“Tom” was a successful salesman from the East Coast of the U.S., catching the eye of management along the way with his “hard-core selling.” When a position opened in Japan to “show our distributor how to sell,” Tom jumped at the chance to go. Knowing only aggressive American-style sale techniques … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Japan
There are some important lessons to be learned from “counting holes” (see the previous post, Counting the Holes, Part One). First, Japanese (and many other high-tech oriented countries’) customers pay very strict attention to quality. These local quality standards and expectations may be higher or broader – or both – from … Continue reading
Small companies founded on engineering or technology can face problems when communicating their ideas and concepts to an international audience who may approach problem-solving from a different perspective. The following is a condensed true story. Taking a cue from Hollywood, names have been omitted, details changed and disguised, and the … Continue reading
One situation you may encounter during international business meetings is unfamiliar “silence.” Here are a couple of typical instances where silence – and the use of silence – can be confusing or disadvantageous if you are unprepared for it. A common misstep many Americans make in international meetings is assuming the best … Continue reading