Cindy King's International Business Blog » cultural blunders

How Assumptions Kill International Sales

Cindy King — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 23:00:45 +0000

Most people have heard of the obvious cultural differences involved in international business.

Different “weekends” in some Middle Eastern countries
Extended price negotiations

In addition to these cultural differences that effect international business, there are also a multitude of differences that can go under the radar. If you are in international business, you will probably not have the time to become thoroughly adjusted to all of the different cultures you do business with. Instead of focusing on what you do not know, why not focus on something closer to home.

Your Own Cultural Assumptions

Cultural differences are one thing. How you react to them is another thing. There is one common reaction that kills international sales.

We make too many assumptions based on our own cultural background

This can lead to multiple communication barriers.

Assumptions Lead To Misunderstandings

The most common barrier created by wrong cultural assumptions is misunderstandings. This can be a simple error or a totally disconnected communication.

Assumptions Make You Lose Credibility

When you do not show the other person that you are interested in them, this does not leave a good impression. It leads you to the slippery slope of losing credibility. Once you arrive here it is very hard to get back on more solid ground.

Assumptions Destroy Trust

And once you lose the slightest bit of credibility you almost always lose trust. In cross-cultural selling you must constantly build and maintain trust. Mistrust of people you do not know and who are obviously different from you is a very common human trait.

Different Cultures Do Things Differently

Cindy King — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 23:00:16 +0000

Cross-Cultural Communication Challenges

When you begin to do business across different countries you quickly become aware of the scope to which different ways of doing things effects how you carry out business. This usually starts at the very first communication:

How you say hello

Different cultures have different ways of saying hello. Greeting someone in the right way goes beyond a simple translation of the word “hello”. It is also many different aspects of how you say hello.

For example, in Anglo-Saxon countries, you can start an email off with a simple “Hi” in most circumstances. But in other countries you would might need to make a more formal greeting and take a little time to present yourself. Even if you are writing in English you still need to pay attention to cultural differences and perceptions.

French people feel more comfortable, for example, when they know how to address you in return. They are used to an elaborate etiquette in writing hello and goodbye. A simple “Hi” is not a good idea because it does not give them enough to know how to address you in return and this can make them feel uncomfortable.

Learning how to say “hello” to different cultures can be a challenge in itself and when you feel confident at this stage, you may think that you are halfway through developing your international skills.

But this is far from the truth…

These skills will help you, but you need to continually question different methods of doing things. This is because different ways of doing things effect how business is done at all levels.

The Cross-Cultural Communication Challenge – An International Catalog

About 15 years ago, I was responsible for putting a catalog together for a major international event. I had to contact over 1000 participants from all over the world and get the text they wanted for their entry in the catalog as well as their company logo.

This was before the web was present over the world as it is today. At the time, the company logo had to be given to the printing house in a specific format.

The trouble was that different countries preferred different formats and these different formats:

Either, did not work in another process
Or, produced the wrong results in another process

The words to describe this specific format were different in different countries. Yes, even in English. To complicate matters even more, the people I was in contact with were not all well-versed in professional printing practices.

Whenever I tried to use the correct vocabulary there were just too many wrong interpretations or translations due to:

Different cultures used different vocabulary
Different ways to provide materials for print
Different cultures had different preferred printing methods

In the end, I found the best way to avoid any errors was to take the time to describe:

What the required printing materials physically looked like
How it fit into the printing process

The Cross-Cultural Communication Mistake – Different Printing Practices

The result?

Well… I was told that the catalog I put together had the fewest errors in it that the publisher had ever seen for similar events. And I had done this in a very short time frame.

But despite all of my efforts, I did have one print error.

Yes, it was a big one.

A logo was printed back to front. And this was very embarrassing because it was for:

An important client – so high level apologies were needed
A Japanese client – where the cultural differences make it difficult to find the appropriate way to apologize

This mistake was a direct result of people doing things differently in different cultures.

I thought I had resolved all of these issues. But there were several hundred of them and as usual, the it was a job that had to be done in a short time frame. And one wrong logo did actually slip through the net. The only way I might have prevented this error was to physically be on the production scene and to take the time to check every single one as it came through.

In this case, wrong interpretations or miscommunication could potentially happen at every single stage along the process. This is one of the reasons why the previous catalogs had more errors.

