Offering excellent customer service to customers that are living thousands of miles away is not always easy, especially if business picks up at the main office and staying in contact with your international contacts becomes difficult. However, without receiving quality service, many customers will stop doing business with American companies, so maintaining good communication is a must.
One way to do good business is to make sure that all requirements within the countries have been met. This helps business to keep FCPA Compliance (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) and stay away from legal issues that could damage the reputation and offend clients. Once all licenses and forms have been properly obtained and filed, the business has the potential to flourish. That’s where excellent communication can make or break the business.
One thing that often means a lot to customers abroad is to make an effort to learn the language, if there is another language. This is a sign of respect to other cultures, and could be very meaningful. Another way is to offer frequent and regular face-to-face communication, whether in the form of a personal visit or online video chat programs. Staying in close contact with clients helps them to feel important and encourages them to continue to purchase the product or service, even if that just means sending a weekly personalized email, following up quickly, or remembering important dates.
Making a business stand out among thousands of similar companies is certainly not easy. However, with the right tools and communication, it can be a profitable way to learn more about other cultures and keep clients content with the way the business is being run.
