| Different Goals mean different trip preparations | | | | short time period. You will need to have good |
| Obviously, each China business trip can have different | | | | investigative skills and be prepared to dig deeper. |
| goals that require a different kind of preparation. Very | | | | This is definitely a good time to bring your own |
| likely, your first trip and second trip will be different. | | | | interpreter so that you can talk directly to the suppliers |
| Typically, a first trip is to evaluate several factories that | | | | engineers. The most effective and efficient way to |
| will narrow your list to a few that you will consider | | | | solve a problem is by talking directly with those |
| partnering with after further study. | | | | involved. |
| Goal 1 | | | | Goal 4 |
| Visiting new suppliers for the first time for a detailed | | | | Negotiate conditions and prices for new large volume |
| evaluation | | | | orders |
| These are probably suppliers that you have met during | | | | Similar to goal 2, here the preparations will mostly |
| one of the Chinese Trade Fairs or suppliers that you | | | | focus on the details of your project. Again, you have |
| made preliminary contact with from home. Naturally, | | | | already visited this supplier, performed a thorough |
| you will want to spend plenty of time evaluating these | | | | evaluation, and concluded they have the background, |
| suppliers to be sure they can comply with your | | | | experience, and capability to deliver what you want. |
| business and import requirements. These meetings will | | | | The difference with this visit is that you are now |
| primarily focus on the supplier. | | | | prepared to place the order and want to take |
| Goal 2 | | | | advantage of your last opportunity to negotiate the |
| Visiting a supplier to discuss a new large project | | | | price and terms. When you have large volume orders |
| Preparations for this will mostly focus on the details of | | | | in your hands you have a stronger bargaining power |
| your project. Hopefully, you have already visited this | | | | towards your supplier because larger orders also allow |
| supplier, performed a thorough evaluation and | | | | the supplier to save costs by buying raw material and |
| concluded that they have the background, experience, | | | | components at special bulk prices. |
| and capability to deliver what you want. | | | | Nowadays, I would say it is the only chance to |
| It is also a good idea to first purchase a small batch of | | | | negotiate better conditions and prices because |
| your product from the supplier to prove the evaluation | | | | increasing costs are forcing the factories to order raw |
| is accurate before placing a large order. | | | | material and their components only after they have |
| Goal 3 | | | | received your L/C. If it is really a larger than average |
| Visiting a supplier when you are having major problems | | | | order volume, your supplier will get better prices and |
| with the quality and/ or scheduled deliveries | | | | conditions and they may be able to pass some of the |
| In this scenario, you clearly want to understand what | | | | savings along to you. |
| caused the problem and if it can be solved or if it has | | | | Eventually, you will likely visit China to complete of the |
| already been solved. The reasons given by your | | | | goals outlined here. Any one or combination of these |
| supplier may not be whole and complete. There could | | | | four goals is on the business travelers agenda when |
| even be some cover up of the true problem. Problems | | | | importers make a trip to China. |
| will cost you money if they are not solved within a | | | | |