Why not level the playing field …write him a letter, in Mandarin of course, and allow him to enlighten you in his native language?
Sorry, I only speak Cantonese, not Mandarin .
Neil-
sorry been pretty busy. I have some ideas though- will try to post tonight.
take care-Anthony
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
4330 East West Highway
Bethesda, MD 20814
Hi,Jon.If it is your real address,I would like to drop you a letter!
Thanks for your help.
Take your time,Anthony.
Hi Neil-
First- let me express my ignorance of Chinese business practices. It sounds like things may be done differently over there. This may be an advantage for you- if other companies rely on middlemen- and you learn to circumvent them- you can reduce the prices you charge- and use that as an advantage to offer your customers. Your costs will be lower- and you pass the savings on to them.
I’ve heard that in Chinese (not sure which dialect) the word “crisis” is composed of 2 characters- one for “danger” and the other for “opportunity”
If you are having these problems than so are your competitors. This crisis may actually be a blessing- it could force you to do things, differently, better, and thus- more profitably.
Secondly- you need to know that you have your work cut out for you. The economy is down - here and in China- and you can’t wait for business to come to you- you have to go get it. Nobody is just going to send you business- it’s going to take work on your part.
The first step is to know your company-your clients- and your competition.
You seem to have a grasp of your company’s services- but you’re missing something (actually- more than one thing- but more later)
Here’s the missing piece- and remember that anyone you contact will be asking this of you too- 'Why should someone do business with you and not someone else?"
In other words- how can you help your clients in a way nobody else does?
Are you cheaper? How much so? For what products/services?
Do you have a better financing plan?
Are you faster?
Do you provide higher level of service/warranty? How specifically?
Do you offer a guarantee that nobody else can match?
Etc?
The problem seems to be that you don’t know the answer- because you don’t seem to know your competitors and customers.
Get together with your company- and have a meeting.
Put together a plan for compiling the info above.
Then start contacting companies.
You have to position yourself as someone with solutions to their problems- not someone trying to sell them something. Focus on how you can help them make or save money, increase efficiency, reduce maintenance-etc.
If you can’t figure out how to do that- you are in trouble.
Specific advice-
1-Offer free services that don’t cost much but set you apart form the other shipyards- how about a free forum and website that shows companies how to cut maintenance costs and save money in shipyards? You can make and print books that are helpful- and send these out as well.
2- Contact potential companies (once you figure out who they are) and ask them what their biggest maintenance/ vessel building problems are- then find solutions that are- win/win.
3- Determine the lifetime value of a client- how much money they are worth to your company over a 20 year or longer period. With this in mind- advertise certain services at a “break even” price- where you make no profit. Why? Because you will build credibility (unless you do bad work) and show that you have the company’s interests in mind. You will also have a lower price than competitors. Then- when the company needs more work- you will have established yourself as trustworthy- and will get more business from many of them.
4- Ask potential customers what services they need- that nobody offers- then offer them.
5- if you can’t do that- Partner up with companies that offer complementary (but not directly competing) products and services- and do joint ventures with them. Refer your clients to them- and vice versa.
6- You mentioned middlemen- hire one as a consultant- to speed up the process of finding contacts.
7- People are broke- figure out a way to offer better financing- so customers can afford to buy. Can you sell via a lease with option to buy? Can you show your customers where to obtain capital/financing?
To reiterate- know your company, know your product, know your competition- then find a way to add more value to your customer than the competitor.
Remember “You can have everything you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want”
I said it before- but go buy “Getting Everything You Can Out of All You’ve Got” by Jay Abraham. Read it- do it.
If you need help on something in particular-feel free to write me- at anthonymmurphy at yahoo dot com. Please note that I’m busy and may be delayed in responding as I’m in school.
Have a blessed day-Anthony
[quote=neilclover;28976]Hi,Jon.If it is your real address,I would like to drop you a letter!
Thanks for your help.
[/quote]
Don’t waste your time. I am sure it is not his address.
Well,Thanks.Anthony.
But it is not practicle for me to operate,my friend.
I am not professional in this martime industry,so I can not write a book.
And I still do not know how to find the client as there are millions of shipowners in the world. [B]I am in search of platform to find them out.However, what’s the platform? How is shipping building contracts done between shipyards and shipowners?[/B]
It seems like you do not have experience in martime industry,frankly speaking.
[quote=neilclover;28990]Well,Thanks.Anthony.
But it is not practicle for me to operate,my friend.
I am not professional in this martime industry,so I can not write a book.
And I still do not know how to find the client as there are millions of shipowners in the world. [B]I am in search of platform to find them out.However, what’s the platform? How is shipping building contracts done between shipyards and shipowners?[/B]
It seems like you do not have experience in martime industry,frankly speaking.[/quote]
Neil- You’re right- I don’t have much experience in the shipyard industry.No offense taken.
Unfortunately- it doesn’t sound like you do either- at least not what you need to accomplish your goal- hence my advice. By the way-That advice took me from being homeless to managing tens of millions of dollars in investment real estate- within a few weeks. The author of the book I recommended to you is the world’s leading expert o increasing business revenue through marketing- and gets paid $5000 an hour to consult.
