HOW TO WORK WITH INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS AND SUPPLIERS

Are you planning to expand your business to another country? But before going international consider the following fact: your usual American approach to professional interactions with overseas customers and suppliers may estrange important clients. The main tip would be – take account of the potential differences in how you do business and view the world.

Here are some helpful tips for strengthening and forging international partnerships:

1. Research the culture

Information about culture and economics in your target partner’s country can be helpful to strengthen and cultivate work relationships. Study up on cultural norms, names of top leaders, large-scale political events or your direct competitors.

2. Understand gender roles.

 Understand that perceptions of women at work vary widely all over the world. Whether you’re male or female, before going global, decide whether you are ready to collaborate with a client whose organizational culture and personal values may differ in great measure from yours. Sometimes female entrepreneurs may have to make adjustments to their standard practices, such as sending a male colleague to meet with a customer.

3. Speak to someone with experience.

 Someone in your professional network may be an export in international business — and perhaps has even done business in your target customer’s country. Ask for some advice and to share his/her experience with you. If you don’t know anybody, contact your local chamber of commerce or industry trade group. You will be referred to someone who can give you insight into that overseas market.

4. Find a local contact. 

American expats are found practically in every country of the world, and many of them are entrepreneurs. It is a good idea finding one who can give you a bi- cultural perspective on the target country. You should also consider hiring workers who are from that country. This will give you specialized insight and knowledge to make sure that things go as planned.

5. Check the time.

 It sounds obvious, but it is easy to forget: Not everyone lives and works in the same time zone. If you are in Los Angeles at 5 p.m. and call your client in Mumbai, they probably will not be happy that your call woke them up at 2:30 a.m.

6. Know the holidays.

Calling overseas customers on one of their country’s national holidays could be regarded as offensive. It could also be a disaster for your business if you fail to plan important deadlines around when they’re out of the office. For example, if you work with a Chinese manufacturer, you should know that during Chinese New Year (late January or early February), nearly all manufacturing and shipping shuts down for at least one week and often longer.

7. Use Skype

International calling can be expensive that is why many businesses prefer to use Skype or a similar service for communications. If you don’t already have an account, get one and learn how to use it before contacting foreign clients.