In 2020, communication with overseas companies has increased. At the same time, it has been required to review business support and the communication support method itself after understanding the differences in cultures of each country, not only the language barrier. I would like to look back here.

1.  Language barrier
The first problem in dealing with overseas markets is language. I am not good at English. Honestly, in verbal communication and chat / email communication, it is often difficult to correctly understand the client thinking. However, by paying attention to the following, the inconsistency in communication has disappeared considerably.

– If you do not understand the question or explanation, do not hesitate to check again. 　Basically, if you do not understand the question/description, do not hesitate to check. Also, if you understand the contents of the question or explanation partially, you can deepen your understanding by repeating the contents of the question from here as far as you understand.

– When you provide answers to questions, it is preferably with specific examples. When you communicate verbally, by e-mail or chat, always use case examples and screen sharing, etc., and communicate exactly what questions are asked in which task. This makes the communication being fairly accurate.

2. Cultural differences
Depending on the culture of each country, it is a common phenomenon that the delivery date is not fixed / the output is different / the response from the partner takes a long time. Regarding this cultural difference, it is fundamental to understand the culture of the other party, adjust the schedule in advance so that the delivery date can be met from here, and organize the contents of the output. Also, if it takes a long time to respond, you need to be patient and check the progress.
*Overseas, there are many cases where there is no reply to emails, especially in the chat culture. . .

3. Streamlining support methods
Due to language barriers and time differences, it often takes too long to resolve issues if support is provided each time. For this reason, we provide efficient support by preparing and sharing documentation and help pages for similar questions. (Currently in progress)
We have used a task management tool called Asana (https://asana.com/ja). Responses to questions / answers have become smoother.

I would like to continue reviewing the work content and improving efficiency so that I can work more efficiently with clients.

SOPHOLA Inc.
Kenta