Describe the outcome, not just the errand
A request such as 'please check this for me' can mean a phone call, document pickup, site visit or purchase. Explain the real decision or result you need. For example, do you need confirmation that an address exists, photographs of an accessible item, contact with a business, or a parcel delivered to a nominated receiver? State the location, deadline and why the task matters, so feasibility can be reviewed.
Break the request into actions that can be authorized separately. Include names in Chinese when available, full addresses, contact details, reference numbers and opening hours you have been given. If a task depends on permission from a property owner, business or other person, identify who will obtain it.
- Write a one-sentence definition of a completed task.
- List the locations and people involved in the required order.
- Mark any deadline that cannot move and explain its source.
Set boundaries and decision points
State what a local assistant may do, what requires your approval and what is excluded. A simple task may become more complex if a contact is unavailable, an address is wrong, a parcel is damaged or a seller proposes an alternative. Agree whether work should pause, retry or escalate in each case. Name one person who can authorize changes and specify how that person can be reached during the task window.
Some requests involve regulated, restricted, private or sensitive matters. Describe these early so the provider can assess whether assistance is appropriate and what specialist or official channels may be needed. Do not assume local assistance includes legal representation, government approval, banking activity, medical decisions or unrestricted access to private premises.
- Set an approval limit for any incidental expense after receiving a quote.
- Identify items or information that must not be handled or shared.
- Agree what happens if the original instructions cannot be followed.
Specify useful evidence and privacy needs
Decide what would let you judge whether the task was completed: a dated photo, a receipt, a contact summary, a tracking reference or a written account of what happened. Ask for evidence proportionate to the job. A photograph may show an item or location at one moment; it may not establish ownership, authenticity or ongoing condition. A call summary records what someone said, not independent proof that it is true.
If personal information, documents or photographs of people are involved, share only what is necessary and agree how the information may be used and returned. Consider whether the task can be completed with less sensitive data. Ask about permission before filming or photographing at a third-party site.
- Define the report format and when updates are needed.
- Ask that observed facts be separated from third-party statements.
- Explain any privacy or confidentiality requirement before sharing files.
Request a feasibility review and written scope
Send a concise brief with the objective, steps, location, contacts, deadline, permissions, evidence and approval rules. Ask for a proposed scope, timing, dependencies and quote before work begins. If several people or locations are involved, identify which step is essential and which could be optional. This allows a realistic plan and avoids assuming that every task can be accepted or completed as first imagined.
China Local Errand may fit a defined pickup, visit or coordination request; Custom China Task may fit work requiring a tailored sequence. The right service depends on the actual brief and available access. Keep the final instructions and results together, then review any open issue before asking for further work. An agreed process can make a task clearer, but it cannot guarantee third-party cooperation or a particular outcome.
- Share complete addresses and a local contact where possible.
- Agree on milestones at which your approval is required.
- Confirm what evidence and summary you will receive.