Da Phil Hantman

Alla conclusione di 2005 che abbiamo deciso iniziare una fabbrica a produrre il nostri propri ha progettato le risorse educative per le scuole primarie. Ho saputo che esso sarebbe difficile - ma quanto duro potrebbe essere?

Tutto ha cominciato quando il nostro Shenzhen ha basato i fornitori di nostri prodotti proprio-progettati di formazione, mosso verso un luogo più poco costoso circa cinque ore dal bordo de Hong Kong.

La qualità e la produzione sono morto letteralmente durante la notte.

Dopo 1 anno di tentare di ottenere le azione decent da loro e quasi di perdere i miei clienti nel processo, la decisione è stata presa per provare ed agire indipendentemente. Il mio agente inglese e la sua moglie cinese hanno individuato i locali per me in Shenzhen. Hong Kong ha basato l'assistente tecnico che aveva lavorato per i fornitori precedenti ed aveva andato dopo che il movimento, fosse reclutato dirigere la fabbrica.

Così che cosa ha potuto andare male?

Tutto!

In primo luogo - ha preso per sempre all'insieme in su il registro di affari e quando ha ottenuto installato era errato. Non potevamo ottenere un'autorizzazione dell'esportazione.

Secondariamente, senza un documento di registro di affari non potremmo aprire un cliente di banca. Così nessun soldo non ha potuto essere trasferito dentro in Cina per comprare l'apparecchiatura o pagare gli stipendi. Quattro mesi i contanti stavano trasportandi attraverso il bordo da HK per pagare gli stipendi e gli operai della costruzione ecc.

In terzo luogo - quando il cliente era infine aperto noi è stato assegnato una banca per depositare la nostra iniezione capitale - un'esigenza giuridica di fonda in su le aziende in Cina. Il problema era - una volta nel cliente che è molto difficile da ottenerlo fuori ancora. The funds were effectively locked until we approach the bank with a wealth of documentation, including the business registration, company chops and invoices for capital assets.

Fourthly - Just as we had everything in place to transfer our trapped funds out of the allocated capital account into a working account - so we could get on with our business, disaster fell. Our factory manager was travelling to the bank to complete the transfer of the funds. He arrives at the bank as they are closing for lunch. So leaving all of the company’s important documents and original information, on the front seat of his car, he goes for a Big Mac! As you would expect, the car gets broken into and it gets all gets pinched. We end up being held to ransom by some gang of thieves who contact my agent by phone that evening wanting the equivalent of $4000 for the return of the items.

The police were informed and a sophisticated sting operation was set up for the exchange of the items for cash at a deposit box in a supermarket. A policeman posed as the factory manager to collect the first drop - a sample document to show that they actually had the goods.

Maybe it was the fact that the Policeman just looked like a policeman - even in plain clothes, that alerted the thieves. Or maybe it was the fact that he climbed out of his patrol car when he walked to the supermarket - who knows. But our thieves and the documents were never seen or heard from again.

So how can a few documents be so important?

We are talking about the company registration document and the company chops. In China the banking system relies on company chops or stamps to sign all cheques and to make all transactions from the bank.

Signatures are not required. So obviously they are not something you want a thief to get hold of! We had to inform the bank urgently to put a stop on the Chop being used and place a display advert in the local papers declaring that this chop was no longer legal tender.

It then took another three months to replace the stamps and documents so we could eventually start trading and release the funds from the bank. Almost eight months after the company was supposed to have started trading.

So - plain sailing from now on then? Unfortunately not!

The last thing a new factory needs, after such a difficult start, is a go-slow followed by a walk out of 1/3rd of the work force!!!!!

Needless to say 2006 was not a great year for us!

However, after a senior management change the turnaround in the last six months has been remarkable. Now I see production and quality at an extremely high level and I am extremely proud of what has been achieved.

I can finally say that it has been worth it.

Phil Hantman, director of Edtech