By David Dayton 由David代顿

“Going to China” has become the mantra of the business world. "去中国" ，已成为口头禅的商业世界。 You’re looking East. 你看东。 You’ve done your homework with AmCham (American Chamber of Commerce in China), on the Internet, with other “China Hands” and in your industry. 你做你的功课，与美国商会 （ 美国商会在中国） ，在互联网上，与其他的"中国手" ，并在您所在的行业。 You’ve found your “perfect supplier” on line, even found a second factory as a back-up. 你发现你的 " 完美的供应商"路线，甚至找到了第二个工厂作为备用设备。 You’ve got a great bid on your product. 您有一个不错的出价对你的产品。 The pictures of the factory look great, the samples are exactly what you want, and the phone conversations with the sales rep, while maybe a little limited, have been useful. 照片上的工厂看看大时，样品，正是你想要做的，并在电话交谈中，与销售代表，而也许有点有限的，有助益的。 You’re excited. 你非常兴奋。

The question is: Do you pull the trigger now, or do you send someone to the factory for you or do you go visit the factory yourself? 问题是：你抠动扳机，现在还是你派人到工厂，为你或你去参观工厂吗？ Here’sa hint: the first option is just a joke—don’t pull the trigger now. 下面提示：第一种选择是一个笑话鸵鸟政策抠动扳机。 Just don’t do it. 只是不要那么做。

Go or send some to go for you. 去或送一些去给你。 An investigatory trip for yourself or another representative lets you see exactly what the factory can and can’t do; you’ll be able to understand the Chinese production process and share ideas from you own production experience too. 调查之旅，为自己或另一名代表，让您了解到底是什么工厂能够和不能够做，你就能理解中国制作过程，并分享想法，由你自己的生产经验。 In addition the trip will allow you to met with and build relationships with your factory representatives. 此外，该行还可以使您会见并建立合作关系，与你的工厂代表。 This will be vitally important later on when there are problems (notice we didn’t say “if” there are problems.). 这将是非常重要的，稍后的时候，是有问题的（请注意我们并没有说 " 如果 " 是有问题） 。

But, if you are a small to medium sized organization, the trip may be expensive and pull you and some of your best people off line for 10-14 days. 但是，如果你是一个小到中等规模的组织，此行可能是昂贵，而且拉你和你的一些最好的人才小康线为10-14天。 If you are not interesting in traipsing around China yourself, then hire someone like SRI to do it for you. 如果你不是很有意思traipsing靠近中国自己，然后聘请像斯里兰卡这样做给你。 SRI has worked with, audited, introduced, visited and rejected hundreds of factories in Asia. 斯里兰卡已与经审计的介绍，参观，并拒绝了数以百计的工厂在亚洲。 We can help you assess your factories’ claims, capabilities and level of social compliance. 我们可以帮你评估你的工厂的债权，能力和水平的社会遵行。

Assuming that you’re going to go all the way and either go yourself or send someone in for you, here’s some tips on doing the necessary due diligence to make sure your investment pays off. 假设你要去去一切顺利，并可以转到自己或派人在你的，这里的一些提示就做好必要的尽职调查，以确保您的投资不负有心人。

Websites vs. Actual Factories 网站与实际工厂
Just like going through the yellow pages or going to a trade show to find a potential supplier, the Internet is buffet of options. 就像翻阅黄页或者去一个贸易展，以寻找潜在的供应商，互联网是自助餐的选择。 But it’s also still a show—ie the best case scenarios from unknown or unproven advertisers. 但它也仍然是一个查看-即最佳的情况，从未知或未经验证的广告客户。 It goes without saying that the best website does not always equate to the best factory—and often, they can be just the opposite! 不用说，最好的网站并不总是等于最好的工厂及，他们往往可以刚好相反！ While all the online souring sites promise you qualified factory leads—the only qualification over here is money. 虽然所有线上来源：地盘答应你的合格工厂线索-唯一资格这里就是金钱。 We’ve talked with many of the big online sourcing sites about what it takes to get listed and advertise with them. 我们已经与许多大线上采购网站关于如何才能得到上市公司及广告。 The only requirements to get listed with anyone online are a business license and money. 唯一的规定，以股票上市，与任何人进行在线是一个营业执照和金钱。 All the hype about various site’s trusted members or gold medal standards is simply marketing. 所有天花乱坠的各种网站的亲信成员或金牌标准，是单纯的营销。 You get be a “trusted” factory by paying for the icon (a pretty penny too!) More money gets higher front page rankings—NOTHING MORE. 你是一个"值得信赖" ，由工厂支付为图标（一个美丽的竹篙过！ ）更多的钱获得更高的头版排名废人。 It’s completely up to you to make sure their individual claims are justified. 这完全要看你了，以确保他们的个人债权是有理由的。

