图片 · Photo: Ilco Kemmere
约翰·科克
· John Kock
John Kock是Springtime公司的首席执行官， 这是一家设立在阿姆斯特丹的设计顾问公司， 专门从事综合性的产品设计与沟通。
John Kock is CEO of Springtime, an Amsterdam-based design consultancy firm specializing in an integrated approach to product design and communication
我们已经与中国（包括台湾）合作了15年，但 很少以一种主顾关系来工作。我们在中国的联 系对象主要是我们欧洲客户的供应商。2011 年底，我参与了由Dutch Design Desk(负责 组织荷兰设计公司参加活动的非盈利性政府组 织)组织的广州项目。然而，广交会上的对口 交流并没有产生任何业务，10天的行程，对整 个活动的印象，与人接触和与当地机构的会面 给了我动力和很多启发。在此基础上，我能够 针对中国市场制定出“作战计划”。当时，我 们并没有一个真正战略计划，只是去那里，看 看我们在哪些方面能取得最好的反响，哪些方 面是我们的优势。 为什么选择中国？那是因为，荷兰的商业发展 有些缓慢，未来的情况似乎也并不繁荣。而眼 下，中国的景象却与欧洲完全不同。在中国， 公司真的很有动力去做事情，而且政府支持当 地公司和欧洲设计之间的联系。许多公司正 在经历一个变化的过程，从委托代工(OEM)转 变为设计加工(ODM)再发展到建立自主品牌 (OBM)，我们的整合途经非常适合这一变化。 中国人在做事前会花很多时间去建立关系。我 常与一些潜在的客户在巴黎的餐厅会面，谈论 我最喜欢的电影。这与我用来争取欧洲客户的 方式不同，欧洲的客户一般更关注工作本身。 在中国，一旦良好的关系建立起来，客户就可 以很快地作出决定。此外，我觉得客户在项目 中的反馈是非常敏感和务实的。建立这些关系 需要花费很长的时间，有些几乎要一年，但是 我能感受到一种很强的信赖感。我们起初的一 些项目在完成之前，客户们就已经开始谈论接 下来的项目了。战略规划和了解工作进展在这 里似乎不太常见，然而，这些在荷兰设计中是 很普遍的认识，是非常注重的：发展产品概念 和故事能够帮助客户和消费者更好的了解和认 识产品。 任何一个新的经历都是好的，即使它不能直接 带来新的业务。与中国人做生意帮助我反思自 己在荷兰本土的业务。为什么我们现在要用我 们固有的做事方式来做事呢？那还是最好的方 式吗？通过翻译与对方进行沟通，无论是对字 面意思还是对话外音那种无法真正理解的感觉 有时的确会让自己感到很费力，但我不是那种 在遇到困难时就轻言放弃的人。设计如同游 戏，我们乐此不疲！
We have been working with China (and Taiwan) for 15 years but rarely in an agency-client relationship. Our Chinese contacts were mainly suppliers for our European clients. By the end of 2011, I participated in the Guangzhou mission organized by Dutch Design Desk. While the matchmaking event during the Canton Fair didn’t generate any business, the overall 10-day trip with all its impressions and meetings with people and local agencies provided me with lots of energy and insights, based on which I was able formulate my ‘battle plan’ for the Chinese market. We didn’t really have a strategy but just went out there to see what would resonate best and were confident in our expertise. Why China? Business was kind of slow in the Netherlands and forecasts didn’t seem to be prosperous. At the moment, the vibe in China is completely different vibe from that in Europe. In China, companies are really motivated to get things done and the government supports the connection between local companies and European design. Many companies are undergoing a process of change from OEM to ODM to OBM (original brand manufacturer), and our integrated approach fits into that perfectly. The Chinese can take a lot of time building a relationship before taking action. I’ve been meeting prospective Chinese clients in restaurants in Paris, talking about my favorite movies. This is not typically the kind of courtship I’m used to with my European clients, who generally have a more task-focused approach. But once the Guanxi is good, decisions can be made very fast. Also, I feel that the feedback during projects is very responsive and pragmatic. It’s taken a long time to build these relationships – some almost a year – but I feel a great sense of loyalty. Before finishing our first projects, clients are already talking about the next project. The concept of strategic planning and the understanding of work in progress seems less common, however, as is the idea of story-telling, which is strong in Dutch design: developing concepts and stories for products that will help both the client and consumer to better understand and appreciate the product. Any new experience is good, even if it doesn’t create new business directly. Doing business with China helps me to rethink my local business. Why are we doing things the way we do them? And is that still the best way? The feeling of being totally lost in translation, both literally and metaphorically, is of course something that can be exhausting at times, but I’m not the kind of person who quits when the going gets tough. Design is our game and we love to play!
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