Finding the right person for the job can be challenging, especially if that someone is far away, and you cannot perform the interview in person or actually be there to overlook their work. Luckily, we live in a digital age with plenty of solutions for almost every problem, and here is where many online hiring platforms can be of great help, as they can act as a mediator and help you pick the best person for the job.
As for finding the right agent for importing services, especially from China, there are several things to keep in mind because it is a delicate job, as the market is pretty big. You want to hire the best agent possible, but preferably not have to pay too much for their services.
That is why the most common question is whether to go with an experienced agent or a new one with great knowledge but with a lack of experience. Both solutions have their upsides and downsides, but in order to help you find reliable importing agents in Chine, let’s check out some tips.
1. Good communication is crucial
In any type of work, there are two crucial ingredients. The first one is about a good first impression, and the second one is about communication. The math is simple, and the better the communication, the better the results.
It is impossible to finish any job if there is no good communication between you and the agent you want to hire. That means that the agent needs to speak English on a high level, or misunderstandings can easily arise, which can lead to many problems.
They need to be able to speak and write proficiently and be available for your questions despite the time difference. Another aspect employers often overlook is the work condition, but here, it’s more about the employee being at its best due to a great work environment than anything else, which is why a good and thorough interview is not only the first but crucial step when considering to hire someone new.
2. Understanding our needs
Besides good communication and language knowledge, a good importing agent needs to understand our needs and what we actually want from them. That means they need to have exceptional listening and organizational skills, and they can perform the job very quickly without any problems.
If they do not understand our needs precisely, we can easily end up with a product that does not suit our requirements and wait for the perfect one for a long time. Due to miscommunications and unawareness of what type of work is actually needed, many problems can occur, and the whole importing company can suffer.
It can further lead to losing the trust of your customers, which is never a good thing, especially now, when even one bad review from the right person can leave a devastating effect on your business.
3. Pay attention to the experience
When we are in a situation to choose between people we do not know in person and cannot check and aren’t aware of their capabilities, it’s always the best option to go with a person with more experience. More experience means they are familiar with the job they should do, they know more about the possible problems and how to solve them quickly and efficiently.
Choosing the inexperienced agent may do more harm than good for both of us, especially if some unexpected problem occurs. Of course, any type of experience doesn’t just happen, meaning that one needs to work in order to grow and learn more about the job, which is, once again, where a good and thorough interview can help a lot. If you do not know where to look for an experienced and trustworthy person, check maplesourcing.com, and you will not be disappointed.
4. The whole process must be legal
Being involved in some illegal actions is never a good idea because it can have some severe consequences, and it is up to us to do everything we can to avoid it. Regarding that, we need to be extremely cautious when hiring an importing agent in China and find someone familiar with the law. Besides that, the whole process needs to be transparent, and we need to have insight into it all the time.
Reliable agents need to be able to get all the necessary certifications, documents, and approval of specifications, so we do not need to worry about doing something illegal. Also, consulting professionals is always optional, even when you think you got it all covered, at least to check if everything is actually in order.
5. They know the market
Another important characteristic that a good importing agent needs to have is a great knowledge of the market because it is the only way to expect quality services from them. That means they need to understand the Chinese market and paperwork necessary for exporting products into certain countries, so they can easily find the best product in the shortest possible time. It is a highly competitive and sometimes even chaotic market, so one needs to know how to handle everything.
6. Do not forget to set the budget
It all starts and ends with how much money we have to spare, and the same principle is here. That is why, before taking any action, creating a budget and sticking to it is the key. Keep in mind that there are many agents on the market, and they have different prices, so you need to pay attention to that too. Setting the budget is a must because you can easily end up spending more than planned if you do not do that in time.
Do the research and check a few agencies to know what is the average pricing, so you can choose the one that suits your budget the most. Keep in mind that just because someone asks for more pay, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they have the necessary skills or that they will provide better results, and, on the other hand, sometimes it’s also great to add some new blood, eager to learn and showcase their skills.