Different Cultures Do Things Differently

You must never forget that different cultures do things differently.

There is no right way or wrong way
There are just different ways

And in any international setting you quickly learn to question your own way of doing things.

Is this what is being asked?
What am I asking the others?
Is this appropriate?

The first lessons you learn when adapting how you say hello in different cultures help you when confronted with other challenges created by doing things differently. In cross-cultural communication you learn to simplify the requests you make and the responses you give while striving for effective cross-cultural communication. With experience you will probably notice how the best solution is often a simple one.

What about you?

Can you share how you coped with different ways of doing things?

Do you know of any cultural blunders due to different ways of doing things?
What tactics have you used to work across cultures when people did things differently?
How do different ways of doing things in different cultures effect your business?

Dig Deeper Into Cross-Cultural Communication Challenges:

A Communication Disconnect Between Two Cultures

Cindy King — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:00:07 +0000

Cross-Cultural Communication Blunders

Let’s continue with my observations of the LeWeb incident. LeWeb is one of the few events in Europe that gets successful web businessmen from North American to come to Europe to discuss web trends. It is an initiative by the French man Loic LeMeur who runs a business in California.

You can read the summary and see the video on yesterday’s post:

A Cultural Generalization Out Of Context

Today I want to tell you how I personally reacted to the incident.

Through The Eyes Of A Potential Attendee

First I have to give you some background information:

I have an international web marketing business
LeWeb happens in Paris, an hour’s drive in for me
Naturally, I considered going

In the end, I decided against it for a combination of reasons:

Not really on target with my business, price and schedule.

When I first heard about the LeWeb incident my first reaction was unease.

Unease at the lack of professionalism
…I came close to investing my money and my time with this?

That was before I actually saw the video. As I said yesterday, you need to put everything into the right context. There was quite a bit going on here.

In the final analysis, there was little substance for anyone to get upset. And this is not really a cross-cultural communication blunder. It’s more like a slight ruffle.

Disconnect In Communication Style

As a European business owner I expect a certain level of professionalism for any business investment I make.

The video you see on Anita’s post makes it clear that this is a “friendly” wrap up discussion.

This is an American discussion, in tone, style and vocabulary. This is where there is a slight disconnect:

The audience was European
In Europe
And they paid to come to this event

Of course the attendees knew who the panelists were before coming and came to hear what they had to say.

There are differences between the American and European cultural acceptance of the language and tone.

It is highly unlikely that the French people in this audience would pay to attend an event with the same vocabulary and tone in the French language.

And this probably holds true across the majority of the European audience.

As an international marketer I am constantly confronted with the difference in communication style between the two continents.

This difference is actually stronger in what is expected.

My French clients usually agree that conversational language is best.

But when it actually comes down to creating international marketing materials in English…

…They usually want something more formal.

There are actually three things to establish:

What people agree to as acceptable
What people expect
What people actually accept

Ripe Environment For Wrong Debate

The main question:

Was there a cultural disconnect before the debate on whether 2-hour lunches make French entrepreneurs less productive compared to American entrepreneurs?
Was there a cultural disconnect with different expectations of the European audience?

On one side of the coin, a few other questions come to mind.

Would the Americans behaved the same if this was an event between Americans and a more eastern region of the world?
Would the French have behaved differently if they did not feel awe for the Americans of Silicon Valley?
Do web businessmen differ from offline businessmen?
If there is some kind of a link here, is it anything to do with the inherent characteristics of a new business environment?

On the other side of the coin, I do think that:

Cultural encounters may go through growing pains to move all parties forward.
LeWeb needs to continue here in France or Europe.
Yes, I probably will consider attending the next one, because…
We can all build our international skills by looking at this incident and using it to move forward towards further cross-cultural encounters.

My Personal Gut Response

It was a personal shock.

I had not realized just how strong my European side is. I usually only feel the friction of being North American. Logical, I guess.

I definitely expected more business-like language at this event… even at a friendly, laid-back closing session.

Sometimes I found the laid-back tone leaned towards insolence. But I think this is because I watched the video and did not attend live.

Beyond my personal reaction, I think this language and tone created a certain lack of respect for the European audience.

The problem is that this lack of respect questions the credibility of these high profile Silicon Valley entrepreneurs as models to follow.

