Doing Business in China: 5 Easy Ways to Improve your negotiation skills

China has many suppliers which produce different products and price range. The manufacturing business opportunities in China are many, however not only to saving costs, instead many supplier options are available for each industry. Besides all the benefits, it seems that the majority of businessmen fall into a common problem with the sellers in China: communication. Sometimes dealing with a Chinese supplier sometimes can be quite difficult, it depends on the product you are negotiating and the manufacturing standards that you need.

One of the qualities of a china wholesale supplier is the way they communicate with their customers. Using your experience and following our tips in this article is important, since it will allow you to forecast the deal outcome. The tips and suggestions of this article will help you to improve your communication skills when dealing with a supplier in China, at the same time it will help you to understand better their way of communicating, improving your experience while doing and discussing business.



1 - Understand the Culture

There is no better way to start a negotiation than understanding the culture of the country you are planning to do business with, and it does not work in China but in any other place. The history of China dates back thousands of years, therefore it has many rooted cultural values. You must learn more about their history and culture, thus you will get a better idea of the supplier’s expectations and ways of doing business.



2 - Reconfirm

After closing a deal, many foreign buyers check the agreement standards only once. It is highly recommended to reconfirm all the points, specifications and other details discussed in order to avoid any kind of misunderstanding. Summarizing every detail discussed is the best way to leave everything clear with your manufacturer.



3 - Explain yourself clearly

It is very normal for suppliers in China have at least one English speaking salesperson since the demand of English speaking skills in China is very high. However is good to remember that English is not their native language, explain all the details about your inquiry in the simplest way possible. If you are speaking with the supplier face to face, it is good to communicate in a slower pace and after, send a follow-up email letting in written all the points discussed.



4 - Use a Chinese translator

If you want to ensure 100 percent that you are being clear or in case the supplier doesn’t have an English speaking representative (which is common), you can hire a Chinese translator to improve communication. This is a common practice for many buyers traveling around China for business, but it is also a smart decision to hire one if you have been only communicating by email.



5 - Ask their IM contact

The primary method to communicate with a supplier in China is email, since you can keep record of everything you have discussed. However, to improve communication and save time, it is also recommended to ask for an Yahoo Messenger or Skype ID, therefore you can discuss all your order details in an effective way.