B&Company's journey with clients to find partners in Vietnam in the field of mechanical processing

B&Company’s journey with clients to find partners in Vietnam in the field of mechanical processing

23 Dec 2024

By: B& Company

From its first steps into the Vietnamese market, B&Company has not only demonstrated its role as an experienced market research and consulting firm with over 15 years of operation, but also a bridge between foreign enterprises and Vietnam. The mission of supporting business connections between Vietnam, Japan and other countries requires a deep understanding of culture, people, as well as the ability to organize flexibly. This article will introduce B&Company’s journey with a Japanese client in finding a manufacturing partner in Vietnam. This is not only a story of carefully prepared meetings and schedules, but also a journey to discover the unique features of the Vietnamese market and culture.

In the stage of receiving requests and finding partners

B&Company received a request from a large Japanese corporation specializing in mechanics. The client wanted to expand the market to Vietnam and find a reliable processing partner.

As a company with a good understanding of the market, B&Company quickly coordinated with the client to establish a survey plan, select and approach potential partners. With a team of experienced Vietnamese – Japanese staff, who have a deep understanding of the mechanical industry, B&Company started by looking up data on the information system covering nearly 90% of businesses operating in Vietnam, while taking advantage of the network of relationships in the industry.

After that, the company continued to discuss with the client, filter the list of partners according to its own criteria and contact and interview each candidate, clarifying information about production capacity, experience in foreign cooperation (especially with Japanese partners), as well as the level of readiness to cooperate. This process ends when B&Company sends the results of the comprehensive list to the client to choose the most suitable partners.

Meeting and factory tour arrangement

Next, the client will schedule a direct visit to Vietnam to visit the factory to evaluate the potential for future cooperation. Regarding the working schedule, B&Company follows a clear process: from introducing members, the purpose of the trip, to the factory presenting production capacity, Q&A, visiting the production line, then summarizing and ending the meeting. Many Vietnamese factories are equipped with modern machinery and standard processes, surprising Japanese clients: “We have never seen these machines in Japan, so impressive!”

Photos inside the factory tour

Photos inside the factory tour

However, the client’s request this time was not simple. “We wanted to optimize the schedule to meet about 20 candidate companies in a week, with 2 working groups, and the candidates were scattered in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Hung Yen, Bac Ninh,” the client shared. B&Company had to calculate meticulously to ensure enough time for discussion, while minimizing travel time. To do that, B&Company cooperated with many local units: from transportation companies, hotels, restaurants, to selecting interpreters. All aimed at creating a complete and smooth schedule.

– Choosing a transporatation unit is one of the top priorities. B&Company has searched for reputable companies, careful and hospitable drivers, and experienced in serving Japanese clients.
– Regarding the interpreters, although B&Company has many employees with Japanese proficiency level N1, N2, the company still decided to recruit more project interpreters. This process is very strict, including two rounds of reviewing documents and in-depth interviews, simulating translation situations related to mechanical processing. After many rounds, B&Company has selected two excellent candidates to accompany the two groups of clients. The interpretation contract clearly states their responsibilities, requires them to prepare documents in advance, learn about the processing field, and be ready to support translation outside of work when needed. As a result, clients highly appreciate the quality of the interpretation, even giving positive feedback: “We are really impressed with the way the interpreters share not only about the professional content but also about the people, culture, and cuisine of each destination.”
– In searching for accommodation, B&Company surveyed more than 20 hotels in provinces and cities where service infrastructure is not really developed. This effort is to ensure that guests stay in a 3-star hotel with modern facilities, breakfast, laundry, gym, swimming pool and good security. After the trip, guests praised: “The hotel service is very good, the food is delicious, we are extremely satisfied.”
– Choosing a dining establishment is equally important. B&Company always “goes one step ahead” by surveying a number of locations in advance, asking for opinions from the local businesses that guests are about to visit to ensure they find a suitable and safe place to eat. With a busy work schedule, ensuring guests have quality meals with regional diversity is not only a basic need but also a way to experience the local culture. Guests have had the opportunity to taste baguettes and crab noodles in Hai Phong, pho in Hanoi, and many other local dishes. Some dishes, such as “young chicken egg intestines,” make guests both curious and cautious. However, after each meal, no one has had any health problems. Guests are even very excited, some “happily ordering more portions,” or expressing: “We are really excited to experience unique dishes that have never been seen in Japan.”
– B&Company also prepared water and candy on the bus, creating a comfortable and convenient feeling. Although rice cakes are very popular in Japan, many guests were impressed with the taste of “An” seaweed rice cakes in Vietnam. A member of the group excitedly said: “I will buy this type of cake to bring back as a gift because the taste is unforgettable!” Before the end of the day, B&Company also gave guests rice cakes as souvenirs, along with good wishes.

There were many unexpected situations: sometimes candidates suddenly changed their schedules, but B&Company was flexible in responding, convincing or rearranging so as not to affect the overall plan. The company also discussed with clients in advance: “Schedule changes are possible, but we always have a backup plan.” Traffic in Vietnam is also a “memorable” experience for clients. They were “heart-stopping” when witnessing motorbikes cutting in front of cars, or vehicles moving very close together. “In Japan, we mainly use public transport or cars, and we have not seen any similar scenes,” the client commented.

Finally, exchanging money into VND is also a challenge on weekends, as banks are closed and illegal gold shops cannot be used. B&Company proactively informs clients in advance that they need to exchange money in Japan, or chooses hotels that specialize in serving Japanese guests with currency exchange services. Everything is handled neatly, giving clients peace of mind.

End of the factory tour

The trip ended smoothly. After the business trip, B&Company continued to support the client in contacting the Vietnamese side, promoting the provision of information as originally agreed. The client highly appreciated the comprehensive service: “We are very satisfied with B&Company, everything went according to plan and went extremely smoothly.” They thanked the introduction to Vietnamese culture, cuisine, and people and affirmed: “In the future, when we return to Vietnam, we will definitely contact B&Company for continued support.”

Through this journey, B&Company not only supports clients in their business activities but also helps them understand more about the market, culture and people of Vietnam. The above story is not only about connecting two economies, but also about connecting people, identities, and unforgettable experiences, opening up the potential for long-term cooperation in the future.

B&Company, Inc.

The first Japanese company specializing in market research in Vietnam since 2008. We provide a wide range of services including industry reports, industry interviews, consumer surveys, business matching. Additionally, we have recently developed a database of over 900,000 companies in Vietnam, which can be used to search for partners and analyze the market.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any queries.

info@b-company.jp + (84) 28 3910 3913