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The rapid rise of personal services
By Xu Wenwen |
December 9, 2010, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA'S swift economic development has spawned a lucrative industry offering customers all types of private services. From personal trainers to family doctors, Xu Wenwen looks at the tailor-made treatments being consumed by those who can afford them.
Private" was a word distant from Chinese people tens of years ago when they lived on coupon-based rationing, yet now the term symbolizes "noble" and "dignity."
Sofia Liu, whose husband owns a company in Hangzhou, has a weekend schedule involving many "private" services - a workout with her personal fitness trainer, shopping with her private image consultant and a visit to her private beauty advisor for a facial.
"I like private services, which are tailor-made and very effective," said Liu. "Although they are expensive, but worthwhile."
Liu cited an example. In the past she attended a yoga class for six months hoping to lose weight, yet it was without success. But a fitness plan tailor-made for her by her personal trainer led to her shedding weight in only two months. Her personal trainer also identified a cervical vertebra injury and helped Liu recover using conditioning exercises.
People such as Liu who prefer private services are known as xiaosi, (si means private), and the term is derived from xiaozi, which originates from the Marxist term petty bourgeoisie, but means yuppie or hipster in today's China.
While xiaozi pursue a leisure lifestyle, xiaosi emphasize individuality, privacy and the help of professionals.
Owing to China's rapid economic development, professions such as lawyers and doctors have distributed branch services such as private counsel and family doctors.
Meanwhile, a number of industries that focus only on private services have emerged in the country, such as housekeepers, private image consultants and personal assistants.
"Since popular commodities and services cannot meet the diversified demand, individualized ones satisfy the market," evaluated Zhang Lei, a sociology professor at Zhejiang University of Technology.
"Those professionals working in a private service career are also expanding the market, which provides new services people have never had before. It is a business born from human concerns," Zhang added.
Zhao Wen is a 27-year-old woman who has benefited from such business lately.
Zhao, an engineer who earns considerable income, has never had a boyfriend. She has tried blind dating several times, but none of the men she met wanted to enter a relationship with her, "because they say I am somewhat masculine," she said.
Three months ago, depressed Zhao turned to Xun Image Management, a Hangzhou professional image consulting agency, and bought a private image design service. Her image consultant identified Zhao's problem: she had an outdated hairstyle, wore no makeup and only wore simple T-shirts, jackets and jeans.
The consultant added waves to Zhao's straight long hair, taught her how to apply makeup, identified the clothing color appropriate to her skin tone, suggested she wear more skirts rather than jeans, recommended clothes with laces and accessories and went shopping with her.
"I was transformed from a Tomboy to a fair lady, and the individualized service offered me professional guidance," said Zhao. "Before that, I didn't know how to match clothing; I would just grab any clothes I could find to wear in the morning."
"High-end customers prefer a private consultant service and they have the ability to buy," said Yu Xun, general manager of Xun Image Management. "One-to-one service is highly efficient for busy people, and professional recommendations are needed by them."
Nevertheless, xiaosi remain a fresh concept in China. Many middle-class people use one kind of private service, but the number of people who use several private services, such as Sofia Liu, are few.
Although private industries related to basic necessities such as beauty advisors and tailors are familiar to most people, demanding professions such as chamber counsels and family doctors remain far from common folk.
"Very few people hire chamber counsels or private lawyers in China," said Chen Youxi, director of Capital Equity Legal Group in Hangzhou and vice chairman of Hangzhou Lawyer Association.
"People seek help from lawyers more when they need 'an operation' rather than when they need a 'preventive injection'."
According to Chen, hiring a private counsel costs 10,000 yuan (US$1,500) to 30,000 yuan annually, not a huge amount, so why do so few people do so?
"Because Chinese lawyers do not have enough rights," explained Chen. "So when Chinese people get into trouble, the first thought that comes to their mind is not looking for a lawyer, but looking for some guanxi (relationship)."
"The situation may only get better when Chinese laws turn from the rule of men to the rule of law," Chen added.
