage and learn more about the European market first."

"In the seven years I have been abroad, I have not returned to China many times, but every time I go home, I can feel the rapid changes in my motherland." When he went out in Europe carrying a pocket of heavy coins, his parents and grandparents at home had long since learned to pay with smartphones.

In addition to yearning for domestic life, Liu Zhe also felt the image of the motherland getting stronger and stronger overseas. "When I first arrived in Germany, strangers saw Asian faces like me and would guess where I came from, but now their first reaction is to say hello to me with 'hello.'" Liu Zhe said that more and more Europeans are interested in China, and they will applaud the "China-Europe train" that is speeding by, learn Chinese, use Chinese brand electronic products, go to Chinese restaurants to eat...

After working for nearly two years, he felt it was time to return home. Liu Zhe aimed at his childhood dream - CRRC Co., Ltd. "On the railway tracks of many countries in the world, there are already many rail transit equipment of CRRC Co., Ltd. in the cheerful shuttle, which represents the image of China's high-end manufacturing industry." Liu Zhe said that electric locomotives, subways, light rail trains, EMUs... He wants more people to know the products from the "Electric Locomotive Capital of China".

Now, Liu Zhe describes his job as a "product manager" - after understanding the needs of overseas customers for a full range of products, feedback to the company's technology platform, and then in repeated communication, eliminate the gap between products and customer needs.

"My job is to build a bridge of communication between the customer and the company." Liu Zhe said.

Liu Zhe's current team is mainly responsible for the development of the northwest European market, "The European market is the world's most high-end and most professional rail transit market, and is the benchmark of overseas markets." Liu Zhe said that once the product is recognized by the European market, it means a broader market.

"Because of differences in thinking styles and cultural backgrounds, in the communication with foreign customers, we may have places where we do not understand well." Colleague Gao Lin said, "But Liu Zhe, with his rich overseas study and work experience, can always help the team to accurately understand the meaning of customers in the first time." ”

Nowadays, with the continuous growth of CRRC's overseas business, Liu Zhe also feels the team's more confident voice overseas. "In previous bids, we would have benchmarked other brands, but now we are more proactive and confident in telling our customers where our strengths lie." Liu Zhe said.

Affected by the new crown pneumonia epidemic, Liu Zhe's communication with customers has been transferred to online. Due to the time difference, the afternoon to late night in China is the working time in Europe, so his work often lasts from morning to late night.

"Advanced rail transit equipment is a 'business card' made by China's 'intelligence'. Whether it is for the delivery of the project all night, or for the development of the market to cross the ocean, I feel extremely proud to participate in the process of polishing China's 'business card'. He said.