IT consultancy banks on creativity (2)

The trio named their company after the so-called "Graham's number," the largest number ever used in a mathematical proof. The name was meant to portend the astronomical growth hopes of the three entrepreneurs.
GrahamSys has sailed through the online boom era that has been marked by a drop-off in traditional businesses pinched by rising fixed costs and changing consumer habits.
"As people became extremely cost-conscious, high rents forced many shops to close," Han said. "Business has shifted from bricks-and-mortar to mouse-and-click." Free doesn't always mean freedom
But Han and Wang have discovered that free doesn't always mean freedom. Their business has cost them holiday times and imposed the usual stresses and strains that all businesspeople face in struggling to make a profit.
GrahamSys earns most of its money from small business clients who are often parsimonious in their spending.
"It is hard to take the business to the next level without any big and highly profitable contracts," Han said. "But my personal network is not extensive enough for me to reach out and tap some big funding source."
Doing business in a country the size of China is, above all, a game of resources. Han said he went to Guangzhou in the south of the country last month to meet a potential big client, only to be told that he would have to wait for a decision. As time ticks away, he said he feels the chances of a deal fading.
In late 2009, Mao quit the fledgling company in a dispute over strategic planning. Han said the disagreement arose because he and Wang were more profit and customer oriented, while Mao was more narrowly focused on technology.
In the end, Han said, the break helped the company.
"We needed to expand beyond our technology roots, evolving to better address developments in the marketplace," he explained.
GrahamSys now prides itself on a reputation for reliable service and creative adaptation of solutions to clients' needs.
"Customers are now fed up with the monotonous brand experience on the business-to-consumer platform," Han said. "They are seeking more personality in their online identities. The one-size-fits-all model doesn't work well anymore. Businessmen are getting savvy about leveraging websites or online stores to do branding."
Still, Han is up against harsh reality. Media reports say that more than 60 percent of online start-ups in Shanghai end in failure. Han said he feels the pressure.
"It's my dream to expand, but I will stay cautious until the current team can work seamlessly," he said. "Every change in GrahamSys needs to be given a great deal of thought."Source:Shanghai Daily