Regular visitors to KLM Club China probably already know one of the most active members of our community: Suzanne Hermans, Marketing and Communications Manager of China Success Stories.

Due to her outstanding network of more than 940 contacts within the Club, Ms Hermans caught our attention. After her trip to China, we exchanged roles and asked her for an interview.

Young and ambitious
Suzanne Hermans is 24 years old and a graduate in Integrated Communication Management. She first visited China in 2001. China has been inspiring her ever since. She even started learning the language last year.

Suzanne has been working for China Success Stories since January. She is responsible for the content of the website and the newsletter. She also takes care of interviews and manages general operations.

Unique content related to doing business in and with China
China Success Stories is an international service organization that started just 4 months ago and was founded by four Dutch entrepreneurs interested in China. The organization is located in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Its aim is to provide unique content related to doing business in and with China. To do this, the company is interviewing experienced insiders: business people from the Netherlands, the US, China and other countries who are willing to share their personal success story with the rest of the world.

Share a success story
Suzanne thinks that KLM Club China is a perfect way to get in touch with other people who have any kind of connection with China.
“Reading other people’s stories and experiences on the website is convenient and fascinating, and getting in contact with these people is very easy. The fact that KLM Club China offers an online message service greatly enhances this accessibility. When you find people you would like to connect with, you simply invite them to your network. Sending them messages is just as easy. For me, and China Success Stories, Club China is a perfect network to meet and get into contact with expats, entrepreneurs who are doing business in China, businesspeople who want to do business in China, and, of course, people who are willing to share their success story!”

No day without Club China
No day goes by without visiting KLM Club China. Her work at China Success Stories is full-time; she always has a browser open to Club China. Just to see if she has any new messages, to see who the latest new members are, and to send messages to her own contacts. One of her favorite features is the one that lets you see other members’ contacts. “This way, you can see certain connections and invite their contacts to become your contact as well.”

Suzanne’s success story with Club China
Suzanne has been a member of KLM Club China since March 2007. By now, she has built a network of more than 940 extremely interesting professionals. In the meantime, China Success Stories has received multiple messages from people wanting to know what China Success Stories is and how their story could help China Success Stories in any possible way. “I was very surprised to see that people are that eager to tell their story and share it with the rest of the world.”

Suzanne’s business success story
She and a colleague went to China in April. They interviewed 14 very interesting and extremely friendly professionals, all of whom have extensive experience in the Chinese market. Almost every person they interviewed in China is a member of KLM Club China. For China Success Stories, the trip to China and all the articles resulting from that visit (coming soon to our website) is a success story in its own right. Suzanne thinks it is fair to say that this success is due in part to the great support of the KLM Club China network. Next time China Success Stories goes to China, klmclubchina.com will be again the first port of call.

Terms of employment to start meeting Western standards soon
Many people are afraid that a lot of production work will move to China due to the lower labor costs there. Their fears are justified as of now, but for how much long longer? China is developing and Chinese production workers are becoming more and more aware of the fact that certain terms of employment should be considered standard instead of bonuses. Suzanne thinks that terms of employment such as working conditions as well as respect for the environment, etc. will be meeting “Western standards” sooner than most people think. In this respect, she can only be glad things are heading in this direction. “This means that for me, China is full of opportunities as opposed to threats.”

Tips for other members
Suzanne’s advice is: “If you plan to go to China, be sure you are well prepared and informed. If not, postpone the trip. It would be a waste of time and money, and it would ruin your chance to make a good first impression – something that is very important in China.
And, of course, if you want to read interesting success stories of entrepreneurs with experience in China, please visit our website and subscribe to our weekly newsletter! Also contact me if you would like to share your success story with the rest of the world: info@chinasuccessstories.com”