What is your perception of Asia? If you have never traveled to the East, I can tell you from experience that it is nothing like you imagine.
My first trip was in January of 1991 to manufacture products. I made a lot of mistakes, learned valuable business lessons, and made a lot of new friends and business contacts.
My first mistake was thinking with a Western mind. I lined up 3 to 5 appointments per day on my first trip, only to discover that the East doesn't work like the well-greased get-it-done-now mentality of the West.
Traffic and transportation presented hurdles that I was not prepared for and considered myself lucky to be able to make 2 of my appointments per day. I spent a lot of time apologizing for being unable to make prescheduled meetings. This was not a pleasant or comfortable thing to do.
So, business mistake one was to overbook appointments when not familiar with modes of transportation, traffic patterns, or the country's attitude toward promptness.
You hear stories from people (who you find out later don't know what they were talking about) about how cheap things are to manufacture in Asia and that you can make a fortune.
Labor is less in most parts of the East than it is in the West, but there are many hidden costs that you run into. You have to be realistic about what things will really cost. The biggest surprise I got was the (on the side, under the table, cash) money that had to be spread around to get things moving at the Western pace that I was use to.
So, business mistake number two is two-fold. Don't take advice from people who have never done it and realize that the days of cheap local labor and materials are fading fast. Just look at the price of oil and steel and you'll see that unless you are manufacturing in the millions of pieces, the small guy has a difficult time competing.
The hardest thing to deal with was my own impatience. I spent most of my life in Los Angeles and it's a fast-paced, competitive, and often frustration. (road-rage is common)
Getting down to business is a common mode of operation in the West, but in the East it boils to relationships. You must first establish a relationship, a comfort level, a feeling of trust and friendship, before proceeding to the business end of your meeting. You can miss opportunities to work with great companies if you let your Western impatience get in the way.
So, business mistake number three is when you try and hurry to get a deal done. You will miss out on some valuable opportunities if you are hurried. ( I really speak from experience.) Slow your pace; be prepared for delays, multiple meetings, and slow responses to your questions. The answers will come, the opportunities will surface, and the deals will get done as long as you are patient.
I'm thankful that the world of business contains the language of English. I would have to say that worse than not speaking the language of a foreign country that you are trying to do business in, would be to mispronounce the language in an attempt to appear informed and knowledgeable.
Travel with a top-notch interpreter and limit your speaking a foreign tongue to greetings. I've addressed company executives with the wrong pronunciation, tone of voice, and inflection and paid the price. The price was no deal or prices so high as to discourage my business.
So, business mistake number four is fumbling and mumbling a language that you have no skills in. My suggestion is to learn simple greetings and a couple of key phrases, but unless you intend on mastering the language, speak slowly and carefully in your native tongue.
Your slowness in speech will be appreciated and you will gain respect for your politeness and shed the image of an arrogant Westerner. Smile, but not too much to look like a dunce.
Foreign countries have foreign laws and getting fined or even arrested can put a real crimp in your business schedule. Simple things like crossing the street in the wrong place, disregarding a signal, or smoking in the wrong area can all cost you more than just money.
The environmental issues have spread worldwide and laws have been imposed as a result and can sting you or embarrass you in front of an important business contact or company executive.
So, business mistake number five is not being aware of the local laws, social graces, or environmental policies. Brush up on the etiquette of your destination in the East.
All five of these business mistakes can be avoided with very little effort, but you must make the effort. If you don't make the effort, you will waste a lot of time apologizing, paying fines, and trying to close a deal.
As an additional suggestion, some businesses move at a faster pace than others, but still at a slower pace than you are use to, so learn to take on a chameleon approach. In other words, mimic the pace and rhythm of the other person.
