We may find that a significant percentage of our website audience is generated from overseas. How should we address this issue?
At a local business meeting I attended an export consultant was taking questions from his attentive audience:
'My company sells electronic components - and we recently had an enquiry from France. We were wondering whether we should translate our website into French to win more business.'
The consultant enquired, 'Does anyone speak French in your organisation?'
'Well Doris, who's in two days a week, has got a French GCSE I think,' came the reply.
The business adviser drew a long breath and pointed out that people using websites expect instant replies. If a French visitor saw a website in their own language they would expect any enquiry they made to be answered in their own language.
subtleties
Doing business with a foreign country not only entails knowing the ins and outs of exporting goods, but the subtleties of cultural differences too.
I have been fortunate in my business career in communicating with nationals in over 40 countries. On my travels I have found that my hosts have been both generous to me as a foreigner but also, on occasion, a little devious!
I have found that my hosts have been both generous to me as a foreigner but also, on occasion, a little devious!
Knowing how to do business in a country is undoubtedly helpful in making sure that you are on a level playing field.
cultural differences
Cultural communication guru John Mole addressed a conference I attended and spoke about the importance of understanding cultural differences. It wasn't long before the multi-national audience recognised the national traits that he outlined - and responded with laughter when their own weaknesses were pointed out.
For example, the French have already decided the outcome of a business meeting with each other before they sit around the table and ratify the decision. Then the German belief that humour in business is unprofessional (while in a social environment humour is just as acceptable).
There are the Italians who prefer to talk about a problem and are quite likely to ignore other forms of communication such as a fax or email.
As for the British, other Europeans consider us indecisive and flippant in the way we do business. In our defence we would say that we need to carefully assess problems before proceeding, and are keen to smooth the path with humour.
Victorian approach is unhelpful!
For the Brit abroad the advice is to try and learn the cultural differences and respect them. The Victorian colonial approach of speaking a bit louder in English is unhelpful!
If you make an effort to fit in then your hosts they will often over-compensate for your efforts. I was once entertained to a business lunch by some managers of a vast quarry in Northern France. They had booked a table at a local inn and my visit was a good excuse for socialising.
The quarry director boomed, 'We have spoken to you in English all morning, now it's your turn to speak French!' So I did. I told them about a recent family holiday in Normandy and how much we had enjoyed the local food and hospitality - the cheese, the cider and so on.
When I came to leave after a gargantuan and most beautifully prepared meal they gave me an impromptu present - two bottles of the local cider. Generosity followed generosity, once I had made the effort!
If you want to read more about cultural differences check out John Mole's website at www.johnmole.com and read his book 'Mind Your Manners, managing business cultures in Europe' which was a Financial Times business book of the year.