During the last three years I have been traveling in China quite a bit trying to set up a network and create demand for our Courts in China. When I tell people about being over there they ask about lots of the usual things like food, language barriers, getting around and etc. One of the most interesting things to me however is how the culture works from a business perspective and how they get things done. As you would imagine it is a double edge sword, no pun intended, those were the old days. Things are for the most part dominated by the government and the government agencies you deal with on the front end. Most of us who have had experience with our own government associate that process with delays, paperwork, unreasonable red tape and crazy demands. Well China has all that as well except the process is quite different when you are dealing with the decision makers. One of my first experiences was to have dinner with the head man in charge of building the highway system in the Beijing area. During dinner I asked him a question that points out quite a difference, I asked him how long was it before they began construction on the 4th ring road (which he was in charge of) once the decision was made to build it. My question was prompted by the fact, that 39 years ago when I came to Charlottesville word was that a connector road or bypass was going to begin right away connecting downtown to route 29 north of town. As you might guess from this example it is just now getting started and I still have my doubts whether it will be finished based on all the special interest groups that have fought it for at least the last 39 years. Anyway, my friends answer may not surprise you based on this long set up, but he looked at me like I had three heads and very matter of fact said “We started construction the next day”. They displaced several million people and basically gave them notice to vacate the next day. Neither of these systems seems quite fair but in a Communist World that’s the way it works.
The good news is when they make decisions it happens quickly as you can see from the two photos below. The first one shows the building just beginning in the last of August this year while I was there. The second photo shows them playing tennis in a finished facility basically 90 days later. Business happens fast in China and you win or lose quickly when you are selling to them. The good news is they are extremely loyal and friendly people and they do like Americans, unlike what you may have heard. The total experience of introducing them to Clay courts has been a joy and a great overall experience. If you ever get a chance to go there, take it; China is a fascinating place to go and the best news is we now have our courts scattered around the countryside and Tennis is alive and well in China.
The pictures below show Construction in late August ’09 and Playing in late November ‘09
Progress happens fast in China and they love American Red Clay.
John Welborn, Lee Tennis Court Products
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