Incoming Buying Mission

Now before you start scratching your non-itchy head, or twitch your mouth, or say What da H is that? 

Short for IBM, it is a business meeting. In this particular event I participated in (November 28, 2012), it is an international business meeting. IBM is one of the major events of INTRADE. 

Now again, what is INTRADE you ask? Go here to find out: INTRADE 2012. 

The Opening Ceremony of INTRADE. There was a James Bond gimmick!

Among the delegates.

Being a part of this BIG event, I surely thank God and everybody around me for giving me this opportunity. I get to woo meet people from all over the globe. Name any country you can think of right now! They were here! (Except for Timor Leste and maybe, just maybe a few more. I checked).

Shortly, IBM is where buyers (overseas companies) come to Malaysia to meet sellers (Malaysian companies). My task (weeks before the event) was to organize their schedule. Here, I was in the Taiwan/Korea team. So I'm only organizing schedules for the Taiwanese and Korean companies. So basically, I need to identify what products or services the Taiwan/Korea companies are sourcing for. Say, Company A from Taiwan is sourcing for chocolate products. Be it snacks, for cooking and baking or just anything related to chocolate. Then walaa~ Company Z from Malaysia provides just it! So I'll match them. (It's like matching a soulmate!). Anyway, thanks to the efficient system of MATRADE, the computer system has already identified it for me earlier before I'd actually have to seek for myself. I just need to ensure and approve all computer settings are correct. If not, then only I'd have to go through the directories and replace the meeting with a new one. 

From what I experienced, some meetings set by the computer system lacks accuracy. (I mean, it's a computer! What do you expect?) So then, armed with experience of organizing my own class schedule in university, I applied it here. We were to ensure every overseas companies that come to Malaysia must at least meet with 9 local companies and with no redundancy. (Taiwan had 13 companies coming, and Korea, 20 plus). If not (due to the lack of number in local companies providing what the overseas countries are sourcing for), we'd have to inform the TC's (trade commissioners) of the country and explaining the situation. And it's up to the overseas company whether or not they want to come to Malaysia. Sometimes they think it's a waste of time, money and energy to come all the way just to meet a few number of sellers.

The first meeting starts at 10am. But before it started, I am to call/text the sellers to remind them of their meeting (sorta like a P.A job now there). Afraid they might not turn up, and poor buyer came all the way from Taiwan/Korea doing nothing.

All set.

The meeting schedule.

The seating arrangements.

 

Left: Our legal advisor, Cik Azraa with LO Korea, Kak Mizah.

Right: Overlooking the booths below. More booths available outside the building.

The business meeting in progress.

I'm glad I was a Liaison Officer for Taiwan. I took the chance I had to practice my Mandarin skills. Everything I said, they understood. Phew~. But not everything they said, I understood. I had to make one of those weird looks to tell them that I don't understand. Every time I didn't understand a word they said, I'd say Duibuqi, wo bu tong! And they'd laugh. And later, one Taiwanese lady approached and helped translate. 

Meanwhile, I didn't realize two guys were eavesdropping our conversation. Soon, one guy called me. Told me to sit down opposite him. Handed me his name card. And directly offered me a job position at his place. He told me he's going to export his product to China by next year, and is looking for somebody who could speak Mandarin. Well, I'm just not sure if I'm ready yet. I might need to improve my Mandarin skills first. And fast!

En.Su and Nana taking a break.

Among the other memoirs:

• An African guy approached me. I accidentally said "Ye, boleh saya bantu?" (Dunno why I spoke Malay?). Quicky, I said, "Oops, sorry. How can I help you Sir?". And he replied, "Takpe takpe. Saya boleh cakap Bahasa Melayu". And there I was awestruck. He said, "Saya orang Melayu! Orang Melayu ialah orang yang pandai cakap Bahasa Melayu dan makan makanan orang Melayu". Still awestruck.
• Every time a Taiwan buyer requested for a Mandarin translator, it is my job to run dash to the China desk and get one. There were like 10 interpreters sitting and waiting to be called. And every time I was there, I felt guilty. Dunno which among the 10 was I to choose. It's as if, if I chose A, the other 9 will go "Why didn't you pick me? Why?". (Spooky feeling).
• I learnt a new Mandarin word. Fan e means translator.
• Apart from a business meeting, I encountered a soul-mate meeting. ('cept it didn't happen to me). I eavesdropped accidentally overheard a guy wooing a lady.
• An Englishman called me from his table. I approached. He said, "Could you please help me get these away? I'm sorry, I just cannot stand the smell any longer". He was referring to a box of 3-in-1 durian coffee and a cup of ready-mixed sample of the coffee. Probably prepared by the previous seller for him. And so I took them away. And I soon started having headaches as well. (God the smell of durian was so strong!)

And so the IBM ended at 5pm. We started collecting the feedback forms from the buyers, and keyed-in their responses into the system. Their feedback helps MATRADE to accumulate the total sales from all the meetings. 

So after the meetings, was the reception.

Satay, roti jala, fried rice, salad, kuih-muih, local fruits... name it! Local cuisines brought to the world!

Delegates dancing to a Malay traditional song (can't remember the song title). What a sport!

Although their dancing were nothing like a Malay traditional dance moves at all.

Taiwan/Korea L.O.

En.Su, Nana, Kak Mizah n me.

The Korean lady in the middle is our M.O Korea (MATRADE Overseas Office rep).

After all was settled and all the delegates has gone back to their hotels, I finally started to feel aches here and there. All the running dashing here and there, and all for the sake of ensuring all meetings and programs goes well. Which it sure did! 

Boy, am I glad.