Comparing Different Western Countries

Most of this paper has talked about Western companies in general, and aims to provide recommendations on how Westerners should seek to market and sell themselves to Chinese businesses. It is worth, however, considering how companies from different Western nations are considered. Figure 9 summarises the main strengths and weaknesses of companies from the 4 largest Western economies, as perceived by Chinese buyers and business owners.

Figure 9 – What Characteristics Do Chinese Buyers Associate With Suppliers From Different Western Countries?

How Do Chinese Companies Compare In Their Marketing and Sales Approach?

We have devoted a lot of time to critiquing Western companies’ ability to market to Chinese businesspeople. But how do Chinese companies compare? The answer is that, despite the experience they have of dealing with target clients in their own country, there is much room for refinement and improvement. Below is a summary of the key criticisms Chinese buyers level at their local suppliers:

• Inconsistent product quality
• General lack of professionalism
• Unsophisticated approach to marketing and promotion, with websites, brochures and other promotional materials seen as poorly presented and uninformative
• Disorganised approach to paperwork
• Surprisingly, Chinese companies are seen as not willing enough to attend conferences
• Written communications seen as vague rather than direct
• Specific mention made of some Chinese companies’ tendency to turn up at the customer’s office uninvited – this is often seen as extremely impolite and unprofessional

The above criticisms highlight two key issues. Firstly, Chinese buyers and business owners assess suppliers on their merits, and are as willing and able to criticise Chinese companies as they are to criticise foreigners. Few Chinese buyers pretend that Chinese companies do not have room for improvement on a number of important issues. Secondly, it is clear that there remains, and will remain for a long time, an opportunity for good quality Western companies to enter Chinese markets, usually on the basis of a high value added, high price offering. Western companies must recognise however, that their competitive advantage on quality and professionalism issues is eroding, and will continue to do so, making innovation and efficiency increasingly important requirements.

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