As I was mulling over what I should blog about today, I stumbled on Mashable's article on "6 Ways to Manage International Relationships Online". Since I am currently in Munich, Germany on business and have lived and worked in EMEA and Asia for many years, I thought it would be fitting to build on Mashable's list and add some of my first-hand perspective. Here are some further tips:
- Public Holidays - While it's important to understand time zones as the Mashable article so rightly points out, it's equally important to know the countries public holidays, as no one likes to be called when they are on vacation. This is particularly important when doing business in Europe as there are several months that have many public holidays, such as January, May and November in Germany. A few good online tools that help you ascertain world-wide public holidays are sites such as Bank Holidays, Earth Calendar and World Calendar. All sites are very self explanatory and by simply inserting the country you are doing business with, you can pull up the holidays of that month.
- Translations - While Mashable lists some great online tools for quick translations, it's very important to understand that one can not translate documents 1:1. Languages can not be directly translated and need to take into account cultural nuances, otherwise they sound like gibberish. That said, my recommendation is to make the investment and use a "human" translator that is in country instead of using free online tools. Your initial investment might be more, but at the end of the day, you will have better and understandable local language content. Additionally, you will be more successful in your business dealings abroad and your local colleagues will appreciate you more.
- Think global, act locally - The term the "Ugly American" might be a generalization, but it does have some validity. When traveling abroad on business, it's extremely important that you don't have the same expectations as you would at home. While it might be common practice to dive into a meeting right away in the U.S., it's important in Europe, such as in France, that you make your business partner feel at home, offer a beverage first and discuss personal matters before you dive into the heart of the business meeting. Before traveling, I would recommend that you read up on the business culture and gather further information. Also, be more observant when you are in a foreign country and be open to new ways of business dealings and personal behavior.
While there are many more suggestions and lots of great online tips, the best recommendation I can give you is to try and travel to the country with which you are doing business. There is no better way to understand a country's cultural and business nuances than to experience it first hand!
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