Yes, I understand and totally agree with the value behind focused concentration. And share most, if not all, North American work ethics myself.

But as an international sales and marketing executive here in Europe I have built relationships with people across all of Europe.

Most Europeans simply need more to build relationships.

More time
More face-to-face contact

Sharing meals is full of symbolism in many countries.

Even in the United States…

Remember the 1960′s, when sharing meals was also one of the symbol of the standard American family.

France USA In Business

One of the best blends of cultures I have seen in business is between a French man and an American.

These two cultural behavior traits usually do well in business… after the initial getting to know each other phase.

This is why I am confident that future LeWeb events will benefit both cultures.

…Not done yet. One more comment to make on this incident! Tomorrow I will show you a bit more about the different cultural behaviors in play here.

A Cultural Generalization Out Of Context

Cindy King — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:00:41 +0000

Cultural Generalizations & Stereotypes

A Twitter buddy in Sweden, Martin Lindeskog, asked about my thoughts on the LeWeb incident that happened in December.

US and European Entrepreneurs – More Than an Ocean Divides Them

Anita says it nicely and you can watch the video for yourself.

A Twitter follower in Sweden, Martin, asked about my thoughts on the LeWeb incident that happened in December.

The incident happened during the LeWeb event, which took place December 9-10th in Paris. Loic LeMeur, a Frenchman who moved to Silicone Valley to set up his company, organizes LeWeb.

During the “friendly” wrap up session, there were a few comments about whether Silicone Valley entrepreneurs were better than French entrepreneurs were. Loic LeMeur and Michael Arrington, two well-known personalities, voiced differing points of views.

This debate sparked a reaction in the European audience at this live event. And the comments continued after the event.

Read more and watch the video of the incident in question on the link Martin sent me:

US and European Entrepreneurs – More Than an Ocean Divides Them

Anita says it nicely and you can watch the video for yourself.

I initially did not respond to this incident because I did not attend. In addition, I find the French blogosphere too reactive and prefer to let the dust settle.

And quite frankly, when I briefly scanned the follow-up blog posts by LeMeur and Arrington after the event, I actually wondered if they were prolonging the publicity. A common enough practice online.

But even if they were, the cross-cultural communication tremor that went through the European community present was authentic. Martin made me realize that others would probably appreciate hearing my thoughts on this cross-cultural communication aspect of this incident.

Cultural Generalizations Get You Into Trouble

First, this incident is an example of the bad use of cultural generalizations.

If you have read my blog before you will probably know that I do not think that learning cultural generalizations is an effective way to acquire cross-cultural skills.

This might have had value 50 years ago, before globalization. These generalization are old world stereotypes. Cultures have become more complex in today’s world. This is why I have often found them very misleading in the field.

Do you really understand the whole context behind these generalization?
And do you have any idea whether they are still valid today, and in your particular case?

In addition, reading up on cultural generalizations to improve your skills probably only worked for some cultural behavioral traits. Read more on the High/Low Uncertainty Avoidance behavioral scale.

I do not believe that cultural generalizations help your international business.

This LeWeb incident is an example why.

And cultural generalizations can even alienate you, or make you look a fool.

This is what probably happened to the European audience here.

Setting The Generalizations Straight

Yes, French people do take two-hour lunch breaks.

But this is an exception.

In the 20 years I have worked in France, I can still count them on my fingers.

Christmas dinners and with the very large account clients after a deal was signed.

Problems With This Generalization

You have a problem if you think that:

2-hour lunch breaks are an everyday event in business in France. They are an exception. And a sign of courtesy. They are a cultural obligation to show respect to high profile visitors. It falls into the same category as handshakes in Switzerland and even smiling is in North America.
Californians are physically capable of providing more work than others provide. Please let me know if there is some super race here on earth.
French entrepreneurs work less than entrepreneurs in other countries do. As a French business owner, I think you need to work twice as hard simply to deal with the administrative constraints of having a company here in France.

What is the problem?

The problem is that you are putting up barriers that stop effective cross-cultural communication.

Think about it.

These are prejudices.

Some people get offended about this.

If that is your case, I am sorry I cannot go into this in more detail here. But here is something to trigger some reflection.

Just think about what prejudice is = Pre-judgement.

And remember… no one is immune from pre-judging.

