Business communication experiences in the US, Mexico, and China

Outsourcing can provide companies with a competitive advantage in cost. Finding the right company to outsource operations can be a challenge. Part of this challenge is communicating with prospective suppliers. Requests for quotations were sent to injection molders in the U.S., Mexico, and China. U.S. suppliers were found to be more responsive to e-mail and requested more information regarding the quoted component. Chinese manufactures were more willing to provide quotes and did so in a timely manner. Mexican manufacturers were the least responsive and required the longest lead time to provide a quote. The implications of supplier communication are discussed.