In this day and age, we can easily hire a moving company based on its online reviews but if it were 50 years ago, we could only rely on word of mouth when making a choice. Kut Cheung Co. has been serving Hong Kong for half a century and Mr. Ching became the second-generation owner when he took the reins from his father more than 20 years ago. Despite all the ups and downs in running a business, Mr. Ching believes that hard work will always pay off.
【2024 Top Pro】Mr. Ching — Inheriting 50 Years of Experience
Updated: Jan 12 2024
【2024 Top Pro】Mr. Ching — Inheriting 50 Years of Experience
The Story Began in 1974
The moving industry is closely tied to the economy of Hong Kong, Mr. Ching joked, “If business is good, it means that the property or stock market is in a slump.” He further explained, “When the economy is bad, the stock market crashed or property prices plummeted, people will usually move into a smaller flat” but if the property market is stable, most people would rather stay put, meaning it will be low season for the moving industry. Mr. Ching shared, “During low seasons, my business usually comes from repeated customers who are moving out after finishing a 1 or 2-year lease.”
Kut Cheung Co. was founded in 1974 and Mr. Ching began working in the industry in 1996 when he was in his early twenties. Before that, he used to be a plumber at construction sites but his father felt that the job was “too filthy and dangerous” and asked Mr. Ching to join his company. Mr. Ching and his father were each responsible for a vehicle fleet and he has been on the job for 25 years.
Mr. Ching recalled, “It was easier to do business in the old days” because there was no internet or information overload and the way to success was word of mouth with a little help of advertising in newspapers. During the peak of business, Mr. Ching owned 5 vehicles and his company was a mid-sized business in the industry.
“If business is good, it means the economy is bad. When the stock market crashed or property prices plummeted, people will usually move into a smaller flat.”
Sincerity Pays Off
During the past 25 years, Mr. Ching and his company have survived the dot-com bubble in the 1990s and SARS in 2003. With business slowing down, Mr. Ching had thought about rebooting his company after SARS and had tried having his staff take care of all orders but he couldn’t rest assured and was getting old, so he had been running his business on his own. He shared, “Even though I wanted to expand my company, I had to face the fact that I was all on my own, so maybe it is better to keep a level head and provide quality service.” Mr. Ching believes that quality service is the key to Kut Cheung Co.’s success.
Mr. Ching currently has 4 to 5 permanent staff members and he is worried that the COVID-19 pandemic might affect their livelihood.
Mr. Ching said, “Lucky for me, I have saved up some money over the years but I am worried that my staff don’t have enough work and will affect their family’s livelihood.” To make sure that all his staff can earn a decent income, Mr. Ching decided to lower his prices to solicit more business. He explained, “The moving industry relies heavily on labor and I believe that sincerity can motivate my staff to be more diligent.” In hope to expand his customer base, Mr. Ching decided to join Toby but he encountered some difficulties in the beginning.
Mr. Ching uttered, “I was having difficulties getting orders. It was really depressing…” He got the impression that most merchants on Toby were trying to get business by significantly lowering their prices but he felt that providing quality service at a reasonable price is more important. He said, “With so many merchants submitting quotations, it really depends on one’s luck to find business. I am sure that clients will appreciate our service.”
It’s all hard-earned money. Mr. Ching treats both his staff and clients with the same attitude and always puts himself in their shoes.
Since day 1 he joined the industry, he experienced ups & downs and kept providing quality services to the customers.
His Successors
“A career change is the worst thing that can happen to a middle-aged man!”
Soon approaching 50 years old, Mr. Ching admitted that he cannot physically recover as quickly as before. “I am not going to overexert myself and will try to relax.” When asked about the future of his company, Mr. Ching laughed, “I will keep going as long as I am enjoying my work and my clients are satisfied. I am not eager to expand my customer base and will just concentrate on doing a proper job.”
Does Mr. Ching plan to hand over his company to his children? He proudly expressed, “I have two sons and they are both brilliant. However, the world is different now. I would rather they continue with their education if that’s where their interests lie because working in the moving industry is no easy feat.” Becoming an expert mover requires technique and detail orientation, which can only be acquired through experience.
When the time comes, Mr. Ching plans to find a buyer for his business. He said, “It’s inevitable. It’s better to sell my company than to close it down.” Mr. Ching thinks lightly of himself but deeply of those who surround him.