So even if you done the digital due diligence, the best option is always to visit the factory yourself. 所以，即使你做了数字化的尽职调查，最好的办法是始终参观自己的工厂。 You are the best judge of what you’re standards and expectations are. 你是最好的法官，您要的标准和期望。 You know your own products and production needs better than anyone else. 你也知道你自己的产品和生产的需要比别人表现得更好。 And, unless your project is so small (financially) that a trip to China works out to be an overly large percentage of your total project cost, a trip is going to be worth every penny you’ll spend. 而且，除非你的项目是这么小（资金）表示，中国之行中计算出一个过于庞大的百分比你总工程费用，此行是去值得每一分钱，你可以花费。 By the way, if your project is that small you may want to question why you are really going to China. 由这样，如果你的项目是小，你可能要问，何以你真的要中国。

In helping clients do their due diligence we had a really comical experience about 3 years ago. 在帮助客户尽其应尽的努力，我们已建立一个真正滑稽的经验，大约3年前。 We were bidding out a wood craft project for a client in the US that was working with Wal-Mart for a fall release. 我们申办了木工艺项目，为客户提供在美国正与沃尔玛为秋季释放。 We had narrowed our factories down to three finalists in Southern China and set up appointments to visit each one. 我们已经缩小了我们的工厂下跌至3决赛在南中国，并成立预约参观每一个。 The one that we were the highest on, because of their first class website, excellent communications about equipment and experience, a comparable product history, great samples and a very helpful manager, turned out to be a shack! 一，我们都是历年最高的，因为他们的一流网站，完善的通讯设备和经验，可比产品的历史，伟大的样品和一个非常有益的经理人，变成了一场夏克！ Literally a hole in the wall. 从字面上来看一个孔，在墙上。 The manager was a great salesman with a fantastic website, great samples and a total disregard for the truth. 经理是一位伟大的推销员，一个神奇的网站，大样本，并完全无视事实。 The projected production times from these three factories were: 30 days, 37 days and 2 ½ years! 预计生产时间，由这3个工厂： 30天， 37天及2年半！ Good thing we check them out. 好事，我们要检查出来。 We’ve since done more than 10 other projects with this client and 5 wood projects with one of the other wood factories and have had a fantastic experience each time. 我们既然做了更多比其他10个项目，这个客户和5个木材项目与另一位木工厂，并已产生了神奇的经验，每一次。 Two days of travel saved us a great repeat client and years’ worth of profitable projects. 为期两天的旅行救了我们很大的重复客户端和年价值有利可图的项目。

Know the Capabilities of the Cactory and Subcontractors 知道能力的cactory和分包商
On site inspection can be invaluable. 现场检查可宝贵的。 Not only to make sure the factory is up to your standard in their core competency but also to assure you that all the materials and sub-contractors they do/will use also meet your standards. 不仅要确保工厂能够满足您的标准，他们的核心竞争力，但也向你们保证，所有材料及分包商，他们做/会使用，也符合你的标准。 And if you are a hands-on kind of manager, a trip is great for peace of mind. 如果你是一个实际操作上种经理人，此行是伟大的和平的心态。 Being on the ground allows you to both ask and see. 被放在地上让你既问及看到的。

