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10 tips for export
success in China
April 5, 2005
When doing business in China, the ability to navigate
cross-cultural issues
is just as important as the goods and services you bring to the
marketplace. This is true whether your company is just now
considering
the China market, recently gained its first sale or maintains an
in-country
presence.
Mia Doucet is the Managing Director of the Sales Development
Institute
and the author of China in Motion, a book that has
assisted hundreds of
Canadians in refining their export business strategy to address
the
cross-cultural and language challenges that affect productivity
and
profitability in Asia. The following
tips, extracted from Doucet’s award-winning
book, will keep you from making some costly mistakes.
Tip #1: The Chinese need for respect and acknowledgement governs
all business communications, not just negotiations.
Show respect by keeping some distance. Allow one person to speak
at a
time.
Tip #2: Focus on building the relationship before talking
business.
Asians want to do business with people they trust. But that
trust has to be
earned by doing things right.
Tip #3: Respect face.
Never argue or voice a difference of opinion with anyone—even a
member
of your own team. Never make the other person wrong. Never say
"no"
directly, as that is considered rude and arrogant.
Tip #4: Speak clearly because most Asians understand less spoken
English than we think they do.
Smiles and nods have more to do with respect, protocol and
saving face
than getting your meaning. Talk in short sentences. Listen more
than you
speak. Pause between sentences. Find four or five easy ways to
say the
same thing. Never ask a question that can be answered with a
simple yes.
Avoid all slang.
Skip humour altogether.
Tip #5: Manage the way you present written information.
Document everything
in writing and in detail. Present your ideas in stages.
Write clearly, using
plain English text. In order to appeal to the visual bias
of many Asians, use
sketches, charts and diagrams.
Tip #6: Prepare for every interaction.
A lack of
preparedness can cause loss of face and trust; do not give or
expect to receive
partial answers from your Chinese colleagues, as that is
considered
offensive. Do not count on your ability to wing it.
Tip #7: Make sure your facts are 100% accurate in every detail,
or
you will lose credibility.
Do not present an
idea or theory that has not been fully researched,
proven, or studied
beforehand. If you make a mistake, you are not to be
trusted.
Tip #8: Never pressure your Asian colleagues for a decision.
To speed up the decision process, slow
down. Start from the beginning
and work through to a solution in a
logical, step-by-step fashion.
Tip #9: In negotiations, consider yourself a babe in the woods.
Patience and a bit
of humility will go a long way, as the process will be
anything but smooth.
Do expect your highs and lows to be like the spikes
on a stock market
chart. All the above tips will ensure a more successful
outcome.
Tip #10: Avoid costly customer service gaffes.
It takes careful
training and preparation to bridge the cross-cultural gap.
The people on your
team who communicate with your Asian customers,
suppliers and local
staff need to be just as aware of cross-cultural
sensitivities as the
business traveler who brings home the contract. Most
of us are not by
nature sensitive to the differences in culture—we have to
be taught.
For more information, go to
www.chinainmotion.com, or
contact Mia
Doucet directly at 1-800-240-8734.
http://webapps.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/canadexport/view.asp?id=382379&language=E
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