The 3 main disadvantages are:
-The understanding of the English language: As you know, the business language is English. What happens is that they have learned the language like a textbook. That is, they will be very good at writing and reading but their “listening” will be quite poor.
Keep in mind that there are many and every day more and more exceptions to the above, especially with the huge number of Chinese students studying abroad and then returning home to do business.
Due to the above, you must understand NOT TO USE COMPLICATED WORDS. Try to speak simple English and you will avoid many of the disadvantages of doing business in China, which mostly arise due to communication problems.
-The meaning of a customer for life: The Chinese have a very short-term mindset mainly due to cultural and historical factors. Because of this, they don’t see the long-term business relationship. No matter how much you tell them, and no matter how much they talk about it, they believe that sooner or later the client will turn to someone else. It’s like they don’t really care, as they know that if you don’t buy or invest, someone else will.
Of course, there are exceptions to the rule, and I suggest that when you find a long-term minded supplier or partner, stick with it, it will save you a lot of time, effort, and money.
Therefore, you should be aware of the fact that you should always have a range of potential providers and “friends” to turn to in case the service you receive does not work. Many foreigners simply believe that they hit the jackpot once they make a deal and just sit back and wait for a level of service like they receive in their country without realizing that the supplier, in most cases, will look first. the money you will earn. in that deal rather than for the duration of the relationship.
-The meaning of quality: I love this word. It is the most used word in China besides “yes, no and sorry”. Everything seems to be of such high quality in China that the word itself has lost its meaning. As Timothy Ferris says in his book “The Four Hour Workweek”, the more a word is used, the more it loses its meaning.
In the case of porcelain, quality means “it looks the same.” I emphasize the words SEE YOU. Their way of seeing reality is different and they cannot be blamed. They don’t know how to create things (contrary to the Japanese), they just know how to better copy it to make it look the same.
Because of the above, it is a normal disadvantage when doing business in China that you have to stress and stress over and over the fact that you don’t want it to look the same, but you WANT it THE SAME. . This means interior, exterior, the raw materials used, the finish, the resistance, etc., etc., etc.
I hope this short summary has been helpful to you in starting to be successful in your business in China.
The best for you, Manoj Shivnani, http://www.starskycorp.com