Henrik Pontoppidan, Director of S2U Design, talks about when culture trumps excellence.
Wrapping up a demanding development process – after visiting over 15 factories for a particularly tricky furniture project for the UK market – I’m once again reminded how deep-rooted cultural deeply ingrained cultural rules can shape even the best-planned collaborations. These dynamics influence everything, even when your partner is capable and eager to supply the UK.
It’s not just about goodwill or machinery. It’s about mindset.
Not All Hierarchies Are Created Equal
Most UK buyers know Vietnamese factories are hierarchical. But the real challenge is how authority plays out on the floor.
Respect for age and seniority often overrides logic or efficiency. The most experienced voice – regardless of title – is followed. That creates blind spots when methods need adjusting.
But this can be worked around – with the right support.
It takes local insight, trust, and the ability to speak clearly and tactfully. When I act on a buyer’s behalf, the dynamic shifts. An older technician isn’t being corrected by a junior – he’s responding to “what the customer wants.” That preserves harmony and gets results. No face is lost!
The Myth of the All-Knowing Manager – an Example
You’ve asked for a UK-style cabinet range. The factory shows photos of exactly the style you need, and the factory manager boasts 25 years of experience. But unknown to you, this is mostly from making KD furniture for the US.
He’s got a dovetailing machine – but it’s gathering dust, used only when someone insists (and pays extra). They see dovetailing as a premium add-on, not realising it can be faster and cheaper than their current methods – if used properly and consistently.
Will anyone challenge that view? Not likely.
That’s where S2U Design steps in. I know how it should be done – and make sure it is. Or I conclude it’s the wrong factory for this project and move on.
The Invisible Line of Responsibility
UK retailers often say, “If we have to control every technical detail, we’ll never get anything done. We’re not engineers – we’re retailers!”
Absolutely right.
But if no one bridges the gap between drawing and production, factories fall back on habit. And habit rarely delivers excellence.
The solution isn’t becoming a production expert. It’s bringing in someone who is. Someone who ensures the factory builds to plan – not assumption.
With S2U, you stay focused on strategy. I handle the messy middle between brief and build.
Lost in Translation – Even When Everyone’s Speaking English
You’ll often hear, with full conviction, that something simple can’t be done – or that it’s already “fine.”
And inside the factory’s logic, it is – because the production manager said so.
That’s not incompetence. It’s cultural habit. The trick is knowing when assumptions are the real obstacle, and how to work within the system to fix it.
From the outside, that’s hard. From the inside, usually easy.
The Real Cost of Educating Your Supplier
Can factories learn new methods? Absolutely. But should you fund that learning curve with your time, money, and risk? Probably not.
The smarter move is to work with someone who already knows the way – and can guide the supplier, or tell you early if they’re not up to the job. Even the best Vietnamese agent is still shaped by local culture.
At S2U, we design for looks and feasibility. We make sure the product you planned is the one that gets delivered – costed right, built to repeat, and ready to sell.
The Quirks That Make It Work – or Not
Vietnamese culture is warm, loyal, and harmonious. These are strengths. But in factories, they can also create inertia. Nobody wants to contradict a respected elder – even if there’s a better way.
With S2U involved, change isn’t seen as internal conflict – it’s a customer request, supported by S2U to help the factory deliver successfully. “This is what the UK buyer wants” becomes the polite, face-saving reason to improve.
That’s how you get progress – without drama.
The Takeaway for UK Buyers
If you’re sourcing in Vietnam and aiming for precision – not just “good enough” – you’re right to feel it’s out of your hands.
On your own, it probably is.
But with S2U Design on board, you gain the missing link. You don’t need to explain joinery methods or debate with someone’s uncle in production.
That’s my job.
Because in this part of the world, getting it 80% right is easy.
Getting it exactly right – on quality, cost, and schedule – is what we do.
Check out www.s2udesign.com to learn how our services – some starting at just $200 – can add thousands to your bottom line.
Or drop me a line at henrik@s2udesign.com.
