2012_06_18 blog – authentic vs doing
business in China
This is what I want to address first : if honesty is the best policy, it
won’t work in China now, and I don’t know how long will it take to make such an
old saying prove in China.
Now,
I am going to share with you my story:
Case
1 : A.M : A training company
A’s
company was backed up by VC – this is what she told me, We met at one business
association party, she was the prospective member there to participate on my
training – a program I deliver to introduce what the association is about and
how it diffiereiciate among other social club. A was there for 60 minutes and
she told me I am the person she is looking for – to deliver the high level
leaders’ training in China and this is to complement her training road map –
from entry to middle-class manager and to the executive arena. Then we develop
our communication and conversation for so many times until the day she told me
the fund is ready and now she need me to design the product – program for them
and seduce me that I am the future partner to share the profit the company will
ultimately enjoy – she had a goal to IPO in 3 years.
I
was introduced to the education division head. R. who claimed to be the
executive coach in China and manager to licensing one executive assessment tool
into China – selling the analytacl tool before convince on deliver the coaching
business, he asked if I am able to be the agent in Taiwan – well, I might be a
power user but won’t act at the sale rep for them. The other guy – G. is the
education program and product developer who had the HR background but never
really see the world of executive. They are interested in my leadership retreat
program and yes, asked me to come up with a demo program for the target group
they are approaching now – an association of agriculture industry top management,
according to them, they are keen in relocation training in Taiwan and would
appreciate if I can custom made the program for them.. well, it’s getting more
and more interesting.
I
sent the demo program base on the Yilan retreat I did for YPO 3 weeks ago,
there’s no response and suddenly a guy call L. come up – via the mail introduction
of A. he is a foreigner , with a drunken accent , eager to meet me for the
program detail and content, we had a tele-communication back to June 11, I was
in Taipei while he is in Beijing, he called my Taiwan number and hang up immediately
– leaving something like its disconnected or I can’t hear you – you know what?
I guess he don’t want to spend his own money and set me up for calling him
back, I did , as I promise to conduct this conference call. By the ending of
the call, L. learned that I will be in Beijing in 18 and 19th so,
asked an in person meeting on the 19th, according to our dialogue
over the phone, he will be busy on 18th.
Since
A. office is far away from my resident in Beijing and the office is not a good
place to meet, I decided to move around the meeting venue with L. Before I sent
out the new venue notice, L send me a mail in regard to change the meeting
time, it give me good chance to response with a “ Why not do it over the phone
? “ and I told him I am return to Taiwan on the 19th, so.. The reply
from L. is: I am free on the 18th all day “
I
call him with no response so leave him a message, he called back and insist to
meet in person – we met, and he was late for 15 minutes. And now please allow
me to describe this person:
L.
came with his coffee mug, asked to find a place to sit. With a drunken voice ,
when the café service person asked what to drink, he reply with “ I have my
coffee with me “, I ordered a latte and asked him : would the hotel upset about
guest not order any drink and take up their space ? “ L replies with “unless
they told me that they made better coffee than mine? I am like speechless. During
our conversation , he almost falling asleep – it’s 11 in the morning, my
observation told me he is either hang over until now or doing the drug still,
how come this kind of person will be partner with A. should I trust these guy?
When
we come to question about the value for the attendee, the need and take homes,
he don’t even care, insist on doing this for the group, make up any company to
visit without any preparation.. why should I ruin my reputation by connection
my resource for this uncertified group of people? I put a big question mark in
my heart. Then L. leave, without paying the drink bill – well maybe I am too naïve
again, assume the one who call the meeting should at least pay the drink as
courtesy.
The
more they ignore the customer or client, the more I hesitate to deliver my
service, it’s not like what I did before, YPOer raise so many questions before
any training, they only wish to trensent and improve every time. I waste months
of talking to these people and now I know all will in vain. So I sent out a
mail with the message of in order to make sure we will do the thing right in
Taiwan, let’s work on a pilot project in China and be sure we are doing the
right thing. No other point, simply to check who their customer are, will they
pay me and what’s outcome looks like? This is a very trivial project in China
and this is how I call it the first case of doing biz in China.
My
conclusion : A. is a financial girl who’s goal is get big fast and won’t share
you profit in the first place. R. had his agenda for selling his licensed
product. L. is a terrible guy who is uglier than Chinese biz man. So all of
them survive in China – a world who prefer law and order won’t enjoy. So, what
will you do?
PS. When have lunch with R. at Old Beijing
Restaurant, once you place order from menu, the waiter will ask you to pay
first ; I asked R. why in the cash biz, we were asked to pay first , R told me
they are afraid the customer might slip away, my next question to R is why in
doing biz, the customer won’t pay until you deliver your service – and
sometimes they discounted or delay payment? R told me because in biz world, it’s
so competitive, so.. you better make sure your client do have money to pay
before deliver any service and be sure all the preparation aim for long term
business development, otherwise you will suffer from losing time , energy and
money.
Case 2 : M and her new venture
In
the very beginning, she act like sister to me and we build intimacy so rapidly.
And she called me up before the training I am going to offer in Taiwan – Yilan,
she asked if I consider moving to China, she talked with few friend in China
and willing to offer me a partnership in leadership training and she will first
have her 3 companied under my consultation service as base client. I am so
touch by her sincerely and willing to build partnership.
The
I realize we had a mutual friend J.L. who share me the story about their friendship,
hoe she suffer from the friendship. I can picture a lady who left husband and
child and develop career alone in China much bear a lot of unimaginable
situation, I respect her success and wish to learn the from her, and yes, I do
learn the lessons.
When
introduce her the resource I had on hand in order to support her new business,
she was so exciting about it, when getting deeper and she learn my resource can
really sharp or alter her business, she become nervous, and put me aside then
develop direct business relationship with the connection I linked for her, I
don’t really care about it. But when it come to the issue about relocation to
Beijing, everything change so dramatically, no business, no contact, no
nothing, it’s like you are taking care of yourself now – a typical HK business
lady – cruel and practical or you can say pragmatic. I am lost somewhere and
tried very hard to check what went wrong or where did I do wrong ? I don’t have
the answer but to get the lessons from her – never trust people who only deliver
lip service or people will ultimately taking care of their own business.
The dormitory
she mentioned during our family retreat in Yi Lan was a disaster to me, I check
in and find strangers in the apartment, I don’t think she even visit the place
before. And how can I take it for accommodate my kid and wife? No empathy at
all or this is another lesson to learn: you should accommodate all the rules in
China, do the Chinese way..
I
know the 2 referring project is moving fast, yes, I was fully ignore from the
parties, yes, I don’t have a value in the deal or I can’t create a need from
either party, this is why brokerage business in China won’t work.
Conclusion : don’t make significant decision
based on others’ lip service, if they tell you to be patient, you better check
your bank account before putting smile to them.
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