If you want international business this is exactly like shooting yourself in the foot.

Questions Get Beyond The Generalization

Now let’s turn these generalizations around. Ask why they exist.

Let’s look at the cultural differences.

Why?

The French traditionally eat hot meals at lunch… yes and at dinner too
Americans traditionally eat sandwiches for lunch

Why?

The French generally do not snack in between meals and spread the daily quantities of food eaten more evenly between lunch and dinner
Generally American lunches are proportionally smaller than dinners

Why?

Americans eat a much higher portion of processed and convenience foods compared to the French
French supermarkets do not have the same number of processed foods available

Why?

The American health supplement business is booming and offers a wide choice
Most of these health supplements are not for sale in France and this is not a common practice

Why?

The French put a priority on getting their life sustaining nutrition from fresh food
Americans put a priority on eating quickly

Now, we seem to have arrived near the crux of the debate. This is what it was about:

French entrepreneurs cannot be as productive as Silicone Valley entrepreneurs because they take longer lunches.

…Let’s assume standardized 2-hour lunch break are an exaggeration made in the heat of the debate.

Make Sure You Have The Right Question

As usual, insights into these cultural differences shed light.

But what does this really tell you?

The problem is that the questions stopped too soon here in this article. You need to dig deeper and ask more questions:

Why?
So What?
…and change the angle slightly and continue asking questions until you get the whole picture.

In order to get an answer to this question you need to review many more questions.

What is holding French entrepreneurs back from increased productivity?
What is holding American entrepreneurs back from increased productivity?
Is one of them physically more productive?
Is there any truth in this?
What are the factors?

Well if you were to do a survey, you would probably find that the entrepreneurs themselves will come up with similar reasons. People are the same human beings.

But they will do things differently. Different cultures go about doing things differently.

Here, in this case, the French entrepreneurs would probably add in taxes and labour laws.

To balance the picture a bit more, let me add some of the differences you would probably dig up:

It is culturally acceptable for Americans to state they are in business to make money
It is not culturally acceptable for the French to state they are in business to make money, in fact, the use of the word “money” is culturally coded in France. The French just cannot refer to wanting, making or having money in the same way as an American.

French entrepreneurs have more administrative paperwork to go through than American entrepreneurs

French entrepreneurs have more constraints with employees than American entrepreneurs

Given the choice, would I have started my company in the US instead of France?

Yes. Why?

Better service and attitude from the people I need service from

French mandatory social taxes are too high – a good social security system comes with a price

Combination of low service levels and too much paperwork slows business down too much

Comparing Apples To Oranges

There is another issue here with this cultural generalization.

The cultural comparison of time spent at lunch, does not give you enough information to determine who is more productive.

The long lunches? Well I am sure that the Silicone Valley entrepreneurs “lose” time elsewhere.

It might not be at lunchtime.
It might be with doctor visits, or health issues.
It might simply be less focus during the day due to poor diet.
They may need to compensate with more physical exercise.

Yes, human beings can work 10-12-14 hour days…

…but only for a certain amount of time.

If you say otherwise, you are only kidding yourself. Everyone else who has been there knows it.

Comparing apples to oranges only shows a lack of international skills.

And this is the first point I got out of this incident.

There is at least some lack of international skills in raising the question in the first place. Probably exaggerated because the panelists were tired. This was the wrap up session of a 2-day event.

Whatever people have to say about this incident, you need to put a little water in your wine as they say here in France.

Simply put: keep it in context.

…I am not sure all of the comments you can find online do this.

More Cross-Cultural Communication

There are often little moments of friction in cross-cultural communication. And I think this is what this incident was. When you watch the video, not much really happened.

Look at it closely:

A few high powered Americans with one French man from California
A little out of their environment
Tired, laid back
Actually managing quite well
Providing valuable and much needed insights for European entrepreneurs

There is probably more to say about the reactions afterward.

Tomorrow I will continue with another observation – this time the one that bothered me the most.

Avoid Email In Cross-Cultural Conversations

Cindy King — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:00:41 +0000

Cross-Cultural Communication Challenges

When you just begin to develop your international business, you will probably be tempted to do as much as possible by email.

Reasons We Give To Use Email

There are some very good reasons to choose email.

