too many foreigners travel to China for different reasons. Most of them believe if Chinese talk with Chinese it will be very useful regarding to prices and etc. and also no need wasting too much times to some seller to let them know what you mean.  But how much do you trust your translator (man or women, boy or girls).

I have lots of meeting with foreigners in our company, some of them very well can speak Chinese and they know how can deal with them, some of them speak English and I believe no problems with that.  But most of them bring one Chinese man and specially Chinese Girl to offices.  Some time the first words communicate between the translator and the manager or seller of the company is how much you pay me (commission)!

I don't mean all of the translators are doing this, I respect their job and very big service for foreigners, but how you would be able to control? Because you can't understand Chinese, if even you know Chinese, in Shenzhen or other city they have local language, then what?

I would highly suggest finding a friend or a trusted resource that you have already done business with to use as a translator or else only work with companies and customers that speak your language. You are just asking for extra trouble that adds to the already looming stress and untrust that lies within an international business relationship that is just beginning to build by bringing in a third party translator. My rule of thumb on this it to only work with companies where they have a sales employee that speaks decent English that I can understand. There are plenty of great suppliers that speak all different languages or hire employees that speak different languages. I also use Yahoo Messenger to communicate which is helpful in building relationships and making sure we can communicate effectively.

Thanks for your topic that let us know some things that we don't know.

As a matter of fact after I read this topic too many unknown questions solved for me.

I talked only several words to my translator but they talked about 10 minutes.  Later when I asked the PI they said the price of today changed and also my translator said it's OK and safe, later when I bought, I understand that prices going down. My friends recommend that if I talk with boss straightly can effect too much on my business.


I suggest that  you be honest to your customers and tell him the truth, if he really good businessman can respect your action.


Also Freddie, I found your information from your trade messenger, if it's possible I want to cooperate with you in future about your products, I heard too much about your company from my friends. I heard that you are not Chinese. where are you come from.


Thanks

hi,

in my opinion, the translator should be responsible of  the boss, for he acturally is the representative of one company.

someone who would like to make profit and cooperated with the supplier is totally wrong, and the final result is he can't be trusted anymore.

good luck

linda

Quoting from [Freddie]:


too many foreigners travel to China for different reasons. Most of them believe if Chinese talk with Chinese it will be very useful regarding to prices and etc. and also no need wasting too much times to some seller to let them know what you mean.  But how much do you trust your translator (man or women, boy or girls).





I have lots of meeting with foreigners in our company, some of them very well can speak Chinese and they know how can deal with them, some of them speak English and I believe no problems with that.  But most of them bring one Chinese man and specially Chinese Girl to offices.  The first words communicate between the translator and the manager or seller of the company is how much you pay me (commission)!





And most of them have some hidden tools to record the conversation so if you want be loyal to your customer, they damage everything.





I don't mean all of the translators are doing this, I respect their job and very big service for foreigners, but how you would be able to control? Because you can't understand Chinese, if even you know Chinese, in Shenzhen or other city they have local language, then what?





I am wonder how can I tell to my customer so that man can not make any troubles for me, or I just have to be silent and add some extra charge for his or her commission?

em1]  In my opinion ,  there is less things like this in China now . In the past , I learned a lot about this situation .  However , now many foreigners learn this trouble , and they stopped doing like this .  So I think the situation will become better for the foreigners who can't speak Chinese .

Quoting from [maggieye]:

Quoting from [Freddie]:



too many foreigners travel to China for different reasons. Most of them believe if Chinese talk with Chinese it will be very useful regarding to prices and etc. and also no need wasting too much times to some seller to let them know what you mean.  But how much do you trust your translator (man or women, boy or girls).






I have lots of meeting with foreigners in our company, some of them very well can speak Chinese and they know how can deal with them, some of them speak English and I believe no problems with that.  But most of them bring one Chinese man and specially Chinese Girl to offices.  The first words communicate between the translator and the manager or seller of the company is how much you pay me (commission)!






And most of them have some hidden tools to record the conversation so if you want be loyal to your customer, they damage everything.






I don't mean all of the translators are doing this, I respect their job and very big service for foreigners, but how you would be able to control? Because you can't understand Chinese, if even you know Chinese, in Shenzhen or other city they have local language, then what?






I am wonder how can I tell to my customer so that man can not make any troubles for me, or I just have to be silent and add some extra charge for his or her commission?

em1]  In my opinion ,  there is less things like this in China now . In the past , I learned a lot about this situation .  However , now many foreigners learn this trouble , and they stopped doing like this .  So I think the situation will become better for the foreigners who can't speak Chinese .

Hi,

It is not surprising for me, since I myself, expereinced the OC( third party, employed by client), just asking for  the money from the factory in an implied way, otherwise they will not let the goods ship out.

