Supplier communications

May 22nd, 2008 at 07:43am Melissa Beuc - Iasta

Do you ever wonder why an email or voicemail message isn’t returned by a Chinese supplier – even when you’ve left one, two or even three messages? You may think, “They must not think our business is important, if they did, they would respond to my questions.” According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, Email Isn’t a Natural Fit for Tech-Savvy Chinese (no longer available online), there may be more to it than you think. Based on technological and cultural issues, many Chinese simply do not use corporate email or voicemail systems.

The article outlines several reasons why the Chinese don’t use email and voicemail.

• Corporate email systems are unreliable due to spam and firewall issues. As a result, many business people routinely distribute personal email addresses since those systems are more reliable.
• Cultural preference for one-to-one phone calls or face-to-face meetings. The Chinese don’t check voicemail because typically no one leaves voicemail messages.

We all know that sourcing from Low Cost Countries introduces complexity into the process. It is also important to remember that basic communication practices we take for granted are also affected. So be aware that you may need to adjust how you communicate with current and potential suppliers to ensure a positive relationship. This includes specifically outlining, from the very beginning of the relationship, what communication tools to use when conveying information.

• Be specific that you prefer email, voicemail or text messaging, and that you need the supplier to communicate consistently using those channels.
• Have back-up communication channels so that you can get answers when needed. This includes personal email addresses and cell phone numbers.
• Get comfortable with text messaging.

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Entry Filed under: General, Global Supply Issues/Risk, Suppliers, Technology / SaaS