1.1 Background of Heng Seng Tong started from 1st generation to the 3rd generation.
Family Business Chinese Herbal Medicine Pharmacy
1.1.1 Biodata for the first generation
Name of owner: Tai Looi Han (Passed Away)
Birth of the Day: 1917 July
Wife Name: Tan Soon Yee
He is the first owner of the family business, which is the founder and the owner of the Kedai Ubat HENG SENG TONG
1st generation
In 1940s, Tai Looi Han, aged 23, opened a small Chinese Herbal Medicine Pharmacy in his native town, Pekan Simpang Kuala, Alor Setar. He was passionate about offering quality herbal, provides healthy information and massage (tie da). Moreover, Tai Looi Han paid particular attention to provide after good service to his customer and making people always feel welcome and cared for in the shop. But their business is not popular that moment, and they were faced lose at the beginning of their business. Besides that, during the early period of business, Malaysia was colonized by different countries for example, Portugis, Belanda, British and Jepun and the World War 2 was happened again. It had influenced his business directly. The demand decreased dramatically because people were afraid to go out and just stay in home and lead to their business always lose. After consideration, Tai Looi Han decided to close his shop because they almost lose during that World War 2. He closed his shop in a short period and reopens the shop after World War 2. During that period, he had no income and used their saving wisely with his wife and mother. Unfortunately, his mother passed away after a few months. He felt very sad and cannot do well in his business. His wife, Tan Soon Yee, encouraged him to continue his business by counselling and involving herself in helping her husband so finally he cheered up.
After the independence of Malaysia, which is after 1957s, the demand from Chinese people was high, because most of the Chinese believe in the effectiveness of Chinese Traditional Herbal compared to western medicine to cure diseases. As the demand increase, his income getting higher, After their business is stable, Tai Looi Han want to expand his shop to a larger space and increases the types of products in selling, such as milk powder, bird nest, ointment , Herbal Medicated Oil and chicken essence and so on.
So his business was in stable stage and his wife has been pregnant. His wife gave a birth to a son, name Tai Jian Rong and they hope their son can take over their business as well. They put an effort to transfer their knowledge in business management and succession strategic to their son when they want to pass the business to him.
Tai Jian Rong firstly did not want to involve in the family business because he has his own ambition which is become a teacher. His son had conflict with Tai Looi Han because his son do not willing to take over his father’s business. But because of his father and mother keep on nagging and persuading him to take over his business so that the Traditional of Chinese Herbal would not extinction in the next generation.
After his son had struggling and thinking for a period of time, he had agreed to take over his father business because that is the legacy and the wish of his father. Although this is not his ambition but he try to cultivate his interest on Chinese Herbal business to make it better. Tai Looi Han slowly pass the business to his son and always helping and supporting his sons the back. He had arranged Tan Jian Rong marriage with the daughter of their friend who was involved in the same industry.