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In the world of logistics and transportation, maintaining personal relationships with agents and customers is crucial to providing excellent service. This is especially true when acting as a freight forwarder. At Kuipers Logistics, we understand this like no one else.
That’s why we regularly travel to China. However, as we’ve been handling more and more shipments to and from Vietnam, it was high time we visited the country ourselves!
So, Wouter and Jos set off for Vietnam and China to strengthen the bonds with our partners.
Departure to China
After all the arrangements, the time has come. The tickets are booked, visas arranged, luggage packed, and Wouter and Jos are ready to go. First, they take the train to Schiphol, then fly to China.
First day in Hong Kong
After a 24-hour journey, they arrive in Hong Kong late in the afternoon.
That same evening, we’re invited to dinner by one of our partners we’ve known for years. We ended up at a place in the basement of a large building, where they prepare fresh dishes with ingredients purchased that very day at the market. We immediately felt that our visit was truly appreciated, and it was great catching up.
Meetings after meetings in Hong Kong
The next day, we fly from one meeting to the next. Each conversation is more interesting than the last, and all possibilities are discussed. It’s a busy day, but fortunately, it’s broken up with a delicious lunch and finished off with a special dinner. Our sea freight and air freight partners are taking good care of us!
And again, we see that our visit is greatly appreciated. One of our partners proudly shows us a drawing of a windmill with the text: “doing business with Kuipers the Netherlands.” It was there 1.5 years ago too!
On to Shenzhen
The next day, we have two more meetings before heading to Shenzhen by car. Upon arrival, we have 10 minutes to relax with free coffee and banana-flavored pastries. Then we’re off again.
We discuss the current market situation and expectations, our new portal, and more. We also went into Shenzhen and checked out some highlights, including Asia’s largest Ferris wheel.
Shenzhen is impressive to see. It’s the fastest-growing city in the world, and in the 1970s, it was still rural. Now, it’s a metropolis where 20 million Chinese live and work. The city is ultra-modern and is even called the richest city in China. For example, you can order food in the park, which is delivered by drone, something we experienced firsthand.
Travel to Ho Chi Minh
Next, we had a flight from Shenzhen to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. We were picked up on time from the hotel by one of our partners, who offered to drive us to the airport. After a nearly three-hour flight and two hours of customs delays in Vietnam, we were picked up by our Vietnamese agent at the airport and taken to our hotel. In the evening, we were invited for dinner, including sightseeing on a boat.
The next day, we didn’t have any meetings but instead traveled with our partner to the Mekong Delta. We took a tour by boat through the reeds like real tourists. From coconuts to snakes, fish, and crocodiles, we saw it all that day.
Then it was back to work with a full day of meetings. Once again, we were warmly welcomed at every stop. The people are friendly and open, and everything is carefully prepared.
Reflecting on the trip:
The above is of course just a short summary of our trip, but all in all, we can look back on the journey positively. What’s most important to us is the strong relationship with our local partners, as they are our face in Asia. At Kuipers, we only do business with reliable parties, and you can only find these through personal contact and by experiencing how the partners monitor and control the processes firsthand. Additionally, the trip has given us valuable local insights, and we look forward to future growth in both volume and quality!
