By Leanne in The China Sourcing Blog

Before coming over

Now that we have established that plant tours are an absolute necessity, we can move on to how these tours should be undertaken.

The following are a few basic tips to consider before you leave for China:

• Make sure that the plant's senior managers are confirmed for attending your meeting

  Sometimes your contact person may say that he/she is from the plant, yet they could actually only be from a trading company with a working relationship with the plant. The problem you may encounter under such conditions is that you might be unable to meet with the senior managers of the plant. The trading company will probably just contact the salesman of the plant whom they are dealing with.

• Re-confirm the schedule for your visit before traveling

  Due to cultural differences, Chinese businessmen prefer short-term meeting arrangements, which is in large part different from Western norms. If you set up your visit schedule one month before your departure, make sure you confirm it again one week in advance and then double confirm one day in advance.

   

• Plan your logistics realistically

  If it's your first time to China, you will need to ask a Chinese person or someone who's lived in China for a while to help plan your schedule. China is a large country geographically and is not fully developed. There are simply no flights between some cities, only busy highways. The only way to reach your destination is to drive there. In some provinces it takes 2.5 hours to drive 300 kilometers, but in other provinces it could take 4 hours or even more. You need to plan carefully in order to be both realistic and efficient.

   

• Bring small gifts to the meetings

  You should prepare some small gifts which are typical and unique from your country, not necessarily expensive but something special. You can hand these out before you say goodbye to your suppliers, thanking them for their time and hospitality.

  During Your Visit

  After you have arrived in China, the following are crucial points to consider.

   

• Choose your visiting time wisely

  We always try to arrange plant visits at two time slots: 8:30 - 11:00 and 14:00 - 16:00. Compared to normal office times in the West, Chinese plants have different working hours. They start and close earlier and have a longer lunch break. You can only see the production line in operation in one of these two time slots.

   

• Things to look out for during the workshop tour

  Every company has their own evaluation methods to rate suppliers. Here we just mention a few basic points that we have picked up from experience.

  1. Ask and verify the raw material sources of your suppliers to make sure that the products are qualified to meet your country standard

  2. Check the production process in detail. Make sure their examining and testing machines are actually functioning properly

  3. Check the warehouse. By doing this you will easily be able to figure out their production capability and product development

  4. Make sure their export packaging meets your requirements, especially if you are the first client from your country working with this supplier. The customs of different countries have varying rules regarding packaging. Do not assume the supplier knows the requirements of your country

   

• Meeting manners

  When you hand out business cards, please hand it out with both hands and try to pronounce your name slowly and clearly.

   

• When in China, do as the Chinese do

  Chinese people will always invite guests for lunch or dinner, especially if it is the first time you meet them. You may follow the head of the group and get seated beside him. Fewer suppliers these days will force you to drink with them, but if you do drink with them, it is definitely a sure way to establishing a good relationship.

   

   

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  The China Sourcing Blog is THE BEIJING AXIS online media platform to track the latest trends on sourcing and the Chinese economy. Taking on a multi-faceted, dynamic subject and carefully scanning everything from the mainstream media to the distant corners of the Internet, CSB strives to get to the bottom of all the best bits and pieces on China sourcing.