China’s population as of 2016 was nearly 1.4 billion people. As a country that contributes far more than any country to manufactured goods, it is a place where individuals and business owners can look to make money.
There are certainly many cultural and governmental difficulties in a foreigner conducting business in China, however, as long as you are aware of the customs and business practices/laws, you will be able to contribute to, and profit off of one of the largest and most powerful markets in the world. One of the easiest ways to gain access to business opportunities in China is to get Chinese local phone numbers.
What is are Chinese Local Phone Numbers
Chinese local phone numbers are numbers you can buy from Global Call Forwarding that have a Chinese area code and number format. You can buy a Chinese local number from companies such as Global Call Forwarding with thousands of numbers available, and within minutes have a working number that allows you to connect with local Chinese businesses. Having Chinese local phone numbers helps you build trust with prospective business partners, as a call from a local phone number is more familiar than a foreign phone number.
Global Call Forwarding is one of the companies that provides 800 and local phone numbers for an individual or business to purchase. The process is incredibly simple, and with 24/7 customer service support you won’t have to worry about any issues that may arise.
You can customize ringtones, voicemail, and callback services and if you live/work in a time zone outside of China, forwarding services allow you to route the call to a call center or business associate who may be able to answer incoming calls from Chinese local phone numbers.
Reasons to get Chinese Local Phone Numbers
China is home to a number of large, profitable industries. They are the world’s leading producer of cotton textile, chemical fertilizers, steel, and cement. Their “industry” sector which includes manufacturing, power, mining, and construction, accounts for over 70% of China’s GDP.
If you operate a business that requires any kind of manufacturing, whether it is machinery, children’s toys, footwear, consumer electronics, having a Chinese local phone numbers will allow you to contact local factories to open the dialogue for a partnership that could be mutually beneficial. It should be noted that there is a benefit to traveling at least once to the factory site to meet the people who run it. Without a face to face meeting, sometimes the factories will prioritize other relationships over yours if you do not have a connection with them. Relationships and connection are very important in Chinese business practices.
One of their growing industries is the energy industry. Since 2009, energy output and profits have been rising. China has been growing their infrastructure for sustainable energy sources. They have attracted local and international investors to help grow their wind energy output, and now they are among the top contributors in all of Asia.
International companies would be hard pressed to find an opportunity with more financial potential than in this particular industry. If you have a business that works in the energy sector, you might consider getting a Chinese local phone number to help you gain entry into this growing market. Having a Chinese local number will help build relationships and trust with prospective business partnersThey also have the largest solar field in the world, which makes them a training hub for implementing solar energy resources in developing countries.
Barriers to Entry
Having Chinese local phone numbers will certainly help non-local businesses establish a virtual presence in China. However there are many cultural differences in how people in China conduct business, and simply having Chinese local phone numbers won’t suffice to gain the trust and respect necessary to conduct business according to Chinese culture.
It is important to establish a strong relationship before a deal goes through, this may seem like things are moving more slowly that what you are accustomed to, but it’s vital to any business arrangement. You should also be prepared for a meeting, it is not well received to seem haphazard or disorganized.
Also be wary of making strong negative statements such as “no,” instead say “I’ll think about it,”or “I don’t know about that.” Since you are using your Chinese local phone numbers to conduct business, you cannot use body language to convey meaning, so word choice and respect for their often slow decision-making process are crucial.
When conducting business it is not polite to display too much emotion, instead it is best to be kind, polite, and subtle. It is seen as bribery to send gifts, so refrain from doing so even if you just settled a large deal with your partner.