Link's Blog

The reason I was send to Shanghai was to attend the International China Trade show 2011. 

My company had a booth where we advertised our products. Besides being in the booth promoting our brand, part of my assignments included date gathering about what is new in the industry, how we can improve our presentations (trade show wise) and to find cheaper providers for the company.

The main problem I encounter while being in China was the language (of course!), I quickly learned some pleasantries (hello!, Good afternoon!, Thank you!, Please!, Beer!) and, although there were many people who spoke English, now and then I run into someone who will not understand me. That is when sign language came in handing, a lot of pointing and gesturing was involved… 

There were many culture related incidents to whom I had to adapt. My coworkers, as being mainly woman, encounter a lot of sexism from the locals. Even in the hotel, there was a few asian guest who assumed they were the help and expect to have their plates clear or their drinks refilled. At the Trade show, if I was to stand next to my female co-workers, they would get completely ignored  and attendants would only talk to me. We quickly understood why asian women are so loudly obnoxious and in your face. They have to be like that to survive. 

Our client invited us to dinner the third night. We went to a Michellin award winner restaurant. There, our party was divided in two. Staff and bosses. Although, I am the marketing director for my company, I am still staff, so I had to sit a different table than my boss. I was the only man in my table, and the bosses table had no women. 

I found one of our products being sold at the trade show. I asked a few questions to the sales person (a small asian dude) about pricing; if they can produced this product (a vibrating denture cleaner) cheaper, I would strike a deal. The sales person made assumptions immediately. First, he ask to speak with my supervisor if we are to talk business. - “You bring your boss, and we talk business!”; Then he automatically assumed I was underage. - “You student? You want to learn business?” ; Then he offer me dealers in Bombay, India (he assumed I was indian), and when I told him I am coming from USA, he asked “Are you indian?”, I said no, -“is you mother indian?” - still no, “is your father indian?’ - please stop. “Is your family of Indian descend?” - I wanna bitch slap him. 

I have learned how to talk business from great men, (Mr. T. Schumacher; Dr. J. Salas; Mr. Jack Donaghy) I look at the person I am talking  to in the eyes, I speak clearly and confident (without sounding arrogant, I smile and I ask what I have to ask in clear terms. After this asian sales man noticed that I was answering his off topics questions with a simple yes or no, and after I told him that I want to buy 5,000 + pieces of the product, he decided to take me seriously. The deal fell through (our current provider is way cheaper), but I got good business talk practice. 

A cute side now was my boss behavior. Our main dealer in Chinas was with us for the duration of the trade show. We was accompanied by an apprentice, sort of a prodige. My boss quickly had me at his side all the time, as his prodige too. He would show me off to the China dealers (this is Link, my new Marketing Director, he is very talented) he would tell business details about the companies who work with us, as well as competitors and copy cats. He would also tell me histories about the company and other fun stuff. It was nice. In the “My horse is better than yours!” protege contest I think I won, as the asian dealer’s protege, being asian and all, barely spoke. 

The Trade show ended today. I learn a lot about business in China, and acordint to my boss, we will be coming a lot here. Next year, in early March, he is send us back to another trade show in the Shezuan Province.