Here’s how the buyer can communicatd with factory easier
China’s manufacturing industry is worth more than $4 trillion! Thus, almost every country in the world imports several types of products from China.
Do you want to start importing goods from China to your country? You need to know how you can communicate with the factory handling your order. Which will cut the time between ordering and getting your items in your country.
Lack of proper communication between the buyer and the factory or the supplier is a huge barrier. The buyer cannot communicate the kind of quality they want. They cannot display the quantity of the merchandise and many more.
How to Communicate with Factory
Overcoming the language barrier is essential. It is the first step to start importing goods from China.
Are you from an English-speaking country? You will need the tips that we will discuss below to do business with manufacturers in China:
Ensure you are doing business with the factory and not a broker. You can do business with the factory through a broker. But if you want to deal with the factory, you can do so.
If you are not keen enough, you can land in the hands of a broker masquerading as factory owners.
Before continuing with the communication, make sure you are dealing with the Manufacturer.
Many people believe they are dealing with the Manufacturer. Later, they find out that they are dealing with an intermediary.
If possible, take some time and visit the factory in China. Also, do not allow a person to take you there. Many intermediaries take buyers to factories they claim to be their own.
If you do not want to visit the factory in China, find a company that can do the background check for you. After you feel sure that this is a genuine factory, you can start doing business with them.
1.Keep the email and the language very simple
Manufacturers and suppliers in China get so many emails a day asking about all types of products. Thus, when you send them an email, make the language simple and straight to the point.
It would help if you did not use technical jargon. Also, do not use slang. Choose your words and remember that the person reading this email might not be fluent.
The best kind of communication is when a grade six student can understand the message in your email.
A factory manager will read your email in a hurry. But they should get information on what you need, the quantity and the quality.
2. Edit your email before sending it
It is essential to edit the email before you send it. If you have an editor in the office, they should check it. However, if you don’t have one, use the Hemingway App. It is a web-based editor that is available free of charge.
When you paste your email content into the app, it will show you how hard or easy it is to read.
It will show the very hard-to-understand phrases. The moderately hard-to-understand ones also pop up.
Edit the content until the app shows you that a grade 5 or 6 student can understand it and then send it. Using this editing app gives you the confidence that the person who will read it will appreciate it.
3. Use an online translator to check your message
If you have a person who understands Chinese in your team, you might want to write the email in Chinese.
But if the person is not fluent in the language. You can use a translator app to learn how the message will look in Chinese.
Most of the time, the Chinese Manufacturer has a person or two in the team who can speak English. But, they are not always fluent in the language.
They copy the entire email message to an English-to-Chinese translator to read it.
There are many translator apps available online, both for desktop and mobile platforms. Thus, get one and use it.
Remember, even if you use a translating app, you still have to use an editing app. It will help to simplify the language as much as possible.
When using online translators, some parts of the message can get lost in the process. which happens when you use complex words.
4. Lists vs. blocks of text
When giving details about the product you want to buy, try using lists instead of blocks of text. Lists are easier to read because they will be straight to the point.
The introductory paragraph can be a block of text but for the product details, use a list. Try to avoid using too long sentences.
Even for the list, you need to make the sentences short, clear and use simple language in them. If you use paragraphs, the Manufacturer might not understand what you need.
5. Stay on the exact email string
Usually, the Manufacturer is going to reply to your email in less than three days. If they take any longer than that, it is best to move on to another manufacturer.
Prompt communication from all parties shows that both of you want to do business.
It is essential to use one email string, at least for one Manufacturer. Which gives a proper organization to the communication. It is also easy to track emails from different dates.
You can use a different email string for a separate order. It helps keep track of all the communication between you until the shipping company delivers your goods.
6. Stay precise and direct on the point
Another critical consideration. It would help if you kept the communication simple, precise, and to the point. Always remember that you want to communicate your needs. You don’t like to send the Manufacturer to class to study English.
In the email, you must say what you want in your product. Tell us the kind of quality you expect, the quantity, and many other details.
The more details included in the first email, the better. It is going to reduce the back-and-forth communication with the Manufacturer about more information. Thus, it can also enhance the timeline within which you get your goods.
Give out all the information beforehand. After you get all information, you will start to manufacture your goods.
It also pays to know how the Chinese communicate. For instance, you need to encourage the Manufacturer to speak to you even when there is a problem. If they don’t meet the deadline, they need to let you know.
Most of the time, the Manufacturer refuses to reply to the email if there is a problem in the supply line.
They do this because they hate disappointing clients. But as soon as they are back on track, they will communicate.
Please encourage them to communicate with you at all stages of the process. That way, you can be on the same page all the time.
7. Use Chinese apps to communicate
Besides using email for communication with Chinese manufacturers, use Chinese apps and services.
Everyone feels more at home with a stranger when you engage them on a familiar platform. That is why a Chinese manufacturer can feel more confident when you encounter them on QQ. A Chinese video calling and chat app that works the same way as Skype.
You can also use WeChat, which is the Chinese version of WhatsApp. It is very effective. Since it is mobile-based, you can reach your contact person even when they are not working.
At the same time, you can find the perfect time to communicate with the Manufacturer as well. The best time is to catch them when they are in their working hours.
Suppose you are in Berlin to communicate with a factory in Guangzhou. In that case, you might have to wake up earlier than usual. This city in China is six hours ahead of Berlin. Thus, when it is 8.00 AM in Berlin, it is 2.00 PM in Guangzhou.
8. Work with one contact person
The beauty of working with one contact person in the factory is that you build a history together. Thus, when you need another product, you will not have to start from scratch again.
When you have to deal with more than two people, complications start to arise. It is better to insist that only one, two or three people stay in contact with you.
When your order has to go through a long chain, they might lose some of the details along the way. That’s why it is vital to keep the communication chain shorter.
If possible, ensure that the person you communicate with more often is on the factory floor. You will stay up to date on every stage that your goods are going through.
Conclusion
There are our nine tips for how a buyer can communicate with factories. You can import goods from China so and sell them in your country.
When you streamline the communication process, you will have a smooth experience. The easiest way to communicate with the factory is to have one contact person inside the factory.
Also, please find out how the Chinese communicate with their elders. Know the good things to say.
Finally, it is vital to learn crucial Chinese phrases and terms.
