由菲尔· Hantman

在我们决定开始工厂生产我们自己的结尾的2005设计了教育资源为小学。 我知道它是困难的-，但多么可能它艰苦是？

它全部开始了，当我们的深圳根据我们的自己被设计的教育产品制造商，移动向一个更加便宜的站点不少五个小时从香港边界。

隔夜逐字地死去的质量和生产。

在1年试图从他们得到正派股票和几乎失去以后我的顾客在过程中，决定做出尝试和独自干。 我的英国代理和他的中国妻子找出前提为我深圳。 为早先制造商工作了和离开的基地设在香港工程师，在移动，被吸收了管理工厂之后。

如此什么能出错？

一切!

首先-它永远采取设定企业注册，并且，当它得到了设定它是错误的。 我们无法得到出口许可证。

第二，没有企业注册文件我们不可能开银行帐户。 那么金钱不能转移到中国买设备或支付薪水。 四个月现金横跨边界运载从HK支付薪水和建筑工人等。

第三-，当帐户是最后开始我们被分配了放置我们的资本射入的银行-一个法律规定为在中国建立公司。 问题-一次在的帐户得到它再是非常难的。 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