We asked one of our clients to give us their impressions during a China
factory visit during a buying mission recently. This series of blogs are titled
as the ‘Buyer
Diary’. The
buyer diary illustrates our client’s various experiences at China factory visits.
It is a highly valuable series as opportunities to visit factories are rare and
our client has willingly shared his experiences with us.
It is a comprehensive series with topics of
coverage ranging from the manufacturing process to managing factory workers. The
Buyer Diary series is posted on ODM
Group’s blog.
Here are some of the blog entries regarding to the buyer
diary, with more to come -
Why is it so important to visit factories?
As mentioned at our previous post on China
Factory Visits, here are some reasons on why you should embark on a factory
visit.
- Meet and show the people you entrust with your important order that you are committed to long term business.
- Evaluate factory management and decide if trustworthy and competent. Our company will often take pictures of the managers and get their personal details. It is important to know who you are dealing with, and going above the account managers head is sometimes required.
- Examine the technical standards and quality management standards implemented. Check out the machines and production capacity.
- Other companies the factory supplys - get idea of quality and workmanship..
- Compare the factory's actual production capacity with their promises. There is a lot of outsourcing and this needs to be controlled. This can be seen.
- Does factory is comply with the Chinese Labour Laws. Social Accountability audits show that safe work environment is maintained. Forced & Child Labour, overtime & other details must be checked.
- Check out the sampling room to see what else the factory makes. Check the raw materials and product storage areas.
How will the Buyer Diary benefit me?
With reasons as to why you should visit a factory,
there are also justifications for you to read the Buyer Diary.
- To prepare yourself for the China Factory Visit
- Understand factory operations
- Gain knowledge on factory happenings through the experience of others
- Gain insights on managing business in China
- Get involved in the promotional products industry
- Experience the hidden side of the manufacturing industry
The Buyer Diary gives you first-hand information on
the manufacturing industry, which few are willing to share.
