Don't rely too much on your 'China guy' when doing business in China. Read more about why you shouldn't here: http://www.hongdaservice.com/blog/dont-rely-too-much-on-your-china-guy-when-doing-business-in-china I've written a lot about a doing business in China (and what to watch out for) for our China Business blog, and this time around I want to take a look at some of the advantages behind hiring a foreign local, more commonly known as a 'China guy', to help act as an intermediate for your company in China, and take a closer look at why relying too much on them may not be in the best interests of your company over the long run...

1. Don't rely too much on your 'China guy' when doing
business in China!
www.hongdaservice.com /blog/dont-rely-too-much-on-your-china-guy-when-doing-business-in-china
I've written a lot about a doing business in China (and what to watch out for) for our China Business blog, and this
time around I want to take a look at some of the advantages behind hiring a foreign local, more commonly known as
a 'China guy', to help act as an intermediate for your company in China, and take a closer look at why relying too
much on them may not be in the best interests of your company over the long run...
How your company benefits from a 'China guy'
One of the most obvious reasons behind a decision to hire a foreign China expert is being able to leverage the vast
amount of experience and skills they possess from working and living in China for an extended period of time.
These 'China guys' act as your boots on the ground. They are fluent in Chinese, they are able to navigate the
cultural subtleties of Chinese business, and perhaps most importantly, they can report back to you in your own
language.
Not only do they understand how some of the more suprising things of doing business in China are dealt with, but
they understand your business, your company's goals, and they help you manage every aspect of your China
project.
So, why would you even consider going at it by yourself?
Whilst all the advantages of hiring a local foreigner in China are absolutely true, the other, more evident truth about
doing business in China is that growing your own contact base and building close business relationships is what
really matters here.
The Chinese place a huge amount of importance on "guanxi", translated in the business sense as relationships (and
how you can leverage them to get ahead). The standard rules of business that people in the West are accustomed
to is superceded by WHO YOU KNOW in China.
The long term success of anyone looking to do business here is dependent on making an effort to foster personal
relationships that makes up the foundation of any mutually beneficial business relationship.
If you want anything done right, you got to do it yourself!
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2. Relying on someone to help you get an in into China is helpful for when you are just starting out, but nothing beats
getting your own hands dirty for what you want.
A 'China guy' stands as the point of contact for your business and their existing contacts can be leveraged for your
cause, but getting to know your Chinese counterparts and negotiating directly with them is one of the only surefire
ways that you are going to get exactly what you bargain for.
This aids your company in a couple of ways:
You build longer, more meaningful business relationships
You gain access to a wider network of contacts for future business ventures
You have full control over all of your own company/purchasing decisions
You save money from not having to pay someone on the ground
You avoid the possibility of being taken for a ride by your local foreign contact
Conclusion
Relying on a 'China guy' may be very useful to you when you are first starting out here, but putting in the time and
effort to building your own relationships will help your company reach even greater heights in the long run.
Like anything that's worth doing, it's worth doing right, and when it comes to doing it right in China focusing your
energy on growing your own network is what will earn you the respect and support to take your own business where
it needs to be.
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