While working to sell our machines worldwide, we run across the typical
differences in the way things are done or described. For instance:

Language differences - but that is obvious.

The common practice in some cultures of making every last sale a negotiation
for a lower price. In other words, you quote a price, they ask what can be
done to lower it or they offer a lower price and this goes on until the deal
is sealed with a purchase order... Then it sometimes continues behind the
scenes until the shipping of the units actually takes place...

Metric VS inch measurements is a very common difference. Translation is
easy once you do it for a while...

1,500" VS 1.500" - comma used rather than period to separate digits in a
decimal accurate number, etc.

Minor and seems to be disappearing - Telephone numbers as 908.542.0244
rather than 908-542-0244 or (908) 542-0244, etc...

What other major or minor differences do you run across?

Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
(800) 871-5022
01.908.542.0244
Automatic / Pneumatic Drills: http://www.AutoDrill.com
Multiple Spindle Drills: http://www.Multi-Drill.com

V8013-R

I worked for a fairly large company that did a lot (50%) international
business. We had regular training sessions in those differences. We
even had people who were sort of "specialists" on various countries, or
parrts of the world, just for the reasons you describe.

Differences?:
For instance, the Japanese very seldom say "no" because they don't want
to hurt your feelings, but they may well act as though they said "no"
anyway. It's your problem to find out how they really feel.
It has been said that in Europe, many managers "waffle" about
making decisions, but the Italians get it done.
There are also protocols for gift giving to consider. This can get
pretty complex.
Your international prospect's stand on ISO 9000 (or is it ISO 14000
these days?) is important, too. There was a period of 5 or 10 years
that I remember where it seemed that the Europeans were trying to freeze
out Americans and others who didn't have at least ISO 9002 registration.
(ISO 9001 is better). In some countries, you have to be ready to address
the environmental future of your product; how it can be disposed of when
it's spent.

I believe that colleges and maybe vo-techs have night courses in such
things.

These things are also dealt with at trade association meetings and
conferences that I have attended.

Maybe I am biased along these lines, but I believe in eye-to-eye
communications where ever possible, at least when setting up an
arrangement.

Above all, (and I am sure I don't need to say this) don't be the "ugly
American".

Most foreign business people speak at least some English these days, not
because they want to (matter of national pride) but because they have to
since English really IS the global language of commerce. But sometimes
a person doesn't want to admit they speak it, for fear of doing it
poorly. If there's an interpretor in the room, they may appear to be
relying on that person for all input, but if you watch their eyes when
you are saying something of particular interest, you can tell that they
are getting the idea.

If you are making a presentation to people whose native tongue is not
English, plan to deliver only 1/2 of the material that you would deliver
in the same time to an American audience. Ask lots of "checking"
questions to make sure that the idea is getting acorss correctly. Use
lots of well planned diagrams, graphs, etc. These are useful for your
customer to analyze when they get home.

Always learn some please and thank you words in the native tongue and
then use them. Except for the French, trying to use their language will
be appreciated.

I know you have a child in the 4th or 5th grade (the fractions thing).
Becoming one of those international negotiators might not be a bad idea.

I was not one of those specialists, but had to deal with people from
other countries on a daily basis, usually when THEY were at work.


One really neat way to communicate once you have established a rapport
with a foreign company is to use video conferencing. I have been
retired for 10 years, but even back then Kinko's had video conference
capabilities.

I always enjoyed working with people from other cultures.

Hope this helps,
Pete Stanaitis
-------------------------------------------

Joe AutoDrill wrote:
While working to sell our machines worldwide, we run across the typical
differences in the way things are done or described. For instance:

Language differences - but that is obvious.

The common practice in some cultures of making every last sale a negotiation
for a lower price. In other words, you quote a price, they ask what can be
done to lower it or they offer a lower price and this goes on until the deal
is sealed with a purchase order... Then it sometimes continues behind the
scenes until the shipping of the units actually takes place...

Metric VS inch measurements is a very common difference. Translation is
easy once you do it for a while...

1,500" VS 1.500" - comma used rather than period to separate digits in a
decimal accurate number, etc.

Minor and seems to be disappearing - Telephone numbers as 908.542.0244
rather than 908-542-0244 or (908) 542-0244, etc...

What other major or minor differences do you run across?

Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
(800) 871-5022
01.908.542.0244
Automatic / Pneumatic Drills: http://www.AutoDrill.com
Multiple Spindle Drills: http://www.Multi-Drill.com

V8013-R

Top posted... Why? Ease of reading the simple reply to the only other
message in the thread so far...

Excellent info.

I knew about the Japanese "no" situation, but some of the other stuff is new
to me. Much appreciated - and archived for reading later to absorb.

Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
(800) 871-5022
01.908.542.0244
Automatic / Pneumatic Drills: http://www.AutoDrill.com
Multiple Spindle Drills: http://www.Multi-Drill.com

V8013-R


"spaco" wrote in message
.. .
I worked for a fairly large company that did a lot (50%) international
business. We had regular training sessions in those differences. We
even had people who were sort of "specialists" on various countries, or
parrts of the world, just for the reasons you describe.

Differences?:
For instance, the Japanese very seldom say "no" because they don't want to
hurt your feelings, but they may well act as though they said "no" anyway.
It's your problem to find out how they really feel.
It has been said that in Europe, many managers "waffle" about making
decisions, but the Italians get it done.
There are also protocols for gift giving to consider. This can get
pretty complex.
Your international prospect's stand on ISO 9000 (or is it ISO 14000
these days?) is important, too. There was a period of 5 or 10 years that
I remember where it seemed that the Europeans were trying to freeze out
Americans and others who didn't have at least ISO 9002 registration.
(ISO 9001 is better). In some countries, you have to be ready to address
the environmental future of your product; how it can be disposed of when
it's spent.

I believe that colleges and maybe vo-techs have night courses in such
things.

These things are also dealt with at trade association meetings and
conferences that I have attended.

Maybe I am biased along these lines, but I believe in eye-to-eye
communications where ever possible, at least when setting up an
arrangement.

Above all, (and I am sure I don't need to say this) don't be the "ugly
American".

Most foreign business people speak at least some English these days, not
because they want to (matter of national pride) but because they have to
since English really IS the global language of commerce. But sometimes a
person doesn't want to admit they speak it, for fear of doing it poorly.
If there's an interpretor in the room, they may appear to be relying on
that person for all input, but if you watch their eyes when you are saying
something of particular interest, you can tell that they are getting the
idea.

If you are making a presentation to people whose native tongue is not
English, plan to deliver only 1/2 of the material that you would deliver
in the same time to an American audience. Ask lots of "checking"
questions to make sure that the idea is getting acorss correctly. Use
lots of well planned diagrams, graphs, etc. These are useful for your
customer to analyze when they get home.

Always learn some please and thank you words in the native tongue and then
use them. Except for the French, trying to use their language will be
appreciated.

I know you have a child in the 4th or 5th grade (the fractions thing).
Becoming one of those international negotiators might not be a bad idea.

I was not one of those specialists, but had to deal with people from other
countries on a daily basis, usually when THEY were at work.


One really neat way to communicate once you have established a rapport
with a foreign company is to use video conferencing. I have been retired
for 10 years, but even back then Kinko's had video conference
capabilities.

I always enjoyed working with people from other cultures.

Hope this helps,
Pete Stanaitis
-------------------------------------------

Joe AutoDrill wrote:
While working to sell our machines worldwide, we run across the typical
differences in the way things are done or described. For instance:

Language differences - but that is obvious.

The common practice in some cultures of making every last sale a
negotiation for a lower price. In other words, you quote a price, they
ask what can be done to lower it or they offer a lower price and this
goes on until the deal is sealed with a purchase order... Then it
sometimes continues behind the scenes until the shipping of the units
actually takes place...

Metric VS inch measurements is a very common difference. Translation is
easy once you do it for a while...

1,500" VS 1.500" - comma used rather than period to separate digits in a
decimal accurate number, etc.

Minor and seems to be disappearing - Telephone numbers as 908.542.0244
rather than 908-542-0244 or (908) 542-0244, etc...

What other major or minor differences do you run across?

Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
(800) 871-5022
01.908.542.0244
Automatic / Pneumatic Drills: http://www.AutoDrill.com
Multiple Spindle Drills: http://www.Multi-Drill.com

V8013-R

"Joe AutoDrill" fired this volley in
newslmUi.43$Q%3.2@trnddc04:

I knew about the Japanese "no" situation, but some of the other stuff
is new to me. Much appreciated - and archived for reading later to
absorb.


I do business with the Chinese. A Japanese rep might say "yes" and mean
"no". In China, it is a business virtue to lie and cheat as much as you
can get away with. If you're caught, you've lost face. If you aren't
caught, you're considered a good businessman.

