"Everyone knows that something can't be done until there is one who doesn't know it can't be done, and he does it."

Albert Einstein

The funny thing is that I found the above quote only after the fact, and I was surprised myself that my case fits into it in the literal sense.

I decided to share this story because it is an example of how sometimes a different, independent view of a problem or challenge brings surprising solutions. It is just someone who is not directly related to the topic may notice a solution that all experts have not seen.

It was like that with me. I have worked for a company that imports thousands of products. I have dealt with several large and key groups myself, and although I had a good understanding of what my colleagues were working on, I was not directly involved in their activities. Everyone had their suppliers, their relationships and their own order of operation.

It was a time of intensive work on the implementation of new products, especially since the autumn edition of the Hong Kong fair was already over and we were working on the offer for the next year. It was also the beginning of the era of mobile internet and devices that were supposed to provide this mobility. A colleague, who dealt with these devices, completed his cycle, prepared and "got everything" to go on a well-deserved November vacation. Vacation postponed from the holiday season ... Nothing was supposed to happen, everything was arranged and prepared.

Yes it was. Until the end of November, a large customer came forward who had an urgent need for several thousand specific devices. He, the customer, had everything in order too, but apparently he didn't have his supplier.

It is the end of November, and the devices are needed before Christmas, because a promotional campaign is coming out and the goods are to be in stores ... And the man responsible for the product and the only one who has it covered in this topic is resting on vacation ...

3 weeks, such a deadline. 3 weeks to prepare the product from scratch: packaging, software, production, inspection, packaging, shipping, delivery to the customer.

3 weeks for something that typically takes much longer - just preparing the materials in the factory and planning the production schedule was about 5 weeks. And where else is customization to meet customer requirements, and the associated work of graphic designers and programmers, which must be done before the physical production of the devices?

3 weeks, such a deadline - no chance, you can't!

It fell on me, because my friend is on vacation ... And I, apart from knowing what product to prepare, I have no idea about it. But I have contacts from the fair!

So you had to first find a manufacturer who has everything you need to produce several thousand devices with a specific appearance and specification, because exactly such a product is to appear in the promotional campaign for Christmas ... A manufacturer who is able to to complete such a crazy order - no chance, you can't!

Let me skip further details of the preparations and the production itself. I will only say one thing: it happened ...

A colleague, while still on vacation, received the message that he had already booked a flight to China. I landed there in the first days of December, and we flew home together on December 21, shortly after shipping the first batch of manufactured and ready-to-sell devices.

But it's not over yet! The fact that we were able to do "mission impossible" resulted in the continuation of orders for the same devices, and in January I landed again in China. On February 7, just before the Chinese New Year, I left the now deserted factory with another batch of manufactured and ready for sale devices.

So before you say categorically that something cannot be done, think carefully and check all the options available. And if you are already doubled and tripled in your eyes, let someone else look at the issue, not related in any way (physically or emotionally) to the topic. He doesn't know that it is impossible ...

Usually it is possible.

Usually, those who never give up, never give up, think outside the box and look for solutions!

If you want someone else to look at your import problem - contact us. We will certainly do it together!