Honorable guests and Fellow toastmasters, good evening.
(Playing music & driving) That was an early morning around quarter pass 8. I was driving on my way to my customer’s office. When you drive on the main street in Saudi Arabia, 80 ~90 kilometer per hour is very slow. At least I have to step on the power and speed up to 120. But, if you think I am taking the lead on street, you better take a look at those impatient taxi drivers from the rear mirror. Their facial expression was like (pretending yielding…etc). But, I do not have time to slow down my car just for these Pakistan terrorist drivers. . I got an appointment to meet at 8:30. So I step on the power to full speed. I see the speed meter is getting out of control. 120, 125, 130, 134, 136, 140. And I also see the LED digital number on temperature meter is also getting higher and higher, 27, 28 , 29, 30, 31… At this moment, Arabic signer: Nancy’s uplifted song, playing loudly inside this Honda Civic under 40 degree’s sunshine and mixing up with those taxi driver’s facial dance. I do not know the heat is coming from the engine or from the wind, or from the Sun, or from my inner body. I start sweating and I see the time on screen is approaching 8:29. I turn on the turbo and fly in the wind. I see 135, 137 140, 145, 146… Bang!
I see the front door of the office on my left hand. Making a quick U turn and shutting down all the sound at the parking space.
(Knocking door sound)
Nasir: Good morning, Mr. Chad! Welcome. What happen to you? Did you just come back from Jungle? Ha Ha…
Chad: Yeah… it is amazing. It rains like cats and dogs in my car!
Nasir: Anyway, how is everything? How is business? Do you want some coffee or tea?
Chad: Yes! Ice coffee, please. Mr. Nasir, (His full name is Nasir Al Odan, but they usually call each other’s first name with Mr. at the front. This will make them feel we are close like friends. So we call each other’s first name. However, on the other hand, they call you Mr. in order make you feel respected. )
Chad: Mr. Nasir, did you get my quotation of the Chinese machines? Is everything fine? I got the full support from their sales manager on price. Why I don’t see your reply?
Nasir: yeah… Mr. Chad… you know that is the problem. Chinese give price to everybody. If you ask, they give it to you. It is not like European or Unite States’ system. The price will only give it to the local agents. But, in China, No. The market is completed open! They sell tissue paper, pencils, cars on internet. If you open one account from Yahoo and send email to them, they send you back with price immediately. And the interesting is, every time price is different like your stock market. Take a look at this. (but do not tell me I show you this price)
(Show up two papers)
Nasir: Honestly speaking, how many percentage you put on your commission?
I am still staring at that two number on the two papers. And I am trying to use the most basic mathematics to figure out they are the same things or not. The time is stop and the air in that office is also squeezed into a small air bag. This air bag is in my hands and wait for me to blow it off. I see the clock behind on the wall behind him. It is 8:47am. I picked up the cup with Ice tea and sip a little bit. The Ice water rushes into my stomach and wakes me up. I rise up my right hand and said: 5
Nasir: Only 5%? But, you see it is a 40% different here. Your price is 40% higher than this. You see it is from the same company, same machine model. Anyway, please figure it out. We do not think they are very honest and we do not feel safe. That is why we need you to help us to get a better price. It is very difficult to know their mentality. We think you have same language and same culture. You can talk to them easily and understand what they think.
(I heard an inner voice from my heart replying him: No, not at all! It is also very difficult for me to know Chinese people’s logics)
I come back to call this Chinese sales manager and prepare to have a big fight. Guess what? The answer surprises me. He said: if you think my company’s price is too high, I have one friend making the same machine and the price is very low. Please take the machine from him. This answer really confuses me a whole day. This manager works in A company, but he is more willing to promote B company’s machine. It is so complicated. After that phone call, I just want to go to sleep.
3 months ago, I always think the most difficult business in the world is to deal with Indian or Arabian people. And I did it in passing 3 years. But, 3 months later, I found that it is even more difficult to control the business with Chinese, even I have the same language, same culture, and same blood. And now the hot potato is still on my hand. What shall I reply to Mr. Nasir?? If you have any good solution, come to me and I will buy you a ticket to Saudi Arabia.
Toastmasters!
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