1. Current situation
COVID-19 has been spreading for almost three years now, starting in 2020. The Chinese government has been adopting a strict prevention policy of dynamic clearance. Areas will be locked down when there is an outbreak, and all movements of people, vehicles and goods are subject to the prevention policy. For factories, once they encounter an epidemic blockade, then the impact on orders is very great. For importers, the delay of goods, quality control can not be carried out on time, is also a very headache.
2. The challenge
Although the Chinese government’s epidemic prevention policy is quite strict and has minimized the spread of the virus, since this is now a globalized society, once the epidemic prevention in other countries is relaxed, it still affects China domestically, so although there is no more large-scale national outbreak in China, regional outbreaks have been difficult to eradicate. Factories in the quarantine zone do not have workers to fulfill orders, and even if orders are completed, it is difficult to deliver goods to the port because once a driver enters the quarantine zone, he must face 14 days of quarantine, and only after the quarantine is over does the nucleic acid test have to be negative before he can resume a normal life. In the case of this year’s Shanghai epidemic, the entire city was in lockdown for three months, a heavy blow to China’s manufacturing industry. And, not only importers who import from China are affected, but also manufacturers in East Asia and elsewhere who need to import raw materials from China.
3. Why quality control matters
Quality control is even more important when the factory resumes production after block, The factory will certainly step up production, and the quality of the goods may not meet consumer expectations under time constraints.
Due to travel restrictions, some buyers may overlook the quality control part because the delivery date is already much delayed and there is an urgent need to receive the goods in the shortest possible time. But product quality is still critical for suppliers. So are there any viable quality assurance methods to be used?
4. Remote inspection
Thanks to modern technology, it is possible to make remote connections for quality inspection a reality. Before the inspection, there is some preparation work to be done. The inspector will make a detailed checklist including all the items to be inspected and some special requirements, then connect with the factory for the inspection time and check all the details of the goods via video.
5. Conclusion
COVID-19 does not appear to be being eliminated anytime soon, and factory lockdowns will still happen occasionally. The faster importers adapt to this new trend, the better prepared they will be for unexpected situations. Making contingency plans for quality inspections will ensure the competitiveness of their products in the marketplace.
