Top Ten Pitfalls to Avoid in Chinese Outsourcing - #2 Rushing The Process

#2 - Rushing The Process

Unfortunately, at OPSA we keep forgetting this one. Either that or we get so excited about a project we overlook that it will be a time line project with lots of hurdles.

The best projects are:
- From a company we already work with
- From a company with experience outsourcing outside the US
- An established product with few anticipated design changes, predictable demand, and not a key item for a company

The most difficult projects are:
- From a company with no outsourcing experience
- A new product still in development that has a firm launch date in the near future

You can see the problem here - we need to add new customers to continue growing, but new customers present the most risk. Also, new customers usually want to start with a new product to them, or the company is new and all their products are fairly new.

Rushing the process is the most common mistake made with new projects. Customers sometimes go into the process without a plan and don't understand all the steps needed to be successful. Also, they fail to anticipate that there will be delays. We do help customers plan, and working with a company like OPSA helps avoid most delays and problems, but it's still a complex process to begin outsourcing in China (that goodness, or there wouldn't be a need for us).

So, make outsourcing a strategic decision and plan accordingly. Pick an established product you can afford to learn on and gain experience. Once you do, you can begin working on development projects. Most importantly, try not to pick a new product with a firm launch deadline that is coming up soon. Of course, OPSA can help with all of this.