Even when asked, our experience has been that most factories (even very large multinational ones) are loath to tell you that they sub-contract out molds, labor, or any other part of the production process. 甚至当记者问，我们的经验已被大多数的工厂（甚至很大型的跨国公司）的，是不愿意告诉你他们的分包合同出模具，爱劳动，或其他任何生产程序的组成部分。 But the reality is that out sourcing is just as profitable for them as it is for you! 但实际情况是，外包是一样有利可图他们，因为这是为你！ For example, most mold injection factories don’t make their own molds and buy their plastic materials from third party vendors. 例如，大多数注塑模具工厂，不使自己的模具和购买塑胶原料来自第三方供应商。 Most clothing factories don’t make their own fabric, rivets, buttons, zippers, ribbons (ribbon factories buy their thread). 大多数服装工厂不使自己的面料，铆钉，钮扣，拉链，缎带（丝带工厂买他们的论题） 。 No one that dyes or paints anything makes their own dies or paints. 没有人说，染料或颜料什么使自己去世或油漆。 Any product that includes multiple types of raw materials will at least be buying raw materials from multiple sources if not having entire portions of the product outsourced. 任何产品，其中包括多种类型的原料，将最少购买原材料，从多种来源，如果没有整本产品的部分外包出去。 Many factories that have fulfillment facilities have outsourced the process since this is often so labor intensive. 许多工厂已圆满设施外包过程，因为这往往使劳动密集。

In the best cases, the advantages of your factory outsourcing are, again, the same as yours. 在最佳情况下，优点，你的工厂外包，让我们再同你们的光临。 Cheaper and better products without the hassle of buying the machines, tooling up, and manufacturing the product yourself. 更便宜，更好的产品不会受到干扰购买机器，模具，制造自己的产品。 And the drawbacks are the same too, namely lack of QA, unknown or unmonitored processes, a lack of control over problems, delivery and general quality. 和弊端是相同的，也就是缺乏质量保证，未知或受检过程中，缺乏控制的问题，交付和综合素质。

So, if you know that your factory will outsource, what can you do to protect your investment? 因此，如果你知道你的工厂，将外包，您应该怎么做，以保护您的投资？ You’ve come halfway around the world. 你来中途世界各地。 Don’t stop now. 不要停止。 Go to the sub-contractor’s factory! 转到向分包商的工厂！ Duh. 杜昌。 Sometimes this will take some work. 这有时会采取一些工作。 But if you push you can always see what you’re paying for. 但是，如果你把你总能看到您要为其支付费用。 Even when your main supplier tells you that they are subbing out you may not be welcome at another factory and your supplier may not want you to go either. 甚至当你的主要供应商告诉你，他们是subbing出来你可能不受到欢迎，在另一家工厂和你的供应商可能不希望你去。 We’re often told that if we (meaning foreigners) go to a supplier’s sub contractor’s factory the prices for the next order will go up since the sub contractor knows that the buyer is a foreigner. 我们常常说，如果我们（指外国人）去一个供应商的分承包的厂价格为下一秩序就会上升，因为小组承办知道买家是外国人。 This may or may not be true for each case, but it’s certainly not the worst thing that could happen. 这可能是也可能不是真正的为每宗个案，但它肯定不是最坏的事情可能发生。 But a sub contractor who isn’t used to your standards could be. 但一个分承包商，他们没有用你的标准却可以做到。

Sometimes the sub contractor is a potential competitor and your supplier is not excited about introducing you to another obviously viable option. 有时小组承办，是一个潜在的竞争对手和你的供应商是不是兴奋介绍你到另一个显然是可行的选择。 More often than not you’ll get to the real hub of the Chinese economic miracle—some dirty grimy backroom with a machine wedged in between the bed and the hot plate (this wasn’t on the website, was it?!). 往往不是您可以得到符合实际的中枢，中国经济的奇迹-一些肮脏灰暗的背后一个楔机之间的床和热轧板（这是不是在本网站上，事实是这样吗？ ！ ） 。 But you want to know. 但是你想知道的。 You want to confirm that you’re getting what you were told and what you’re paying for. 你想，以确认您得到什么，你说什么你付出代价。

Stick to Your Guns 坚持你的枪
There was a good reason you defined your quality standards before you left for your China trip: making decisions in the heat of the moment is tough. 有一个好理由，你界定你的质量标准，然后你离开你的中国之行：决策，在激烈的当务之急是硬的。 Throw in the fact that you just spent thousands to come over and you’re committed to deadlines back home and you’ve got a world class case of stress. 投掷于一个事实，你刚才花几千来与您承诺期限回家和你建立了自己的世界一流的案件压力。