It is quick and easy
There is less worry about time differences
You are less intimidated than with direct contact
You can contact more people
You think it is cheaper
And you may kid yourself into saying that it is “just” preliminary research and does not merit a personal phone call

But there are also some very good reasons why it is often better to take the time to use the phone.

When Emails Become A Skill

Email communication can be tricky within a common culture.

Some people know how to use good email etiquette and some people do not. For example, how many subject lines do you still get in your inbox that are misleading and end up wasting your time?

There are also issues of:

Current email best practices to avoid spam filters and ensure deliverability.

And what about:

Who you should email and who you should put on copy.
When and where you need to give critical information.

It is easy to understand why email conversations are not always easy.

Now let’s add another factor…

Cross-Cultural Conversations

When you first start contacting people in new international markets you are starting cross-cultural conversations.

In ordinary, face-to-face encounters, the confrontation of two different cultures can easily lead to communication barriers, and misunderstandings.

Now imagine the added friction of email conversations. There are even more factors that can go wrong.

I can think of two recent examples that happened to me.

The first example was with a fellow Bahamian. So a culture I belong to and understand. There was a series of emails where the person in question clearly sought a business opportunity. But there were three problems with the email exchange:

The email address was from a man, and the person signed as a woman saying she was the most senior person there. Now, I know this was not spam. It came from a very reputable company. But it killed the credibility for me. Who was I in communication with?

She was asking me to drop clients into her lap without giving me any information at all to go on. She kept sending me to a website that was very poorly written, and incomprehensible to anyone outside of her office.

I was busy and did not want to spend the time and money to call her back. Maybe when business lulls.

The problems here were more to do with a lack of good email practices. Yes, certain Bahamian traits of pride did come into play, but bad email practices stopped the conversation.The second example was from a Chinese reader, with a similar vague request for me to solve her companies economic problems. Again this was not spam and clearly a sincere request. This time the cultural differences were obvious. Email do not work well in cultures where indirect communication styles prevail. How can you possibly get anything out of an email when you cannot give clear indication of what you want or need?

Twenty years ago, management often discussed whether you needed a face-to-face meeting or a phone call. In today’s economy, the choice of email or phone calls is just as valid.

Phone calls can give you much more information than an email.

During a phone conversation you can usually get a good understanding about the limits of what can be done by phone and what needs a person to person meeting.

It is best to avoid emails in cross-cultural communication when you can. And more importantly, make sure you learn when to call when it is needed.

Dig Deeper Into Cross-Cultural Communication Challenges:

Getting Beyond Visible Cultural Differences

Cindy King — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:00:51 +0000

How To Develop Your Cross-Cultural Skills

People from different cultures do things differently. Some of these differences are easy to see. Some of these cultural differences are more difficult to see. We sometimes get a small clue that there is unseen cultural difference when we feel a bit of confusion or even a negative response. Cultural differences create cross-cultural barriers and lead to misunderstandings.

When developing cross-cultural skills, you need to know where to look…

…where to dig deeper, to increase your understanding of this different culture and then adapt your own communication.

How do you get beyond the visible cultural differences and develop your cross-cultural communication skills?

Obvious Cultural Differences

Here are some cultural differences that are very easy to see:

Physical features, such as predominant skin, hair and eye colors
Language and accents
Food
Eating Habits
Different clothes and dress styles
Different preferences in entertainment
Music preferences
Favorite television shows
Advertising styles

These cultural differences are often easy to identify.

But don’t stop here…

Noticeable Cultural Differences

With a little observation you can also get a good glimpse of some other cultural differences:

Social behavior
Patterns and forms in communication
Politeness
Demonstrating friendship

Although it is often easy to observe these differences, it is not always easy to understand them.

When looking from the outside towards these cultural differences your own communication barriers can crop up and hinder effective cross-cultural communication.

This is why you need to dig deeper at this particular stage…

…before your own natural communication barriers have a chance to influence your communication.

To develop cross-cultural skills you need to go beyond what you see on the surface. You need to understand why different people have these cultural differences.

Cultural Differences Under The Surface

Here is what you cannot see when observing different cultures:

Different beliefs
Different values
Different expectations in communication
Different reactions to everything
Different communication habits such as direct communication and the use of silence
Different notions of time
Different values towards space with regards to personal contact

Open Up Your Understanding

It is essential to dig up these unseen differences. The next step towards developing cross-cultural understanding is to open yourself up to this understanding.

