I am told I don’t write enough good things about China. That’s not entirely true: despite my criticisms I have a very positive outlook for this country! Nonetheless I will praise China Mobile for their efficient use of text messaging for customer services. Afterall SMS popularity is not new in China.
Through SMS you can change plan, redeem your bonus points for gifts, apply or cancel mobile value added services (e.g. mobile news, caller id etc…) – even find out where a friend is. This is by far more advanced than most other mobile systems I have used, or at least they have been doing this for years even if others are just beginning.
China is now the biggest mobile market in the world and growing. For many it’s their only connection to the Internet, or indeed the world. For some, it’s also a handy payment platform.
Now that the telecom industry has been shaken up, and 3G becomes more prevalent (although China Mobile will use its homegrown standard), the service offerings are set to grow.
If only they can re-record the English prompt announcements on the topup hotline!
General |
Posted by Terence
Mar
11
2009
It’s amazing how many ‘half baked’ products you come across in China. I often wonder whether this just comes down to bad communication, downright stupidity, over-inflated ego’s, or the determination to be pretentious and give out a good impression – but fail to deliver. Or perhaps it’s all of the above.
Case in point: note the following series of screenshots (apologies for the bad quality). This series exemplifies the three-step payment process at the automated machines available in most China Mobile outlets in China. Through these machines you can pay your bill using bank card, without need to queue.
Tap “payment” to proceed with the payment.
Never mind the announcement that the ‘receipt printer works’ (though it’s nice to know) – note the “Credit Card” option. Tap here to select credit card payment method.
- and of course, finally an announcement that this feature is not yet supported. Which begs the question “why the hell is there a choice in the first place?”.
This example is not unique : many online payment gateways will “accept” credit card, only to disappoint later with a notice that the feature is not yet implemented. Similarly, we recently came across an option for “online submission” on our local tax receipt reporting form (地税发票审报) that we must regularly update with the government. Upon submitting the form (in person) we are told that there is no online submission yet.
If you take the express train to Tianjin and purchase your ticket at the aptly named TVM (Ticket Vending Machine), you are again given an option to pay with card (incl. bank card) – but none of those are currently supported.
When will China learn the importance of easy user interface and user experience vs. creating a false image of offerings it cannot fulfill? I suspect a lot of hairs can be saved if developers and system designers can finally come out of their bubbles and realise the time and frustration that can be prevented if something were designed properly.
As was announced throughout much of the international and local media yesterday, Wu Bangguo (吴邦国), chairman of the Standing Committee of the NPC, reiterated China’s position that it has no intention of becoming a multiparty democracy with separation of powers.
As quoted in the China Daily, Mr. Wu was reported to comment: “We will not have multi-party rule, or the separation of legislative, executive, or legal powers”. He called on deputies to maintain the “correct political orientation”. In other words: continue to do what they say. I suppose such an announcement is not entirely surprising: China has hardly made much progress in this regard anyways.
The SCMP takes a harsher view. It claims that “China will not have an independant judiciary. Elections will still have mostly government-approved candidates on the ballot”.
The statements are likely a renewed response to continued calls from the west for more political reform in China. To be fair, such a hard line answer should shut up critics who clung onto hope; and on the other hand western criticism (or even understanding) of China is often harsh and misrepresented. What surprises me about Wu’s comment was it’s brashness: to say now that China will never become something else politically would be as bold a statement as to attempt weather prediction for half a century later. Between now and then, anything can happen.
I do believe that China is opening up and will achieve it’s ultimate goal of a fair and just system with some semblance of a western style democracy. For that matter I think Wu Bangguo is wrong: China will some day have an independant judiciary and acceptable separation of powers. The question is when.
Meanwhile the west needs to understand that change will be gradual, that achievement takes time. People’s thoughts in China are not fully aligned and that’s not to say the west have it right. Afterall the China Daily does note that deputies to the NPC are broadly representative unlike western parliaments which can often also be one sided. China cannot be considered a dictatorship now by any definition of the word. Although the top job is not by mandate of the people, there is neither a personality cult nor absolute power to do whatever is wanted – no doubt to the disappointment of many in the West who still want to believe (and complain) that China is an evil empire run by a madman.
Although the merits of a Chinese vs. Western style democracy is certainly worthy of its own debate, I nonetheless still find Wu’s comments as somewhat drastic, if not childish.
Mannings has made a late foray into Beijing with the opening of four stores – here pictured is one in Beijing South Railway Station, the newly refurbished station that currently serves the high-speed express trains to Tianjin (天津).
Although a late entry to the China Market (Li Ka Shing-owned Watsons has been here for years), it is promising to see some healthy competition as well as yet another sign of Beijing’s growing importance as an international city.
They even sell Vitasoy and Vita Lemon Tea – some of the Hong Kong products I miss.
China |
Posted by Terence
Mar
01
2009
I was in Tianjin the other day, having to meet someone coming from Qingdao. I traveled there from Beijing, on the new CRH2C express trains, which arrives at Tianjin Station (天津站). I then ask someone –
me: Is this the only station in Tianjin?
other guy: Yes
me: So where do the trains from Qingdao arrive?
other guy: Oh, that would be Tianjin West Station (天津西站)
me: Ah. So where is this?
other guy: This station is in East Tianjin.
… and there you have it, a typical conversation in China. Asking for directions here is useless, asking for information equally futile. Sometimes you just learn not to bother, and figure things out for yourself.