If it turns out that the grimy hole in the wall is just too much for you to trust or if your trip to your China supplier gives you less confidence rather than more, don’t be embarrassed to say no and call it off. 如果最后证明了灰暗的孔，在墙上，只是太大，你要相信或者如果您的旅行到您的中国供应商，让您信心不足，而不是更多，不要不好意思说不，并呼吁将它关闭。 This may be the hardest part of the trip especially if you personally/professionally have a lot riding on the deal (yes, even harder than eating the chicken feet, pig testicles, snails or pork brain hot pot). 这可能是最困难的一部分，此行特别是如果你个人/专业，有很多骑交易（是的，更难比吃鸡肉脚，猪睪丸，蜗牛或猪肉脑火锅） 。 It will certainly cause some difficult moments if you are being hosted by your now spurned supplier. 它肯定会带来一些困难的时刻，如果你正在主持您现在唾弃的供应商。 Your Chinese host will be more than a little embarrassed too (as would you if the tables were turned). 你的中文主办权将超过一点尴尬，太（你如果表被拒绝） 。

If you think that you need to pull the plug but are struggling with the decision remember a couple of general principles. 如果你认为你需要抠堵塞，但都挣扎着决定记一对夫妇的一般原则。 First, if your pre-trip expectations were not met on the ground then there is a distinct possibility that your supplier over-promised. 首先，如果你的行前的期望没有得到满足在地面上则有一个明显的可能性，即你的供应商过度承诺。 Chances were, he was betting that you weren’t going to call his bluff with a trip to China. 机会是，他是想靠你不打算请他虚张声势，与正在中国访问的。 Most people don’t. 大多数人都没有这样的规定。 It may just be that what the supplier told you and what you personally and critically analyze on your own may be two different things (or at least two different perspectives of the same reality). 这可能仅仅是因为什么，供应商告诉你，哪些是你个人和批判地分析，对自己可能有两个不同的东西（或至少两个不同的角度对同一事实） 。 Or you may have just been flat out lied to too. 或者您可能刚刚单位出骗太。

Second, the money lost prior to starting the project at a questionable factory is always going to be less than how much you can pour into a money pit. 其次，损失金钱的启动前，该项目在一个可疑的工厂总是要少于多少，你可以倾诉变成钱坑。 If you know, or think you know that it’s just not going to work, cut bait and run now and get started on your second best option ASAP. 如果你知道，或认为你知道，它只是不想工作，减少饵料来说，现在并开始搜索关于你的第二个最佳的选择， ASAP的。 Don’t get stuck in the desperate and (il)logical thoughts of “ if I don’t do something it’ll be a total waste of a trip.” Remember, the reasons why you’ve decided not to move forward—some of the major ones should be product quality, production times and costs—and realize that you’re probably saving more money than the cost of the trip. 不要身陷绝望（ IL ）的逻辑思考， "如果我不做点事，这将是一个废物总量一之旅"请记住，为何你决定不向前走，有些处理的，较为重要的，应该对产品质量，生产周期和成本，并且认识到这您可能节省更多的钱，比成本的行程。

I’m often amazed by the attitudes that people have coming to China. 我常常惊讶态度的人都来中国。 Some are so driven by the competition and the China Price that child labor in sweat shops doesn’t faze them. 有些是如此的驱动设计比赛及中国价格童工在汗水商店并不faze他们。 Some are so negative that clean factories with uniformed employees, relatively high wages and the worlds most modern equipment still won’t overcome their prejudices. 有些是负面的，所以说，清洁工厂制服的员工，工资相对较高，与世界上最先进的设备仍然无法克服自己的偏见。 Usually first time visitors are optimistically skeptical having heard both the horrible and the unbelievable before their trip. 通常第一次参观者乐观地表示怀疑听了都可怕和难以置信的前行。 But regardless of attitude, the best results come from those who are principle centered with their standards and focus on results and outcomes. 但不管的态度，最好的结果是来自那些为本的原则与标准，注重结果和成果。 It’s going to be different, but don’t settle for less—you wouldn’t back home! 这将是不同的，但不解决，为欠你不会回家！