It is often our own personal barriers that keep us from developing cross-cultural skills. Opening ourselves up to be able to understand different cultures often requires personal effort.

The Limits Of Cultural Generalizations

Cindy King — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 23:00:22 +0000

Cultural Generalizations & Stereotypes

Can generalizations like the ones you will find in the book Kiss, Bow or Shake Hands help you market to foreign clients?

I personally do not think so.

From My Experience

Twenty years ago I noticed examples where acceptance of such generalizations harmful to international business development.

Some people “learn” these generalizations, assume they are always right and do not make any effort to adapt to circumstances.

They believe they have been good students and will get straight A’s on their performance.

Wow…

Mega, explosive miscommunication, right around the corner. It is just a question of waiting for it to go off.

Analyzing differences and making generalizing and assumptions to use in future conversations can easily lead to misunderstandings.

New Nuances For Old World Generalizations

Today I think it is even more foolish to use such generalizations in business. The reasons are multiple:

Most of these generalizations have been around for so long, that a generation or two have gone by and no longer truly representative to the whole country’s demographics. Even senior citizens may no longer correspond to these generalizations.

This trend to try to categorize certain cultural differences sometimes goes too far. Something may have been an accepted practice at a certain time and in a certain set of circumstances. That does not mean it can or should be taken out of context.

Internet, or rather the English language culture on the internet, and online media have influenced different market segments within foreign country on different levels. This means that some market segments in foreign cultures will interact with you different. They have learned to navigate in different environments.

Conversation Starters

The best way to read such generalizations is as pure entertainment.

I only think about generalizations when I meet up for the first time with someone who is culturally traveled and experienced. It is more like sharing old war stories. There is nostalgia in the air. Never prejudice or ill thoughts.

In every country I have lived there has been another race of people used as the underdog. When you change countries the jokes stay the same, but the nationality changed. You know, the ones where it takes several people to change the light bulb, one to hold and everyone else to turn the chair around.

Many generalizations seem to aim to strike the same cord, or one very close to these bad jokes.

In my experience any other reference to generalization of cultural habits always leads to fruitless conversations. Everyone has prejudices. And this is often an easy way to see prejudices in others. It does not help conversations move forward.

A Closer Look At The Book

But just a second, before I sign off, I actually have that book somewhere… let me go grab it so I can give you some specific reasons why I do not think it is a good idea…

Well the first one I grabbed is the Kiss, Bow, Or Shake Hands: Europe. This is just as well.

Let’s see if he trys yet again to explain the culturally correct number of times you need to kiss someone on the cheek as a greeting here in France. There is none. It depends on who is on the receiving end. Anywhere for 1 to 4 usually. And there is no logical, rational way to know if you are a foreigner. I just stick my cheek out and wait for it to be over.

And it was only in Italy where I saw kisses going on into two-digit numbers.

Well the first example is good enough.

Which of the following are characteristics of most French conversations?

Attentive listening

Waiting for the other person to finish

Scrupulous accuracy

The book says the correct answer is none of the above.

I think this is not a good question to represent cultural differences.

What do you consider attentive listening?
What do you consider as polite listening?
What do you consider as polite?

Whatever your answer, that is the problem. Your answer will be different from someone from a different culture. Perceptions of politeness are different in different cultures.

Besides I cannot say I agree with the answer. In my experience French people are just as attentive listeners as other cultures, they wait to hear what I say and as fas as I know they do not avoid accuracy in their conversations. It would be wrong to make these statements generalizations.

Learn Culture Through Practice

Now let’s lighten things up and only look at this for entertainment.

Can I easily imagine meeting a French person and having these conversation problems? A lack of attentive listening, interruptions and a slight disrespect for accuracy.

Well I could stretch my imagination and create a conversation I have never had. But I could also easily imagine the same conversation with a New Yorker for example.

By the way, I have also read the book Blunders In International Business by David Ricks. I would find this more instructive for business purposes, simply because it gives cultural blunders in business. It tells stories. This means you can see more and understand more. But this book too fails miserably in giving you accurate generalizations and guidelines.

And there is a simple reason why.

You must learn to adapt to different cultures through practice.

