Last week, I received an email from our Canadian partner Mark, informing me that he would visit the Canton Fair on October 23rd and planned to come to Sunny Glassware Co., Ltd. the next day to discuss the business of glass perfume bottles. This will be my second meeting with Mark.
Looking back on our first collaboration last year, it still feels fresh in my memory. Back then, within less than 24 hours of our first meeting, we successfully concluded our first order of 40-foot high-cube (40HQ) perfume bottles. It was a Friday close to the end of the workday when I received an inquiry email from Mark regarding glass perfume bottles, and I learned that he had arrived in China and hoped to visit our factory the next day. At first, I had some doubts: a client who had not engaged in in-depth communication beforehand and only knew about us through a friend's recommendation, yet promptly arranged a visit, the validity of such an inquiry was questionable.
Despite my concerns, I still made thorough preparations in accordance with the reception procedures. With an attitude of "positive attempt", I got in touch with Mark via WhatsApp and sent him the specific location information of the high-speed railway station near the factory.
It was Saturday, and my cousin, who works in international logistics came to visit. I invited her to join in the reception, hoping that her professional knowledge could provide support in the subsequent shipment process. As it turned out, her participation provided a strong guarantee for the rapid progress of the order.-
Mark is an efficient and meticulous businessperson. During the visit, he conducted a comprehensive and detailed inspection of the production line operation and quality inspection process. What impressed me even more was that he immediately connected with the sales team in Canada via video call on WhatsApp. At that time, it was morning in China but late at night in Canada, yet the team was still online to confirm the product details in real time, fully demonstrating their high level of professionalism and dedication.
While in-depth discussions were held on the style of the perfume bottles, key quality inspection standards and prices, the client also inquired about the shipping plan after the goods were ready. Thanks to the on-site participation of the niece, the relevant questions were answered promptly, and multiple logistics precautions were supplemented, effectively avoiding potential cost risks.
Mark nodded frequently, his reaction indicating that this communication exceeded expectations. It was only then that I realized that my cousin was not merely an accompanying person but had played a crucial role in the negotiation.
After the visit, we invited Mark to have dinner together. During the meal, we learned that his main purpose of coming to China this time was to visit existing suppliers. During the communication with his peers, they mentioned their long-term cooperation experience with Sunny Glassware and suggested that he expand his supply chain channels. So he took the opportunity to come for an inspection. Based on the actual cooperation cases of his peers and the intuitive feelings from the on-site visit, Mark said that he had gained a lot from this trip, and it was well worth it.
I thought the day's itinerary had come to a successful conclusion, but a greater surprise was yet to come - late at night, my phone buzzed with a message: Mark decided to place an order for a 40HQ glass perfume bottle.
When I saw this information, I was still shocked. I never imagined that a first-acquaintance visit could lead to such a large-scale first-order cooperation within 24 hours. Even my hands were trembling slightly with excitement while making the proforma invoice (PI).
Looking back on the entire process, from the initial cautious probing to the final lightning-fast deal, it took less than 24 hours to complete. However, behind this highly efficient outcome lies the combined effect of professional capabilities, sincere attitudes, and a rapid response mechanism. More importantly, the trust recommendation from the cooperative client significantly shortened the trust-building period between both sides, serving as a crucial catalyst for the smooth implementation of the first cooperation.
