#199 When Problems Arise During the Busiest Times, They Must Be Faced and Solved (29/03/2026)

Photo: My friend Jason ThinkThing's new product

I've been busy with work lately, but just when things were incredibly hectic, and various products were out of stock and customers were waiting, we discovered relaxed dyeing issues with two styles during our quality control (QC) checks before shipping. Fortunately, all these products had not yet been delivered to customers; we found the issues through our internal checks, not through customer complaints. This kind of problem is common in any product manufacturing process. I know many companies, even large ones, might consider this a minor issue, and some might even ship the products as they are. But for Re Pillow Co., as someone who pays attention to these things when I buy products myself, I didn't want to just let it go. At the same time, I knew that if I didn't ship, some customers had placed orders before the Lunar New Year in February, and if I delayed due to remanufacturing, it would be a huge problem for them. Everyone has their own life worries and problems, and I didn't want to add to anyone's troubles, so I was conflicted. But one day this week, after thinking for a while in the afternoon, I felt that if I truly wanted to do things right, I should ensure the product is good, even if I knew customers might be unhappy. So, in the end, I decided to remanufacture the entire batch and inform all affected customers. I emailed everyone who ordered the related products, taking full responsibility. I will provide a full refund for those products, and once the remanufactured products are ready, they will be given to them for free.

Because I believe this is the right thing to do, even if the customer might not actually mind. This is my responsibility, and I must fulfill it. I must take full responsibility for what I do and do my best.

Sometimes I feel that too many companies operate by catering to the customer. For example, a restaurant might offer discounted set meals because customers want cheaper prices, and to save costs, they might use cheaper ingredients that the chef might not prefer. While this caters to customer needs, and it's true that customers might not notice the difference, only feeling that it's "cheaper" or "better value," there's nothing inherently wrong with that. However, I think sometimes, as a chef, one should also maintain some individuality in addition to catering to market trends. But let me preface this by saying that this is a high-risk operation because you're not following the market. But if we look at it broadly, from a global perspective, if everyone could do what they are best and most proficient at, it would be best for human civilization, even if it's not what the vast majority of the market wants. That's how the world becomes diverse and progresses. It's like 20 years ago when everyone was making gasoline cars, and Elon Musk tried to make electric cars. Everybody thought that’s crazy, but he proved it. But I need to add a disclaimer again: this approach can very easily lead to failure and bankruptcy.

But even if it fails, is there no value in it? Yes, living is important; wives and children need to eat. But what is each person's contribution to society in this vast sea of humanity? I'm not talking about needing fame or egotistical reputation and wealth. Sometimes I really think about it: I'm almost 30, what contributions have I made to society and to those around me? This is what I care about. I don't want fame or riches, but I hope I can genuinely do things in this world that improve people's lives, rather than just doing what everyone else is doing.