Cross-Cultural Consulting

Multilingual Planet knows that it’s not just a multilingual planet, but a multi-cultural planet as well. Doing business across cultures requires more than just language skills. Don't have your business be a statistic of one of the 75% of U.S. business ventures abroad that fail. Learn to ask the right questions and understand the cultural nuances. You need to consider many aspects of doing business internationally; culture, language, and the political environment. Multilingual Planet and our professional cadre of consultants can help you connect with your foreign business associates with training in the following areas:

Business protocol and social etiquette

What is truly the time that a meeting will begin in Spain if it’s called for 10am? In what cultures is it inappropriate to show the soles of your shoes?

Learn how to read verbal and non-verbal communication cues and to have sensitivity to different business and social practices in cultures other than your own. Do you need a third party for introductions or to serve as an intermediary? These are some of the questions that our team at Multilingual Planet can help you answer.

Cross-cultural negotiation skills

You can’t negotiate with the French in the same way as you would with the Chinese. You can’t sell to the Germans in the same way you would sell to the Japanese. Learn to adapt your negotiation style to each country’s protocol with sensitivity and awareness. Make sure to arrange for your own interpreter. Break the ice by learning some language basics tailored for your needs, but, consider hiring your own interpreter.

Expatriate preparation for individuals and spouses

Did you know that failure on an international assignment is often due to the inability of the employee or their spouse to adjust to a new culture? Don’t make the same costly mistake made by your competitors. Think globally and prepare both the expatriate and their spouse and family with cross cultural training with Multilingual Planet on what to expect in their new host country.

Marketing and Image Consulting

Make sure your marketing materials, written confirmation, logo and website has been screened for cultural appropriateness. One big multinational company insulted some followers of Islam by putting the Saudi Arabian flag on packaging in London-area restaurants, included amongst the 24 flags displayed. This was done during the World Cup soccer event, and meant to recognize cultures from around the world. What was not realized was that the Saudi flag includes a passage about Allah. However, since food packaging eventually ends up in the trash, this was considered both an inappropriate use of the flag and insulting as well.

We believe that by learning about cultural differences, your staff can break through the barriers that may prevent the smooth flow of work across cultural boundaries. Multilingual Planet will help your staff acquire the knowledge they need to avoid costly mistakes about making assumptions that business works the same around the world.

In today’s competitive business environment, your company cannot afford to operate with a domestic approach in a global economy. The ability to communicate across cultural borders is a necessity for anyone reaching out to markets made up of different ethnicities. You must first learn about your own culture, views and ideals; identify them and then learn about others.

Our consultants are experts in the target country or region that you are doing business with or are relocating an employee on an international assignment.

If you have a special need that you don’t see here, contact us and let us know what your needs are. We’ll do our best to provide you with the specialized training that you require.

Multilingual Planet – Working with diverse cultures at home

You do not have to travel overseas to encounter different cultural groups. Perhaps your home market or a significant portion of your employee base is made up of people from another culture. Multilingual Planet has solutions for success in working with different ethnic groups at home.

Orientation to New England and the United States for Foreign Employees relocating to the US

Learning about American heritage, tradition, and culture will help your newly arrived employee adjust to their new surroundings. A better-adjusted employee is able to better integrate with colleagues as well as customers and will be more successful in obtaining your corporate goals.

Multicultural Sessions for Home Markets

Latinos, Asians, Brazilians and many other ethnic groups may now make up a significant part of your home market. Learn about their culture and how to work most effectively with different cultural groups in order to serve their needs and compete successfully for their business. Whether its your employee or a potential customer, learn about respecting the customs and religions from foreign cultures. Your investment in cross-cultural training will pay off by solidifying and strengthening relationships. Don’t let culture become culture shock in your organization. Call Multilingual Planet to discuss training sessions today!

 

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