How to check an agent's factory visit claim
Ask for original visit files, dated notes, the production address and named attendees. Check what the visitor actually saw, then contact the factory through independently checked details to confirm the account. Photographs alone cannot establish the whole claim. Apply these checks to Cambridge China Bridge.
Ask for the visit record behind the report
Request original photographs and video files as captured, alongside notes made during or immediately after the visit. Ask for the visit date, purpose and the name of whoever created each record. A presentation assembled afterwards may summarise the visit, but ask for the underlying material that connects its conclusions to observations.
Compare file dates, visible surroundings and the sequence of images with the written account. Metadata can be altered or lost when files are shared, so treat it as supporting evidence. Travel receipts support a journey, but do not establish entry to the proposed factory. Where photography was restricted, ask what alternative records were made.
Identify the site and the people who attended
Ask for the factory's Chinese business name, full production address and the building or workshop visited. Match these with entrance signs, site photographs and the proposed order documents. Ask the agent to explain any different names or addresses. Establish whether the visit reached the intended production site, a showroom or another plant in the group.
Record each visitor's name, role and employer, plus the factory host's name and role. Ask explicitly whether the visitor was the agent's employee, an independent inspector or a supplier representative. An outsourced visit can be useful, but does not substantiate a claim that the agent's own staff attended. The agent comparison guide covers the wider staffing questions.
Separate attendance from the work carried out
Request an account separating what was observed, what the factory said and what remains unchecked. Ask which production areas were entered, whether relevant machinery was operating, which documents were examined and whether any measurements or tests were witnessed. Identify inaccessible areas, idle processes and subcontracted work that the visitor did not see.
Connect each conclusion to a photograph, note or identified document. A sales meeting establishes a different scope from following your product's manufacturing process. Use the factory audit checklist to decide what the visit should cover, and the audit and inspection report comparison to distinguish capability checks from checks on an order.
Confirm the account directly with the factory
Find the factory's contact details independently, then check that the channel belongs to the business operating the proposed site. Avoid relying solely on a telephone number supplied in the agent's report. Ask the factory to connect you with the named host, and request a written response you can retain.
Ask: Did the named visitor attend on the stated date? Which site did they enter? Who hosted them? Which areas and activities did they see? Was the visit connected with your proposed product? Ask the factory to correct your summary. Its confirmation supports the record, but does not independently validate the agent's judgement about capability.
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Resolve gaps before relying on the claim
Keep the agent's account, original records and factory response together. Mark the visit as supported, partly supported or unverified, with reasons. Missing photographs alone do not prove dishonesty. Unexplained address changes, conflicting attendee names or a host who denies the visit need clarification before you rely on the report to approve a supplier.
Ask for a targeted follow-up visit where the missing evidence affects your decision. Agree the visitor, site, questions and records beforehand. A live walkthrough can help resolve a current uncertainty, but cannot prove an earlier visit occurred. Even a substantiated visit does not establish that your future goods will match the agreed specification.
Frequently asked questions
Do factory photos prove my agent visited?
Photos alone do not identify who took them or establish the visit's scope. Request original files, named attendees and dated notes, then confirm the account directly with the factory.
How do I check whether the visitor works for the agent?
Ask for the visitor's name, role and employer in writing. Have the agent clarify whether they are an employee or an external inspector, and ask the factory who attended.
What should I ask the factory to confirm?
Ask it to confirm the visitor, date, exact site, host, areas entered and activities observed. Request corrections to your written summary and retain the response.
What if the agent cannot provide original visit records?
Ask why and seek alternative records, such as contemporaneous notes and confirmation from the factory host. Keep unresolved points marked unverified and arrange a follow-up check if they affect supplier approval.