Nothing... absolutely NOTHING a Chinese salesperson tells you can be
believed. The only thing you can believe is that when (if) you receive
the products you've paid for, it's up to you to determine if they even
remotely meet the specifications of what you ordered. If they do not,
you will never receive a refund; the best you can expect is a "credit" on
the next order.

LLoyd

Joe AutoDrill wrote:
While working to sell our machines worldwide, we run across the typical
differences in the way things are done or described. For instance:

What other major or minor differences do you run across?

The biggest one I find is how the payment is actually to be
made. Like in India, you ship the thing, wait for them to get
it, then you send some copies of the shipping paperwork like
bill of lading and customs declaration to a bank in India, which
has held the funds in escrow for you. Then, the customer has to
tell the bank to release the funds. And, it takes up to 6
months to get paid

Jon

The biggest one I find is how the payment is actually to be made. Like in
India, you ship the thing, wait for them to get it, then you send some
copies of the shipping paperwork like bill of lading and customs
declaration to a bank in India, which has held the funds in escrow for
you. Then, the customer has to tell the bank to release the funds. And,
it takes up to 6 months to get paid

For lack of a better way of describing my response... Heck no... (Was
going to say "hell" but I won't type "hell" in a public forum because "hell"
is unprofessional and all.)

We expect 100% pre-payment from anywhere outside the US except Canada...
And returning customers rarely get a 50% deposit clause thrown in. I'm not
waiting for my funding. Let them go find someone else and pay twice the
cost I charge...

If someone wants terms from outside of the US, they had better do one heck
(ibid) of a job of social enginnering on me to make it happen...

Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
(800) 871-5022
01.908.542.0244
Automatic / Pneumatic Drills: http://www.AutoDrill.com
Multiple Spindle Drills: http://www.Multi-Drill.com

V8013-R

On Oct 26, 12:29 pm, "Joe AutoDrill" wrote:
We expect 100% pre-payment from anywhere outside the US except Canada...
And returning customers rarely get a 50% deposit clause thrown in. I'm not
waiting for my funding. Let them go find someone else and pay twice the
cost I charge...

I was going to say payment terms, but it seems you have that covered.
My company works Net 30 typically, with special deals for different
customers.

The Israeli company we did business with came DOWN to Net 60 when we
delt with them. Not worth it in my opinion, too many banking issues.

If someone wants terms from outside of the US, they had better do one heck
(ibid) of a job of social enginnering on me to make it happen...

I was going to say payment terms, but it seems you have that covered.
My company works Net 30 typically, with special deals for different
customers.

The Israeli company we did business with came DOWN to Net 60 when we
delt with them. Not worth it in my opinion, too many banking issues.

Hmm.... Only once have I been burned by an international sale... The
Israeli company we were hoping to sell a very large order to came to visit
us (big $$$ I suppose) and walked out with a sample machine... Never heard
back from them... I'm hoping they are designing around the sample machine
but God only knows... But if they buy from us, the potential loss of $3k
will turn into a $250k sale so I guess it is a worthwhile gamble.

Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
(800) 871-5022
01.908.542.0244
Automatic / Pneumatic Drills: http://www.AutoDrill.com
Multiple Spindle Drills: http://www.Multi-Drill.com

V8013-R

Prefaced by my having been an engineer not a businessman, I spent about a
year over a three-year period in the late 1970's working with the design
engineering department of a manufacturing business (owned by my company) in
a smaller French city. I would disagree 180-degrees with reference to the
French language issue. I found my associates to be very appreciative of my
sincere attempts to speak French, modest as the results were; most serious
communication ended up being in English or translated. Communication was
greatly improved when we finally located a French-English 'technical'
dictionary. It was explained to me by my colleagues that the French
language is academically controlled and that the American habit of inventing
new words at will is contrary to the French approach. I found the French to
be formally polite, sometimes painfully so, with the exception of cab
drivers. I never visited Paris. Liberal use of please and thank you were
essential. I liked the French people and still exchange Christmas greeting
with some of my friends. Bottom line - sincerity counts.

The French authorities tend(ed) to be very protective of all things French.
Whenever I went through customs in Paris or Lyon they would confiscate my
programmable calculator (allegedly wishing to encourage domestic development
of comparable products). This necessitated a company representative to go
bail it out, which got tired quickly. We eventually discovered that if we
flew to Geneva, Switzerland and took the train into France, the customs
office there didn't want to be bothered about computing equipment even if we
declared it. That seemed to be the officially tolerated 'back door' for
commerce.

