Etiquette Question

[ceylan]

I am having some problems with a supplier and need to figure out the best way to handle this without offending or causing future problems. Trouble is the supplier is Japanese but has been living and doing business in Thailand for many years, this combination of cultures is new to me, I am British.

The order we placed is very late and I have been chasing it for sometime by email. So late in fact that I contacted the supplier to say not to ship the order as I was coming back to Thailand and would not be in the U.K to process the order. I was not canceling the order and made that clear but was making sure that it was not shipped at a time when I would not be in the U.K. She then called me to say the order had already been shipped on the 12th of July and was due to arrive 3rd of August. That would have been ok as I don't fly out until the 18th. She said the paperwork would be fed-exed to me within a few days, so I was happy with that.

After waiting for over a week I then contacted her again to ask where the papers are as I had not gotten them yet...got a strange email that I couldn't really understand..then waited and waited. Until Friday when she sent an email saying the papers would be with me Monday (3rd) the day she told me the ship was due in the U.K. Very last min and stressful.

So today the papers turn up as promised but the ship didnt leave on the 12th..it left the 25th!! so is not due until the 17th of August..I am really angry..its exactly what I had stressed to her that I didnt want to have happen. Now I dont know if its her fault or the shipping agent but its causing me a massive problem and I dont know how to approach her about this without causing a loss of face or making business in the future difficult? Any advice for me??

[LaoPo]

I am having some problems with a supplier and need to figure out the best way to handle this without offending or causing future problems. Trouble is the supplier is Japanese but has been living and doing business in Thailand for many years, this combination of cultures is new to me, I am British.

The order we placed is very late and I have been chasing it for sometime by email. So late in fact that I contacted the supplier to say not to ship the order as I was coming back to Thailand and would not be in the U.K to process the order. I was not canceling the order and made that clear but was making sure that it was not shipped at a time when I would not be in the U.K. She then called me to say the order had already been shipped on the 12th of July and was due to arrive 3rd of August. That would have been ok as I don't fly out until the 18th. She said the paperwork would be fed-exed to me within a few days, so I was happy with that.

After waiting for over a week I then contacted her again to ask where the papers are as I had not gotten them yet...got a strange email that I couldn't really understand..then waited and waited. Until Friday when she sent an email saying the papers would be with me Monday (3rd) the day she told me the ship was due in the U.K. Very last min and stressful.

So today the papers turn up as promised but the ship didnt leave on the 12th..it left the 25th!! so is not due until the 17th of August..I am really angry..its exactly what I had stressed to her that I didnt want to have happen. Now I dont know if its her fault or the shipping agent but its causing me a massive problem and I dont know how to approach her about this without causing a loss of face or making business in the future difficult? Any advice for me??

Hmmmm...complicated story but if I were you I would try to find out who the shipping agent in Bangkok was/is and have them phoned by a Thai friend or relative to make an appointment and see the paperwork.

Only then you can find out what really happened.

It happens that manufacturers say they shipped...but in fact meant the merchandise left their factory instead that the ship in fact sailed. Also it happens that the merchandise does not make it onto the ship for many various reasons and thus have to wait for the next ship.

The agent will know but they could also be close with your Japanese supplier, so, have someone important phone/visit them.

Cheers

LaoPo

[Tawai]

 Any advice for me??

Yes, if any possible look for another supplier for future orders and forget unreiable people like her.

I personally had and have many suppliers from Thailand and else, and I stopped dealing with people who don't take care of their customers because of stupidity and laziness (many times it's a combination of both). I made the experience when the beginning of a (business in this case) relation is difficult/ full of problems, it will get worse with time.

Good luck.

[PoeDogg]

Aaaaa....reminds me of my Buying/Expediting days in the Middle East.

You should gets a copy of all documents from your vendor, their supplier/manufacturer, shipper, GOD, etc., with the dates included to see where the mistake(s) came from (by EMAIL) don't let them make YOU wait for mail or FedEx, demand scanned copies; if she doesn't supply, work your way up the food chain until your problem is solved, and find another supplier for future orders.

Politely threaten the vendor (I have spent x amount of money with your company each month/year and would like to continue doing so; I foresee an increased need for these materials, and would like to find a reliable vendor that I can dedicate all of my PO’s to, do you want to be that vendor?).

Be sure that your contract or PO states a cancellation clause with a specific time period. The PO's for the last company that I worked for stated that if the material(s) had not arrived to the designated delivery point 30 days after the delivery due date (yes, dlvry date+30; 90% percent of our suppliers were always late for one reason or another) that we had the right to cancel the PO, notify the vendor by email, and the vendor was liable for any associated cost.

It was normal to have to cancel a couple of PO’s a week, because the vendors would just flat-out lie, so we had to cut our losses, and reorder from another vendor.

Then we would make a note of trying to never use that vendor for that particular item anymore. If the vendor maintained a bad business relationship, we would cut them out of our bidding process altogether.

And, how long does it usually take to clear your customs, are you doing the clearing or having an agent do it?

If you are having an agent do it, they may have or be able to coordinate a holding area for you while away (if you don't have the space).

Good luck!