One of the biggest obstacles you may face when conducting international business is that of communication. The person with whom you’re dealing may speak English, but does he or she actually speak your language?
Communication barriers cost time and money and can quickly result in ill will between client and supplier. An experienced global sourcing agent can keep the lines of communication open and the international business relationship healthy and positive.
Unintended miscommunications wreak havoc
The English language is complicated, and our business-speak doesn’t always translate as it should. To make matters worse, you may not recognize the communication barrier until it’s too late:
- Clients believe they have accurately conveyed important information to the supplier. Due to language barriers, however, the supplier has unwittingly mistaken crucial facts, figures, or details.
- Similarly, suppliers believe that they are communicating effectively with the client. Unfortunately, the client receives the information, but the understood meaning is quite different from the intended meaning.
Both parties believe they have properly understood one another, but chaos (delays, overruns) will ensue as a result of the unintended miscommunications.
How a global agent can help
Walker World Trade serves as your company’s translator and ensures that all communication between supplier and client is clear, accurate, timely, and effective. Walker experts can bridge cross-cultural gaps so that everyone involved is “speaking the same language.”
With rapid and repeated follow-up communications and spot-checks, we ensure that both supplier and client are on the same page. Contact us today to learn more about how Walker can help keep your lines of communication clear and your international business running smoothly.