I could give you advice on how to research/ contact companies- but I don’t think you’d learn anything from it if I did. I will say- the information is out there- on the internet-in magazines-and easy to find. For free. You sound like a motivated person- and if you’re willing to put in the work necessary to learn what you learn-could be quite successful with this.
I wish you luck.
Have a blessed day-Anthony
“Many people ignore opportunity because it often comes disguised as hard work” Benjamin Franklin
May be you are right!
Your experience can happen in your countries but can not happen in china.
China is now in chaotic !!
If you have Indonesia and Greece friends involving ship industry,
you may recommend them to me!
My mail box: robin1986@foxmail.com
[quote=neilclover;29005]China is now in chaotic !!
If you have Indonesia and Greece friends involving ship industry,
you may recommend them to me!
My mail box: robin1986@foxmail.com[/quote]
You might be better advised to seek customers in Norway. The shpping companies there operate with much less debt.
I agree, Greece is having it’s own version of chaos at the moment…
[quote=neilclover;28976]Hi,Jon.If it is your real address,I would like to drop you a letter!
Thanks for your help.
Take your time,Anthony.[/quote]
No Neil, that is definitely NOT my address. I am afraid I doubted your legitimacy earlier and that was a bit of satire at your expense.
[quote=richard8000milesaway;28904]I have done a fair amount of business in china before I sold my company in 2006 (Groovy Holidays, Inc). What our Chinese friend is describing sounds very typical to me: the middleman makes the western contacts and turns around and arranges the details with a hapless local yard. Of course the middleman makes the lions share of the profit. To us Westerners this sounds absurd, but remember many asians live in closed societies where the access to information and especially outside information is very limited. News flash: the Chinese Government is blocking Google !! Our friend here, “Neil”, is probably telling the truth: he really has no idea who his customers are. The middleman takes care of arranging everything (and limiting all contacts between parties). This is the Chinese way of doing business. it is grossly inefficient, a waste of not only money and human capital but a way to stagnate the economy.
For this and many other reasons many economists predict the rapid and chaotic economic decline of united China in the next 25-50 years.
Western Secular Capitalism will once again prevail as it has been since 1500 or so…
comments from the peanut gallery?[/quote]
Richard, this is / was you? When I did the search, it said something about “fun bags”…You really had me going there for a minute…
[quote=neilclover;29005]May be you are right!
Your experience can happen in your countries but can not happen in china.
China is now in chaotic !!
If you have Indonesia and Greece friends involving ship industry,
you may recommend them to me!
My mail box: robin1986@foxmail.com[/quote]
Just curious here Neil- you say that your “mail box” is robin1986@foxmail.com, yet your profile here in gCaptain has a completely different email address, wcaa_1986@hotmail.com. Why the two addresses, is that something that is very Chinese, and I should just leave it alone?
shellback: yup, that’s me. founded, grew, then sold groovy holidays. a wholesale manufacturer of upscale children’s accessories including goodie bags and party favors.
I don’t like this “Neil” character, too much double-speak. Ask him what his real name is? 100 to 1 it’s not Neil. My dislike is not cultural or whatever since, as I said, I have done business in china before. It’s more the fact that he comes here asking for help and when the help is offered (for free! no damn TV sets!) he says its not valid.
The Brits would call him a Wanker I believe. Here in NYC we’d call him a Dick.
I’m off this post!
What you want to get from me? I am a young man with only 2500 RMB (500Dollars) one month.In china you everyday has to spend the money.
I am not rich enough to send you TV sets! You are asking the wrong person!
Fire the administrator here- why u leak my personal information without my permission!!!
[quote=richard8000milesaway;29027]I don’t like this “Neil” character, too much double-speak. Ask him what his real name is? 100 to 1 it’s not Neil. My dislike is not cultural or whatever since, as I said, I have done business in china before. It’s more the fact that he comes here asking for help and when the help is offered (for free! no damn TV sets!) he says its not valid.
The Brits would call him a Wanker I believe. Here in NYC we’d call him a Dick.
I’m off this post![/quote]
Many friends outside China call me Neil.
I never see a person with so much arrogance here,speaking English without respect!!! This is the ‘good’ manner of NYC people.
I am toooo afraid to go to that dirty place.
I learn English for 10 years,now I hate learning it!!
Well,Brits are too much friendly.I put this topic in Sheffield forum,
many people help me even they do not know.
[quote=richard8000milesaway;29027]I don’t like this “Neil” character, too much double-speak. Ask him what his real name is? 100 to 1 it’s not Neil. My dislike is not cultural or whatever since, as I said, I have done business in china before. It’s more the fact that he comes here asking for help and when the help is offered (for free! no damn TV sets!) he says its not valid.
The Brits would call him a Wanker I believe. Here in NYC we’d call him a Dick.
I’m off this post![/quote]
Do I have promised you a gift? Mr.Richard
You are here talking non sense!!!
What you want to get from me? I am a young man with only 2500 RMB (500Dollars) one month.In china you everyday has to spend the money.