Two final reminders for you as you work with Chinese suppliers. 最后提醒你，因为你的工作，与中国的供应商。 First, there are at least three levels of quality for most things that are produced here. 首先，至少有三个层次的质量大部分的东西都是在这里生产。 The first, and lowest level of quality, is for the domestic Chinese market. 第一，与最低水平的质量，是中国国内市场。 At this level products may or may not work, be the correct color, size or material or even be in a language readable to the market’s general population. 在这个级别的产品可能或可能无法正常工作，予以正确的颜色，尺寸或材料，甚至在一种语言的可读性，以市场上的普通百姓。 This level is quite often rejects from the two other higher levels. 这个水平是相当往往拒绝从其他两个更高的水平。 You don’t want this no matter how cheap it is. 你不想要这个不管如何便宜，答案是肯定的。 The most recent example in the news was baby bottles made from recycled CD’s that leak toxic chemicals when exposed to hot milk. 在最近的一个例子是在消息是奶瓶从回收光盘的说，泄漏有毒化学品的时候，接触到热的牛奶。 I am not making this up. 我不是这个了。

The second level is product made to standard for the domestic market, made for export to non 1st world countries, or product that was made for 1st world but just failed QA tests. 第二个层次是产品，以标准为国内市场，取得了出口至非第一世界国家，或产品，是为第一世界，而只是失败的QA测试。 This level of product is usually what you’ll find in stores targeting the domestic market, in black markets or in factories’ warehouses. 这一级别的产品通常是什么，你会发现在商店瞄准国内市场的同时，在黑市场或工厂仓库。 This is good product but may not meet EU or US standards. 这是一个好产品，但可能不符合欧盟或美国的标准。

The third level is most likely what you are looking for—high quality, to spec, international standard goods. 第三层次则是最有可能的，你正在寻找高品质，以规范，国际标准品。 If you don’t make sure that your supplier and all his suppliers and sub contractors know that this is the quality you expect you will not get this. 如果你不确保你的供应商和他的所有的供应商和分判商，也知道这是质量你期望你不会得到这个。 This is not the default level of production for most suppliers. 这不是默认的生产水平，为大多数供应商。

Last, everything is negotiable. 最后，什么都可以谈。 EVERYTHING. 一切。 I don’t care what it is, you can always work some kind of bargain or discount. 我不会在意的是什么 ， 您也可以随时工作达成某种契约或折价。 The funny thing is not that you can bargain for everything, but that if you don’t you’ll be taken for more than you would have otherwise paid. 有趣的是，不是说你可以议价一切，但如果你没有你会采取以上的，你会，否则支付。 That’s just the rule. 这仅仅只是一个规则。 Everything you buy comes with an assumption that you’ll bargain before you pay for it. 一切你买配备了一个假设，你在拍摄前讨价还价，你付钱。 Never let a good price go on face value, at least make an attempt at cutting the price. 决不让好价钱去面值，或者至少是企图削减价格。 You’ll lose respect in the eyes of your suppliers and get higher starting prices next time if you don’t. 你会失去尊重的眼睛你的供应商，并获得更高的起始价格在未来的时间，如果你没有这样的规定。

The China Price is real—but you’ll not get it handed to you. 中国的价格是真实的，但你们不会得到它交给你。 You have to work for it and probably even work “face to face” and “on the ground” in China to get it. 你有工作，因为它很可能连工作的"面对面" ， "在地面上" ，在中国获取它。 But information is truly power and in overseas outsourcing it means that you’ll get out of the relationship and the product what you put into it. 但信息是真正的权力，并在海外外包的，它意味着你会失控关系及产品，你有什么投入。 Spend the time, do your home work, make at least one trip to visit your supplier eat those chicken feet. 花费的时间，做你的家庭工作，使最少的一次旅行，访问你的供应商吃那些鸡英尺。 Then stick to your guns and run to the bathroom! 那么坚持你的枪和运行到浴室！

Good luck! 祝您好运！

David Dayton, 大卫戴顿 Silk Road International 丝绸之路国际