But I think there are many good ones as well, I am always standing at the client's side, though I am in the foreign trade for more than 5 years, I've never been bribed. Sometimes, the factory boss wanted to bid the order, he promised to give me 2% commission, and asked me not to push the price too much lower, I refused. I think GOD does has eyes, if you wanna a tight sleep at night, you should make our heart and soul clean always... I think most of them are still good...

Maybe in that case,  you should tell your clients directly, since she is just an interpreter, who has no right to do so.  This will be beneficial to you and your client.

Sandy

************************************

Your professional business assistant in Shanghai /China

http:sandy-live-fully.blogspot.com

I am Beijing Girl , I work in trade area and also i will be the translator for my boss or  my workmate form oversea during they stay in china

But I never done what the topic said , it's stupid  and won't make any sence ,

I don't know if there is a lots of transilator like you said in the topic

It's can't show you clear or smart but only foolish and mean

not deserve to talk to much

Hello Foreigner don't be scared by this topic ,

We should always be positive and one day we  will be succeed !

welcome to Beijing China

Susan

 

Quoting from [small tomato]:

I am Beijing Girl , I work in trade area and also i will be the translator for my boss or  my workmate form oversea during they stay in china

But I never done what the topic said , it's stupid  and won't make any sence ,

I don't know if there is a lots of transilator like you said in the topic

It's can't show you clear or smart but only foolish and mean

not deserve to talk to much

Hello Foreigner don't be scared by this topic ,

We should always be positive and one day we  will be succeed !

welcome to Beijing China

Susan

 

Do be sure to read what the other person is actually saying and not what you think they may be saying.



Don't get personal. A good general rule to follow is, "criticize ideas, not people".

Don't post personal / racial / ethnic / gender-based insults, slurs or offensive comments.

Thanks for your reply to this topic and I am very glad that you share your idea here too, that's what I am looking for, If you read the above I already mentioned that not all of them do this job and I respect this job, when we can not see something it not means that it's not exist, everybody read this topic know that we don't come here to judge about people, we just let the peoples know to be more careful to make the business more safe and trusted. As one seller  I am very honest one and I don't cheat others not means that scammer is not exist.   I am also foreigner who get married here and working as Chinese supplier. I don't care somebody think that I am smart or stupid, even nobody know who I am. Just I want everybody that  read this topic start to have thinking about it. I have lots of documents that if you like I can share to you. Also, as my luck tomorrow I have meeting with one of them, I can provide the Video, you know Chinese and you can judge.  But it's not professional to do that action. Let's instead of judge from one side think about the both side and let the others know the truth.

Also please read the Alibaba rules before send any reply.

Quoting from [sandychen79]:

Hi,

It is not surprising for me, since I myself, experienced the O.C ( third party, employed by client), just asking for  the money from the factory in an implied way, otherwise they will not let the goods ship out.

But I think there are many good ones as well, I am always standing at the client's side, though I am in the foreign trade for more than 5 years, I've never been bribed. Sometimes, the factory boss wanted to bid the order, he promised to give me 2% commission, and asked me not to push the price too much lower, I refused. I think GOD does has eyes, if you wanna a tight sleep at night, you should make our heart and soul clean always... I think most of them are still good...

Maybe in that case,  you should tell your clients directly, since she is just an interpreter, who has no right to do so.  This will be beneficial to you and your client.

Sandy

************************************

Your professional business assistant in Shanghai /China

http:sandy-live-fully.blogspot.com

Dear Sandy:

Thanks for your good reply. As you recommend,  I already talked with boss in UK and let him know everything, Also he mentioned that last month manager of his company bought the USB Pen drive from Shenzhen, after he checked with that company he understood that interpreter add 100RMB to the prices and sold to him, it's about 10,000RMB.

I would like in this topic you share more about your 5 years experiance and your thinkings,  If also everybody in this topic have the same experiance, without any hessitate share to others.  And again I would like to mention that this topic is not about judge about this job, it's about the trust and control. 

Quoting from [Freddie]:

Everythind is hard to say , and everything is have . maybe the interpreter is just an agent . not a direct interpreter or staff work for their boss.

we offten  reception  some of  abroad customer  , and somebody also bring their intepreter. according my experience . if the interpreter have their own trade business . they usually will require the commsion from the factory . if  they just as an interpreter or a staff work for the boss , they would not mention out the commission.

anyway, everything  is diffcult to say. 

Thanks! / betty.lin ( msn: betty852@live.cn  skype: betty852697)

Wow

Its amazing to know the hidden truth.

You have opened my eyes and we believe that your article will help us in future business meetings with chinese clients.  The better way to resolve this issue i dont know but of course after reading your article a sense of  consciousness comes to my mind and will be careful next time meeting with a new client with a new translator/interrpretor.