Comparatively, family doctors look likely to have a better future. Although only an elite few in the nation hire family doctors, earlier this year, the Chinese government released a plan to train 60,000 family physicians nationwide in three years.
Private" was a word distant from Chinese people tens of years ago when they lived on coupon-based rationing, yet now the term symbolizes "noble" and "dignity."
Sofia Liu, whose husband owns a company in Hangzhou, has a weekend schedule involving many "private" services - a workout with her personal fitness trainer, shopping with her private image consultant and a visit to her private beauty advisor for a facial.
"I like private services, which are tailor-made and very effective," said Liu. "Although they are expensive, but worthwhile."
Liu cited an example. In the past she attended a yoga class for six months hoping to lose weight, yet it was without success. But a fitness plan tailor-made for her by her personal trainer led to her shedding weight in only two months. Her personal trainer also identified a cervical vertebra injury and helped Liu recover using conditioning exercises.
People such as Liu who prefer private services are known as xiaosi, (si means private), and the term is derived from xiaozi, which originates from the Marxist term petty bourgeoisie, but means yuppie or hipster in today's China.
While xiaozi pursue a leisure lifestyle, xiaosi emphasize individuality, privacy and the help of professionals.
Owing to China's rapid economic development, professions such as lawyers and doctors have distributed branch services such as private counsel and family doctors.
Meanwhile, a number of industries that focus only on private services have emerged in the country, such as housekeepers, private image consultants and personal assistants.
"Since popular commodities and services cannot meet the diversified demand, individualized ones satisfy the market," evaluated Zhang Lei, a sociology professor at Zhejiang University of Technology.
"Those professionals working in a private service career are also expanding the market, which provides new services people have never had before. It is a business born from human concerns," Zhang added.
Zhao Wen is a 27-year-old woman who has benefited from such business lately.
Zhao, an engineer who earns considerable income, has never had a boyfriend. She has tried blind dating several times, but none of the men she met wanted to enter a relationship with her, "because they say I am somewhat masculine," she said.
Three months ago, depressed Zhao turned to Xun Image Management, a Hangzhou professional image consulting agency, and bought a private image design service. Her image consultant identified Zhao's problem: she had an outdated hairstyle, wore no makeup and only wore simple T-shirts, jackets and jeans.
The consultant added waves to Zhao's straight long hair, taught her how to apply makeup, identified the clothing color appropriate to her skin tone, suggested she wear more skirts rather than jeans, recommended clothes with laces and accessories and went shopping with her.
"I was transformed from a Tomboy to a fair lady, and the individualized service offered me professional guidance," said Zhao. "Before that, I didn't know how to match clothing; I would just grab any clothes I could find to wear in the morning."
"High-end customers prefer a private consultant service and they have the ability to buy," said Yu Xun, general manager of Xun Image Management. "One-to-one service is highly efficient for busy people, and professional recommendations are needed by them."
Nevertheless, xiaosi remain a fresh concept in China. Many middle-class people use one kind of private service, but the number of people who use several private services, such as Sofia Liu, are few.
Although private industries related to basic necessities such as beauty advisors and tailors are familiar to most people, demanding professions such as chamber counsels and family doctors remain far from common folk.
"Very few people hire chamber counsels or private lawyers in China," said Chen Youxi, director of Capital Equity Legal Group in Hangzhou and vice chairman of Hangzhou Lawyer Association.
"People seek help from lawyers more when they need 'an operation' rather than when they need a 'preventive injection'."
According to Chen, hiring a private counsel costs 10,000 yuan (US$1,500) to 30,000 yuan annually, not a huge amount, so why do so few people do so?
"Because Chinese lawyers do not have enough rights," explained Chen. "So when Chinese people get into trouble, the first thought that comes to their mind is not looking for a lawyer, but looking for some guanxi (relationship)."
"The situation may only get better when Chinese laws turn from the rule of men to the rule of law," Chen added.
Comparatively, family doctors look likely to have a better future. Although only an elite few in the nation hire family doctors, earlier this year, the Chinese government released a plan to train 60,000 family physicians nationwide in three years.
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