From: "Saved by Internet Explorer 11" Subject: Suppliers ignoring the seemingly obvious Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2014 16:11:00 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_004E_01CFCB7F.7B0BF4E0" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.1.7601.17609 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_004E_01CFCB7F.7B0BF4E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.globalsources.com/NEWS/SIC-suppliers-ignoring-the-seemingly-obvious.HTM =EF=BB=BF
=20
=20
=20
=20
=20
=20
=20
=20
Path: Sourcing News & = Advice=20 >> Import from=20 China Advice >> Suppliers ignoring the = seemingly=20 obvious
by Jacob Yount
Did the supplier not consider that when they gave you that update it = was=20 going to lead you to ask more questions?
Did the supplier not think that whenever they emailed that blurry, = crooked=20 photo of your order that it was actually going to create a larger = feeling of=20 uneasiness and add to your concerns?
Manufacturing in and importing = from China=20 undoubtedly leads to supplier frustration.
The biggest hurdle is not necessarily the language barriers but = differences=20 in thinking and mindset.
One of the cans of gasoline that fuels the fire is that China = suppliers don=E2=80=99t=20 seem to have a concept on what should be a red flag to them or = what is=20 most definitely a red flag to you. It=E2=80=99s as if they are = indifferent to facts.=20 They seem numb to what=E2=80=99s already been established and = confirmed.
To the supplier, it isn=E2=80=99t entire project management but a series of disconnected = steps,=20 confirmations and results that by chance form a result.
A few examples of China suppliers not catching what would seem like = the=20 obvious:
-For weeks the supplier confirms the date of completion. Their most = recent=20 email has a new, later date. There is no acknowledgment or explanation = of the=20 difference.
-Ditto for pricing. For weeks you work with the supplier and hash out = a=20 price. It=E2=80=99s time to move to next phases, they pass you the = official quote and=20 the price is different. The supplier doesn=E2=80=99t spend one keystroke = to address the=20 price difference. There may be some logical reason but for some reason, = the=20 supplier doesn=E2=80=99t find it necessary to illuminate.
-The supplier emails you about some problem and leaves it at that. = They don=E2=80=99t=20 include in their update any indication of solution to said problem, no = comment=20 on =E2=80=9Cnext-steps=E2=80=9D, no comment if they are going to close = the shop and go fishing.=20 Just an obscure email and that=E2=80=99s it=E2=80=A6
-You received your samples and there are multiple quality concerns = the=20 supplier should=E2=80=99ve caught. Was this only for reference of one = aspect? Was this=20 purposefully an incomplete sample that was sent for a specific = reason=E2=80=A6tumbleweed=20 silence from the supplier.
Why? Why doesn=E2=80=99t the supplier grab the proverbial bull by the = horns (or=20 dragon by the tail?) and proactively address these points? Did they miss = them?=20 Did they not care? Is it like =E2=80=9Cwhere=E2=80=99s Waldo=E2=80=9D = where they just want to see if the=20 buyer is paying attention?
Confrontation: I believe the subconscious reason, like for so = many=20 driving factors in China, is =E2=80=9Cface=E2=80=9C. Goal n=C3=BAmero 1 so many times, = is not to do the best=20 job possible, it=E2=80=99s not to have a successful campaign, but = it=E2=80=99s to avoid making=20 mistakes in front of others and avoid confrontation.
Not to play too much =E2=80=9CDr. Phil=E2=80=9D here but this = underlying reason, makes the=20 mind dull to catching quality and management points of the order. This = is an=20 example of cultural issues affecting quality issues.
Not wanting to =E2=80=9Cstir the pot=E2=80=9D creates a dullness in = being proactive and=20 having a sharp mind for discrepancy and quality control.
When you start being careful and attentive to detail then you=E2=80=99ve got to = start facing=20 facts.
Facts represent possible errors and they do not want to face = errors;=20 errors they either caused in poor management or errors they have to go = to their=20 production line and handle and that leads to =E2=80=9Crocking the = internal boat=E2=80=9D and=20 that=E2=80=99s also hard for your sales contact to do.
Wrong starting point: Supplier=E2=80=99s start from the = mindset that=20 everything is going to be fine. They don=E2=80=99t consider:
=E2=80=9CThis is China, we=E2=80=99re notorious for shoddy = production, our workers are low=20 paid, we=E2=80=99re developing and many problems are on the threshold = waiting to happen.=20 We have to be super-careful in our control=E2=80=9D
The mindset is more of:
=E2=80=9CYeah, yeah, yeah, no problem. Please make the balance = payment as soon as=20 possible=E2=80=9D
Harmony: Success doesn=E2=80=99t come from individual effort = but, in many=20 folks=E2=80=99 mind in China, success comes from chance or favor from = others.
Being on top of all their duties and all of their points = isn=E2=80=99t, in their=20 minds, a necessary formula to success.
So if you catch the discrepancy or they catch the discrepancy, then = great.=20 Let=E2=80=99s not get all bent out of shape over a few extra days of = production,=20 right?
Purposeful =E2=80=9Cfuzziness=E2=80=9D: China suppliers seem = to be extremely gifted at=20 not covering direct questions asked and addressing issues because they = like to=20 leave room open.
What is the benefit?
It allows for wiggle room in not being nailed down to something = they=E2=80=99ve=20 agreed upon.
It also allows them to remain in that nice cozy dark room = themselves.
They hope everyone will join them in this dark room. This dark room = is worry=20 free and no spotlights allowed.
Relax and kinda=E2=80=99 hope everything will work out.
A problem not being recognized equals =E2=80=9Cno = problem=E2=80=9D.
Let=E2=80=99s go = eat=E2=80=A6
Jacob=20 Yount lived in China from 2001 to 2012, during which time he started JLmade.=20 He is now based out of North Carolina in the US and his home office is = still in=20 Suzhou, China; manufacturing and exporting branded merchandise, = promotional=20 products and retail gifts for distributors worldwide. Contact Jacob at = info@jlmade.com=20 or find him on his blog.
Read more Sourcing=20 News & Advice
t |