2 min read –
The 5-million $ contract miss –
Learn from my mistake –
So you can avoid it –
Back in the early 2010s, I was a young sales manager based in France.
I was tasked with exporting high-tech critical equipment to China.
It was an exhilarating role, selling multimillion-dollar machinery to industrial giants.
For over six months, I shuttled between France and China, building relationships and pitching our innovative designs against strong competitors.
I assembled what felt like a dream team: a sharp local agent in China, technical experts, and our company’s strong brand backing us up.
We bridged cultural gaps, removed language barriers, and delivered unmatched expertise.
One customer even called us a “killer team”, high praise that fueled our motivation.
After endless meetings and preparations, we entered the bidding phase.
Our proposal was rock-solid, worth several million USD, and we pushed through to the final contract award.
Against all odds, we won.
A massive Chinese industrial group chose our French-engineered solution over cheaper domestic competitors.
That evening, our team of six danced in the hotel lobby, exhausted but ecstatic.
The customer had sent written confirmation: we’d sign the documents in two days at their Beijing headquarters.
Jet lag had worn me down, sleepless nights and constant travel left me foggy.
My agent assured me the signing was a formality. “Go alone,” he said. “What could go wrong?”.
So, I headed there solo, beaming for what would be my personal record: a 5.2 million USD deal.
The meeting started smoothly, papers ready.
Then came the curveball: “We’ve recalculated,” the customer explained calmly. “We don’t need that optional tech feature. Without it, the machine runs at 80% load per our models, not your 90%. It’ll save us money, dropping the price to 5.1 million.”
I froze. Unprepared and alone, my mind raced.
We’d already maxed out discounts; reopening negotiations felt unacceptable.
In a panic, I called my boss back in France.
Out of context, he misunderstood it as a ploy to squeeze more concessions and urged me to refuse.
I did. The room turned ice-cold. The customer, furious, ended the meeting abruptly.
We lost the contract.
Months later, with clearer heads, we realized the blunder.
The technical choice was theirs; we should have adapted.
I regretted not signing on the spot.
To my younger colleagues in sales and export, at Western tech firms eyeing Asia, here’s some brotherly advice from someone who’s been there:
Keep your eye on the prize. Don’t let exhaustion cloud your judgment. Never attend critical meetings unprepared or solo; bring backup for perspective. The chain of command is valuable, but trust your instincts when it feels off.
We are CINTASIA, and we help you develop your sales and operations successfully in Indonesia.
PS: This is a true story, with minor details altered for confidentiality.
Picture: Gaston Lagaffe by André Franquin, Franco-Belgian cartoonist