I had been promoted to be Department Manager when 2010 Spring Canton Fair is coming. Before I followed my leader of our team, but then I was the leader, so I had a lot of pressure because it was my first time to lead the whole team to prepare for Canton Fair.
Before the Canton fair, I sent our booth number and other information to all of clients. Yes, ALL. Including the ones were in connection, the ones we lost contact long time ago, and the ones I didn’t start to contact. All mails took one week, but the result was not good, which I had been thought of it. I didn’t expect the clients could reply, it was enough that the clients knew our booth number and our exhibition information.
One day before we went to Guangzhou, I received an e-mail from a Middle-east client. He said he was interested to visit our booth during the fair, and he wanted to meet me at the hotel before the fair starts. I was excited to have the chance because I knew there will be thousands of suppliers when he visit the fair, it will be very difficult to choose the supplier. If I meet with him before that, I will take the advantage.
But I wanted to cry when I got his air flight time and hotel address. He will arrive at airport at 11:35 pm, and his hotel located in a contrary direction with mine. It will take more than 2 hours by taxi. Anyhow, I must go to see him no matter how difficult it will be.
hold my eyes opening when he got to the hotel finally at 3:00 am.
Because of jet-leg, he was full of fresh and energy. He was excited to see me. He told me that I was the first Chinese supplier he met after he got off from the airplane. His purchase list including Carbon steel flange, Stainless steel flange, and Stainless steel thread casting fittings. He also told me he believed in fate, he thought we will destined to be very good business partners in future. To be honest, I didn’t take his words seriously after I experienced so much during these years. I thought it was just beautiful words when people meet and talk. At the day after that, he visited my booth with handful of my competitors’ catalogs, I thought I was right.
After the Canton Fair, he visited more factories. I thought there were too many competitors, even I could get the order, the margin will not be good. So I contacted with him politely but with lower expectation.
But beyond my expectations, he sent feedback very quickly after he came back to his office. He shared information of many suppliers he visited, told me his impression to them. Meantime he gave me his suggestions about our facility and prices, asked me to do adjustment. He finally issued the big PO to us after he confirm the samples and prices.
It was true that he believes fate, and that very late night meeting made him to see a hard-worker and professional partner. And this quality will help him on the future business development.
This mutual trust brings us long-term cooperation. There were several problems during these years, but we worked out together based on mutual trust and understanding. I learned a lot from him, and I started to believe “fate” is really very important in business. Of course, the basis of successful relationship must be “Honest, Dedication,Conscientious”.
