The time that a buyer spends at a plant is crucially important. The main goal of taking a plant tour is to observe and judge the plant. So, taking full advantage of this visit comes down to a few very important considerations: What aspects should you pay particular attention to during the trip? and What questions should be asked in addition to inquiries about the product itself?

Here I want to share some tips based on my personal experience.

• The boss/decision maker of the plant
  
  In general, the boss/decision maker’s attitude or working style is conveyed to his/her subordinates, and hence it will affect the efficiency of the whole production/delivery procedure. So if you find the boss is unprofessional or uncooperative from the very beginning, you should think twice about your choice of supplier.
  


• The equipment of the plant
  
  The equipment can normally give a clear impression of the abilities of the plant. We are not necessarily saying the equipment has to be imported equipment; rather, we try to understand if the given equipment can deliver the ideal product. Asking the plant for the equipment list and maintenance status will be a smart test.
  
  
• The production procedure and quality control
  
  Asking the plant if they have proper production procedures/quality control systems is very important. That helps us to understand if there is a systematic way to audit the whole process of implementing our order and insuring the right product is delivered on time. Normally, our questions would be along the following lines:

1. Does the factory have daily production reports?
2. Does it keep a weekly production progress report to identify and compare in-process and completed orders with order delivery dates?
3. Does the factory have a written QA procedures or manuals?
4. Does the factory complete its own final audits?
5. Does the factory have documentation inspection standards?
6. What percentage of received raw materials is inspected?
7. Is there an inspection process between each production section?
   

Of course, the questions above are only part of what should make up the most frequently asked questions, and these are also subject to each buyer's individual needs during the visit. Yet they can be used as a basic guideline of what needs to be asked. 

• The working environment of the plant
  

People sometimes tend to neglect the working environment of the plant. But this is actually an important indicator of the quality of the plant and of some aspects that will affect the quality of the product, such as cleanliness and tidiness of the production areas, and adequate lighting in the factory, especially in areas that will affect the quality of the product (inspection, hand operations, painting, silk screening, printing, packing, testing, etc.), etc.

Generally speaking, many aspects affect and can reflect the quality or the standard of the plant. Different products, different amounts of an order can sometimes also make different requirements of the plant. The visitor should prepare the necessary questions beforehand, and not merely ask random questions during the visit.

After you have arrived in China, the following are crucial points to consider. 

• Choose your visiting time wisely

We always try to arrange plant visits at two time slots: 8:30 – 11:00 and 14:00 – 16:00. Compared to normal office times in the West, Chinese plants have different working hours. They start and close earlier and have a longer lunch break. You can only see the production line in operation in one of these two time slots.

• Things to look out for during the workshop tour

Every company has their own evaluation methods to rate suppliers. Here we just mention a few basic points that we have picked up from experience.

1. Ask and verify the raw material sources of your suppliers to make sure that the products are qualified to meet your country standard
2. Check the production process in detail. Make sure their examining and testing machines are actually functioning properly
   
3. Check the warehouse. By doing this you will easily be able to figure out their production capability and product development
4. Make sure their export packaging meets your requirements, especially if you are the first client from your country working with this supplier. The customs of different countries have varying rules regarding packaging. Do not assume the supplier knows the requirements of your country

• Meeting manners

When you hand out business cards, please hand it out with both hands and try to pronounce your name slowly and clearly.

• When in China, do as the Chinese do

Chinese people will always invite guests for lunch or dinner, especially if it is the first time you meet them. You may follow the head of the group and get seated beside him. Fewer suppliers these days will force you to drink with them, but if you do drink with them, it is definitely a sure way to establishing a good relationship.

• Packaging

Packaging can sometimes be very important in the composition of the price. The buyer should be aware of the following issues and raise requirements on packaging where necessary:

1. Characteristics of the goods
2. Shipping methods (by sea or air, by bulk or by container)
3. Shipping period
4. Policy in force at the destination, such as regulations on imported wood
5. Storage needs

• After Sales and Warranty

For some goods it is necessary to know what type of after sales service the seller can provide, especially when the sellers do not have a presence in the buyer's home country. The quality of after sales is also a key consideration when choosing the best supplier. If a buyer has a specific requirement on the warranty, the seller should be notified so they can take account of this when calculating prices.

• Quotation Deadlines and Validity Period

An enquiry should include a reasonable deadline for the sellers to quote by, and should also remind them to include valid by information in their quotations. Usually, a quotation's validity period could range from three working days to three months depending on the goods. If the buyer requires a longer period to do more filtering work, they should state this requirement clearly in the enquiry.

• Non-disclosure Agreement (NDA)
  

When buyers send enquiries that contain sensitive information, such as designs with IP or new product information, they should prepare an NDA and ask the potential seller to sign it before they transmit confidential information.

• Contact Details

As the last part of an enquiry, the buyer's contact details should be clearly provided with the contact person's full name, title, department, telephone and fax numbers, and email address.


In this series we have talked about a lot of elements which together make a good enquiry. These elements can reduce risk, increase sellers' and therefore buyers' efficiency, and of course help in getting the quotation you want.

We welcome any feedback should there be further questions or suggestions.

Finally it seems something might be done about packaging in China. As someone who has frequently been frustrated by Chinese candy wrappers that often require the use of teeth to be opened, I was heartened to read that the powers that be have proposed that manufacturers and operators in China should cooperate with consumers to reduce excessive packaging. While encouraging product manufacturers to avoid excessive packaging and offer genuine goods at a fair price to consumers, the proposals also exhort packaging enterprises to conserve resources and develop new materials and technologies that are easy to recycle. The worst offenders in China, according to the China Consumers' Association, are health care products, tea, cosmetics and moon cakes.