Ni Hao! My name is Xu Huihuan from B-EN-G Shanghai (Bienji Business Information System Engineering (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.).
This is my first time contributing to INSIDE-B.
B-EN-G Shanghai opened a branch in Chongqing in January 2025.
We will report on the background and efforts behind this new expansion into inland China.
Chongqing, the world's largest direct-controlled municipality
Have you heard of the city of Chongqing? Located in the inland region, the city experiences temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius for many days in the summer, and many people may have heard of it as a city famous for its Chongqing hot pot.
Chongqing is a direct-controlled city, along with Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin, and is one of the largest cities in the world, with a population of 32 million people, covering a vast area that combines urban and rural areas. (Note: In China, a "directly controlled city" is an administrative district equivalent to a province.)
The main industries are electronics and electrical manufacturing, motorcycle manufacturing, and automobile manufacturing, and many Japanese companies have established operations there.
Source: China Encyclopedia (https://www.allchinainfo.com/outline/chinamaps/)
Combining the convenience of a big city with the rich natural scenery, Chongqing is known for its historical and cultural relics, beautiful scenery, and above all, delicious cuisine. Since China introduced visa-free entry in 2024, it has become a popular tourist destination for foreign tourists.
Strategic establishment of branch offices with the aim of securing human resources
Our newly established branch in this city is located in the Kowloonpo District, about an hour's drive from Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, in the heart of the city, sandwiched between the Yangtze River and the Jialing River.
The background to the establishment of the branch was also influenced by Chinese social customs. In China, when people reach a certain age, they tend to change jobs or move from urban areas such as Shanghai, wanting to work closer to their birthplace. As a result, some members who worked at our company decided to return to Chongqing and resigned. Initially, they were independent and undertook work for our company, but the desire to have them work as members of the B-EN-G Group was what led to the establishment of the branch.
In addition, there is also a market strategic decision in view of the development of China's inland regions. The "Great Western Development" policy promoted by the Chinese government is accelerating investment in inland areas, including Chongqing, and many companies are seeking to expand their business from coastal areas to inland regions. With this policy tailwind, it is expected that the demand for mcframe will also expand in Chongqing and the surrounding areas, where many manufacturing industries are located.
Another important factor is the cost advantage. Prices in Chongqing are only slightly cheaper than in Shanghai, but housing costs (apartment rents) are quite reasonable, at 20-25% of those in Shanghai.
As our business expands, rather than relocating to a larger office in Shanghai, we believe that establishing a spacious and inexpensive base in Chongqing will be a huge advantage when we consider future business development inland.
From the perspective of securing human resources, the rich educational environment in Chongqing cannot be overlooked. Although the Japanese population is only about 300, which is a very small number compared to the overall population of Chongqing, the city has 18 universities due to its large population, and some of them even have Japanese language departments.
Therefore, it is relatively easy to recruit Chinese people who can speak Japanese, especially young people. In this environment, we plan to actively recruit members from Chongqing and young members who can speak Japanese in the future, and build a human resources base that will support the growth of the B-EN-G Group.
Currently, seven employees work in Chongqing. The employees are mainly engaged in the implementation, development, and maintenance of mcframe, and have not yet engaged in sales activities. For the time being, we plan to increase the number of consultants and developers, and in the future, we plan to develop the site as an inland sales base.
Fostering a sense of unity that transcends distance
Shanghai and Chongqing are two and a half hours away by plane, but all employees in Chongqing come to Shanghai to participate in the New Year's party. In addition, members from Shanghai regularly visit Chongqing to promote communication.
Above all, daily work is carried out smoothly through online meetings, allowing for collaboration that makes physical distance seem insignificant.
In the future, we would like to work on measures that will allow Chongqing members to feel like they are part of the B-EN-G team. For example, we would like to have them interact in various ways while learning about B-EN-G's business, such as through training at B-EN-G headquarters and visits to other local subsidiaries.
Aiming to contribute to the digitalization of inland China
The establishment of the Chongqing branch is an initiative that will simultaneously achieve multiple strategic benefits: improved access to China's vast inland market, securing talented personnel, and improving cost efficiency.
The company also aims to "learn from Chongqing's rich history and culture while fusing the technological capabilities and service spirit that B-EN-G has cultivated." Going forward, the Chongqing branch will play a part in the digital transformation of inland China, contributing to the development of the region and the success of its customers.
By the way, when I asked the general manager, "Are you going to establish another branch?", he replied, "It'll be a walk-off home run or a cool hit to center field." I don't understand what he means (lol). If anyone knows, please let me know.
If given the opportunity, we will continue to report on the development and activities of the Chongqing branch.
