I’m writing this post from a small hotel room in Weifang. It’s 11:00 PM. My boots are covered in mud, and I’m exhausted.
But I’m also relieved. Because today, I saved a client from a $30,000 disaster.
The "Perfect" Photos
Three days ago, the factory sales rep sent me photos of the finished order. The goods looked beautiful. The packaging was crisp. The dimensions seemed correct. The sales rep messaged me: "Goods are ready. Please arrange the balance payment so we can ship."
Most sourcing agents would have forwarded those photos to the client, said "Looks good," and authorized the shipment.
I didn't. I bought a train ticket instead.
The Reality on the Ground
I arrived at the factory this morning. It was raining, and the warehouse was humid.
I didn't look at the boxes they had prepared for me on the conference table. I walked straight to the pallet in the back corner of the warehouse—the ones wrapped in plastic, ready to go.
I cut open a random box.
At first glance, the parts looked fine. But when I ran my finger inside the inner cavity of the machined part, I felt it. Grit. Metal shavings. Oil residue.
They hadn't cleaned the parts properly before plating.
The Argument
I told the factory manager: "We cannot ship this. The plating will peel off in six months because of the oil underneath."
He was furious. He shouted, "You are too picky! No one looks inside the tube! The client needs these next week!"
It was a tense moment. He has 5,000 units packed and ready. Repacking them and re-cleaning them will cost him three days of labor. He hates me right now. He thinks I'm being unreasonable.
But I told him: "If we ship these, my client will return them all. Then you lose everything. I am saving you from a claim, not just annoying you."
Why I Do This
I could have stayed home today. I could have looked at the nice photos on WeChat and said "Okay." It would have been easier.
But that’s not what you pay me 3%-8% for.
You don't pay me to be friends with the factory. You pay me to be the "bad guy" so you don't have to be.
Tomorrow, I’m going back to the production line. I’m going to stand there and watch them re-clean and re-pack every single unit. I won't leave until it's right.
If you want a "Yes Man," hire someone else. If you want someone who isn't afraid to get their shoes muddy to protect your money, let's talk.