You might think people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds would make poor business partners.
Many people would hesitate to reach out to a potential client or supplier if they had no knowledge of that county’s culture or spoken language.
Perhaps they would feel frustrated at the linguistic barrier.
They may be angry that the potential supplier doesn’t speak good enough English – after all, it’s the language of business, isn’t it?
They may be uncomfortable with their own lack of language skills and prefer to deal with a UK based partner.
But think for a moment of the potential benefits:
- There may well be a financial benefit to working overseas in terms of cheaper labour, better costs for raw materials, government grants and other incentives.
- Working with an overseas contact could offer stability in uncertain times, improve your chances of getting work in the UK, and offer new markets in times when the UK economy is slow.
- Draw from the differences in culture to provide a solution which enhances the deal. Both people may have ways to improve an arrangement which the other won’t be aware of. Benefit from both worlds and look for the positives.
Working with a professional language agency can make the linguistic barrier much smaller, at least in the initial stages until you can put in place a more permanent member of staff to deal with the challenge.
Things an agency can do to help:
- Translation of your website homepage – just enough to make the right impression with a potential new client or supplier.
- Quick translation of emails and letters – communication doesn’t have to slow down at all.
- Translation of manuals or brochures, training materials or exhibition materials.
- Telephone interpreting or in-person interpreting – making sure you get your message across.
- Translation of contracts, agreements, insurance documents and HR materials – helping to make sure you’ve set everything up right.
- Language training – when you’re sure you want to develop the relationship and want to improve your own skills.
Don’t discount an overseas partnership – the potential reward is great and the initial challenges can easily be overcome with the right professional support.