Learning About Business - Taiwan Style

One of the most important components of the Group Study Exchange experience is the vocational visits. These visits are crucial to our experience..especially since the world is becoming such a globalized economy. We've had the wonderful opportunity to visit many different types of companies while in Taiwan and I know each one of us has taken new ideas from these visits and plan to incorporate those into our business lives at home.

We've visited most of the businesses together as a GSE team. However, Wednesday we were able to visit businesses separately. Each team member visited companies tailored to their career interest areas. In my case, that meant companies that have some sort of marketing, advertising or journalism component in their work.

My first vocational visit was to an innovative realty company called Gold House. Chung-Li Chung Yung Rotarian House is the General Manager of this successful company. I tried to keep my questions in line with the marketing and advertising component of the business and what I found was that they are implementing some great marketing ideas to beat out the tough competition in Chungli. For example, they have a sales staff that "hits the pavement" and seeks out clients on the street. They also have an impressive website that lists properties for sale and all of the pertinent information clients need.

My next visit was to Cheng Hsin Aluminum Company, or CHA for short. CHA is an innovative company that manufacturers alumninum windows and doors and is managed by Rotarian Win. His father started the company and they've built it into a successful operation that now boasts four separate brands. What I found most impressive is their online marketing strategy: CHA was the first aluminum window and door manufacturer in Taiwan to have a web presence and use search engine optimization and pay-per-click advertising to boost their sales.

My last visit for the day was to Bao-Shyang Jewelry store owned by Chung-Li Chung Yang Rotarian Diamond. It's a beautiful boutique shop in the heart of downtown Chungli that offers the finest jewelry around. Diamond said his business primarily comes from referrals..something I thought was very interesting! He obviously makes good relationships with his clients: many are repeat customers that have kept the store booming for nearly 20 years!

I can honestly say I learned a lot about business from all of the companies we visited on this trip. All of the Rotarians we've met are incredibly successful and it's easy to understand why after seeing how hard they work!