Cultural Blunders In Tele-Sales

Cindy King — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:00:34 +0000

Cross-Cultural Communication Blunders

I have had a few inquiries recently about how cultural differences affect customer service expectations.

I don’t know why there has been such a sudden interest in cultural differences in customer services expectations. Let me be a little cheeky and wonder if companies are feeling the cultural backlash of outsourcing to countries where the culture is just so different.

Let me tell you why this is the first reason that pops into my mind.

I work at home. I have not yet put my telephone number down as unlisted. I have children, I’ve traveled a lot and met many interesting people. I want people to be able to find me easily if they want to. So everyone can find my phone number.

Not a day goes by without getting one sales call or another. They are usually just when I’m preparing lunch, sometimes dinner. So I do get a wide variety of overseas call centers trying to sell me one thing or another.

And I only find about 5% of them polite. About 25% of them are outright rude.

They do not have my definition of politeness, and they don’t have a French person’s definition of politeness. I can’t always identify which country they are calling from. As I said there is a wide variety of countries with call centers calling into France.

Where do I find them lacking in politeness?

They call just at my meal time, why don’t they ask me if it is convenient to call me. I’m busy. I’m often juggling what is on the stove and my daughter’s taxi schedule.
Their new phone systems often leave me waiting with a blank line for over 10 seconds before anyone “answers” the phone their end. They called first. I’m busy. Why am I waiting?
When they do start speaking, they speak very, very slowly obviously trying to read my name for the first time.
They can’t pronounce my name.
After the painfully slow beginning, they immediately jump into a long sales pitch without giving me any space to interact.
Very often they refer to themselves as a partner to the French electricity company or something like that and speed up. Partner? Hold on. My electricity company has my address and already sends me lots of mail. If you are their partner I want to know exactly how you are their partner. Tell me that first.
They will often ask me for some personal information in the third sentence. That is 15 seconds after we have established my name.

This scenario happens to me every week day. Sometimes twice a day. And I’m sure it happens to others in other countries.

What happens afterwards is often an example of customer service expectation clashes. These types of sales just do not work on me. Why? Probably all 7 reasons are above. The clash?

It’s when I tell the customer service person on the other end I’m not at all interested and never will be no matter how good her offer is.

The reactions are so…colorful? Nothing like what I would get anywhere in North America, France, Europe even.

The so called partner to the French electricity company actually told me off. She told me to get my phone number unlisted to save them time. According to her everyone with a listed phone number wants to listen to their sales pitches.

These people have a difficult job to do.

They must learn how to pronounce names from a different country. I know just how difficult it is to do. It is hard. It takes weeks, sometimes months. It’s one of the ways you can tell if someone has had enough of the right foreign exposure.

They have a sales script they need to follow. This is not easy. It’s not easy to make this sound natural.

The vast majority of people they phone are like me: not interested.

After they have done all of this, their own culture and personality shows through in the way how they react to people like me.

Yes, we all have different cultural perceptions of things, concepts…and other people. And we cannot change this over the phone.

We also have very different definitions of politeness. Even when you think you have the same definition of politeness cultural blunders can pop up…due to differences in politeness.

What should the Tele-Sales people work on even more? Probably adjusting their communication to meet the definition of politeness in the country they are calling.

It will be interesting to see if I will still get as many phone calls like this 10 years down the road.

I personally think there are so many other ways of tele-marketing.

Let’s look at one scenario. The web marketing companies that provide you with telephone numbers of qualified leads only an hour old. The person just qualified himself online just minutes before you get his telephone number.

Now who would you want to call that 100% fresh qualified lead?

Wouldn’t you want your best sales person? The one who could communicate best with him?

I have had a handful of calls like this. I’m not sure if there was any real strategy behind the marketing. But I’m English mother tongue living in France. I got a person calling from Ireland. A real sales person. With an interesting dialog. I did not notice her politeness, or rather any difference in politeness. And she did not call me while I was preparing lunch or dinner. She called me 30 minutes after I filled out a form online.

There is more than one point to take out of this example. Let’s just say for now, that I think relevance helps a lot in smoothing over any cultural differences in tele-sales.

Want do you think? Do you think tele-sales will evolve? Do you think cultural differences will always be part of outsourcing issues?

Cindy King's International Business Blog » cultural blunders

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