There are, of course, differences in social customs. Our French friends
were quite amused by our habit of constantly switching hands holding knives
and forks while dining (remember that the French are very much into
manners). In the airport mens restroom there may be a lady sitting at a
table facing the line of urinals who should be tipped upon exiting; her
purpose is to keep the rif-raf out. It can be tough on a bashful American
kidney. Americans were considered to be a bit Victorian regarding nudity.
Try not to leer at the bathers at beaches and swimming pools (they're as
likely English as French).

There was a lot of talk at the time of difficulties of doing business in
Europe, particularly eastern Europe, because money 'under the table' was a
common practice but foreign to American ethics. IIRC the US Government
found it necessary to pass laws prohibiting American firms from yielding to
competitive pressures to do it anyway. Again, I wasn't a businessman so
this is hearsay.

David Merrill


"spaco" wrote in message
.. .
snip...
Always learn some please and thank you words in the native tongue and
then use them. Except for the French, trying to use their language will
be appreciated.

Joe AutoDrill wrote:
I'm hoping they are designing around the sample machine

It is entirely possible that they are taking designs from the sample
machine.

Kevin Gallimore

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http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
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Colors of wire for the same function.
Voltage on the plug
Pinout on the plug
10 key to turn it off to a scram button mandatory.
Warning is yellow green not red
transformers at 60 not 50 Hz
fusing one side, both sides(both hot).

Safety spec governing agency.

On and on.

Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
TSRA, Life; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
http://lufkinced.com/


Joe AutoDrill wrote:
While working to sell our machines worldwide, we run across the typical
differences in the way things are done or described. For instance:

Language differences - but that is obvious.

The common practice in some cultures of making every last sale a negotiation
for a lower price. In other words, you quote a price, they ask what can be
done to lower it or they offer a lower price and this goes on until the deal
is sealed with a purchase order... Then it sometimes continues behind the
scenes until the shipping of the units actually takes place...

Metric VS inch measurements is a very common difference. Translation is
easy once you do it for a while...

1,500" VS 1.500" - comma used rather than period to separate digits in a
decimal accurate number, etc.

Minor and seems to be disappearing - Telephone numbers as 908.542.0244
rather than 908-542-0244 or (908) 542-0244, etc...

What other major or minor differences do you run across?

Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
(800) 871-5022
01.908.542.0244
Automatic / Pneumatic Drills: http://www.AutoDrill.com
Multiple Spindle Drills: http://www.Multi-Drill.com

V8013-R




----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

There used to be issues flying a desktop computer overseas and returning
with it. I used to fly to Europe and Asia carrying a "pizza box" Sun
computer with which I did demos for industrial software. My company had to
fill out something called "carnet" or "carnay" forms as I recall.

I have also learned that it's often smart to fly coach overseas (saving
thousands) and to buy a hotel room and sleep for a day before you have
to go to your meeting. Hotel rooms are much cheaper than upgrading to
business class or first class seats.

When you are actually sitting at a computer e.g. in Germany, you will have
a hard time typing because their keyboards are different from ours. Basically
similar, they have some differences.

It is always very important to listen very carefully indeed, and to make
sure you understand what they are telling you.

Intelligence is respected everywhere. Honesty isn't.

GWE

Joe AutoDrill wrote:

While working to sell our machines worldwide, we run across the typical
differences in the way things are done or described. For instance:

Language differences - but that is obvious.

The common practice in some cultures of making every last sale a negotiation
for a lower price. In other words, you quote a price, they ask what can be
done to lower it or they offer a lower price and this goes on until the deal
is sealed with a purchase order... Then it sometimes continues behind the
scenes until the shipping of the units actually takes place...

Metric VS inch measurements is a very common difference. Translation is
easy once you do it for a while...

1,500" VS 1.500" - comma used rather than period to separate digits in a
decimal accurate number, etc.

Minor and seems to be disappearing - Telephone numbers as 908.542.0244
rather than 908-542-0244 or (908) 542-0244, etc...

What other major or minor differences do you run across?

Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
(800) 871-5022
01.908.542.0244
Automatic / Pneumatic Drills: http://www.AutoDrill.com
Multiple Spindle Drills: http://www.Multi-Drill.com

V8013-R