Office Fit Out

I once heard the CEO of MNC explain that you will never have as bad a relationship with your board of directors back home as you do when you construct something in China. It is easily the worst relationship I had with my superiors back in the states, and I was just fitting out our office space, 1/2 of which was largely complete when we leased it. I'm very easy going, but that experience is one I hope not to repeat.

It took centuries to get plans approved. Once plans were approved and construction began, things went down hill. Our construction team was constantly harassed by building management and by the city building department. We constructed and tore out and constructed and tore out.

I began to catch a lot of flack at the speed of progress from an otherwise exceptionally understanding group back home. We were leasing space at an exorbitant rate per square meter for office space we were unable to use.

Finally construction was complete and we were ready to call the building department and the fire department for the necessary approvals to obtain our occupancy permit. Both departments had approved the plans and specs and required changes to them prior to approval. The fire department walked in the front door and immediately instructed us to remove all the wood paneling in one half of the premises. I'm a bit confused seeing as how we didn't put up the wood paneling - ie, your office approved it when the prior tenant did fit out - AND you approved the plans and specs we sent you which clearly showed the wood paneling. Nope. Wood paneling had to come down and drywall had to go up.

By this point I was avoiding phone calls from the US hoping that the construction would be complete before I had to face another conversation. No such luck. I promised by boss that we'd have the occupancy permit early the following week (the conversation was on a Friday) because I was assured construction would be complete by the weekend. And it was.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I came in Monday morning waiting for the fire department to inspect the premises, the last step in the process. Then I receive the phone call from our architectural firm: the fire department in Shanghai is taking the week off. WHAT???? Yes, they are attending a function in town this week and will not be going to work. What happens if there is a fire? Silence.

How do you explain that to the people back at home who think you are completely incompetent already?