“How to enhance relations with our international clients”

Business English Day15th June 2012

Michelle NaylorCovadonga Ordoñez

Your international relations• Describe your company’s business activity and ask

each other about your international business dealings:• Which countries do you or would like to have relations with ?

• In what capacity? Clients, suppliers, partner…. etc.

• Do you have a department in your company that deals with your international partners directly? If not, how do you communicate with them?

• Do you have a web page? If so, is it available in English or any other language? Who translated it?

• Have you encountered any problems due to language barriers or cultural misunderstandings? If so, please describe them.

Useful tools to enhance relations with our international clients:

• How to work with an interpreter/translator.

• Intercultural skills in business. A cultural approach to doing business with foreign clients.

• Languages as a tool to strengthen ties.

How to work with an interpreter/translator.

• What’s the difference between a translator and an interpreter?

• Have you ever worked with a translator or interpreter?

• Was it a positive or negative experience? Why?

• Many people think translating and interpreting services are an unnecessary expense and are reluctant to pay for this type of professional service. What is your opinion?

General tips for working with translators/interpreters

1. First impressions count. Remember that a person with knowledge of a foreign language is not necessarily a translator/interpreter, even if it’s your wife, husband, cousin or whatever.

2. A translator/interpreter may know a lot but they don’t know everything! Provide them with as much background information as possible.

3. Your translators/interpreters are your voice and their job is to transmit your message. Make them feel a valued part of your team

Specific tips for meeting Foreign Visitors I

1. Have your business cards printed in your visitor’s language.

2. Take the time to have any correspondence, presentations or any other supporting material translated into your client’s by a professional.

3. Learn a few simple short phrases in your visitor’s language to use at the beginning and end of your presentation.

4. If you are going to use an interpreter, meet them face-to-face before the event to get to know each other and to give you time to explain details of your company, its products, objectives of the meeting etc.

5. There are different types of interpreting (consecutive, simultaneous, whispering), make sure you know which one you need and what it involves

Specific tips for meeting Foreign Visitors II

6. Provide the interpreter with all materials that will be used in the meeting/conference in advance including names and titles of visitors, participants, companies, etc.

7. If possible, introduce the interpreter to your visitors or speakers at a conference.

8. Ensure that the interpreter has good visibility of the speaker/s and any visual material, that there is no interference with sound, that they are comfortable and have plenty of water.

9. Always speak to the audience, not the interpreter.

10. Make sure the participants know that an interpreter is present and ask them to speak clearly and not to overlap each other. All participants should make use of a microphone to ensure the interpreter can hear them clearly.

Intercultural skills in business.

• Personal space

• Greetings

• Gift-giving

• Protocol

• Conversational do’s and don’ts

Languages as a tool to strengthen ties.

• "A different language is a different vision of life." - Federico Fellini, Italian film director

• Learning another language gives the learner the ability to step inside the mind and context of that other culture.

• A person competent in other languages can bridge the gap between cultures and successfully engage in international trade.

10 Golden Rules 1. Avoid making instant judgments or assumptions about people from different cultures

regarding their working style2. Try to do some research on any culture you will be working with 3. Try to understand how your leadership style might be viewed through the eyes of team

members from different cultures – they may view your style as bizarre4. Remember that not all problems encountered in international situations are the result of

cultural differences – the issues could be personality-based, technical or commercial5. Just because people do things differently in another country does not mean that they are

necessarily wrong.6. A good idea is a good idea regardless of where it originates – you do not have all the

answers7. Not all ideas from head office are good ideas8. Not all ideas from head office are bad ideas9. When communicating with people who are speaking a second language, do not over-

estimate their linguistic abilities. Just because they are good at a second language does not mean they are perfect!

10. Teams and organisations that are at ease with themselves and co-operate well across the cultures will prosper in an increasingly global economy.

Thank you very much for your participation.

info@csidiomas.ua.estraduccion@csidiomas.ua.es