With the largest economy in Asia and the second largest in the world, Japan is a potential market for Vietnamese businesses. Therefore, understanding the consumer characteristics and business personality of the Japanese will help Vietnamese businesses communicate and do business successfully with them.
Japanese consumers' tastes are diverse but also quite unique. According to the Vietnam Trade Office in Japan, Japanese consumers pay great attention to the quality of goods. Living in a high-income environment, Japanese people often have very strict requirements on the quality of goods, including hygiene, appearance and after-sales service. Scratches on goods during transportation can also greatly affect the consumption of the entire shipment and affect reputation.
In addition, Japanese people are also very sensitive to the price of daily consumption. After the bubble economic crisis in the late 90s of the last century, Japanese people not only care about quality but also pay close attention to price changes.
The main buyers are housewives who go shopping every day and have a lot of time (the situation of quitting their jobs after getting married is still common), so they are very interested in changes in prices and product designs. However, the psychology of liking to use genuine and branded goods, even at very high prices, has not changed much compared to before. In addition, they are also very interested in fashion and product colors suitable for each season, spring, summer, autumn and winter. On the other hand, product diversity is an extremely important factor for market penetration. In fact, in supermarkets in Japan, there are countless designs and types of the same consumer goods.
The Vietnam Trade Office in Japan also said that recently, Japanese people's concern for ecological issues has been increasing. Stores are constantly improving product packaging to make it both beautiful and simple, and packaging can be made from recycled materials.
According to some experts specializing in Japan, when doing business with the Japanese, Vietnamese businesses need to pay attention to the following points:
1. A prominent feature when working with Japanese businessmen is keeping their word and promises, even in the smallest things.
In particular, they value the impression made in the first meeting or in the first transaction. This means that when Vietnamese businesses fail to keep their promises, the first thing they must do is apologize, regardless of the reason. The explanation must be done very tactfully and at the right time.
2. Information exchange, negotiation is very long and thorough, work is very mechanical
Even if it is a purely trading company, in the vast majority of cases, Japanese customers still require their business partners to take them to the production site to see for themselves the organization and production capacity of you or your manufacturing partner. However, when it comes to formal transactions, Japanese companies are known for being stable and loyal to their customers.
3. Trial order time, small quantity takes very long
Many times, after the first few orders with small quantities, Vietnamese businesses do not have enough perseverance to continue, so they are not enthusiastic in business communication, leading to the loss of good customers in the future.
4. Participating in trade fairs in Japan is very important.
It not only helps find new customers but also affirms regularity and stability in business with old customers.
However, participating in fairs in Japan is often very expensive, not to mention the product designs chosen for display should be discussed and agreed upon in advance with traditional customers to avoid violating previous design commitments.
5. When introducing or selling products at the display booth, the sales person is not allowed to eat or drink in front of customers, even if there are only customers passing by in front of the booth.
Always stand, smile and greet customers with a warm attitude and thank them even if they just look at your booth and then leave.
6. Japanese people attach great importance to meeting before discussing cooperation and are very thoughtful in taking care of customers.
Inviting guests to dinner, picking them up, and seeing them off at the airport (especially if you can get inside the plane to pick them up, it will make a special impression on you). In business transactions, personal relationships are extremely important. Note that during a meal, you should take the initiative to serve drinks to guests, and try to make sure that guests never have to pour their own wine during the meal.
7. Business card exchange culture:
Japan is one of the most business card-using countries in the world. Not having or running out of business cards when doing business never leaves a good impression on customers.
8. Company direct:
Japanese people will feel very uneasy about their partners when they call the company and no one answers the phone or the answer is not appropriate.
9. They love it when their partners can use Japanese because they feel closer.
Moreover, in small and medium enterprises, the number of people who can speak English is very small.
10. Japanese people take appointment time very seriously.
Therefore, when working with Japanese customers, we must proactively choose appropriate means of transport and ensure time to avoid being late due to traffic jams.
11. After negotiating or agreeing on something, even if it is not very important, you need to make a summary of the agreed content and send it back to your partner..
12. Pay attention to giving gifts to guests on some Japanese holidays. like on O Bon occasion (July), this occasion should send food; on the end of the solar year should give drinks.
13. Send greeting cards on the occasion of the company's founding day; send Christmas and New Year greeting cards (note that greeting cards must be sent to partners before Christmas, preferably around the first half of December).
14. Goods, regardless of type, must be beautiful and clean. Product packaging must be carefully standardized, beautiful in form, and appropriate in size to create appeal and convenience for users. Compared to other markets, in Japan, for some items such as gifts, packaging costs account for a higher proportion of the product price.
According to TBKTSG
