MEXICO MATTERS Language and Cultural Dos and Donts
July the 27th 2010 was the day 35 + business delegates attended a UKTI ,UK trade and Investment, Mexico Matters Seminar in Hinckley, Leicestershire.
The people present were there to explore trading opportunities and to equip themselves with the tools they require to be competitive on the world stage. Delegates were all looking into the possibility of attending the forthcoming Trade Mission to Monterrey Mexico and Tzitzis Sanchez, Elanga Internationals Mexico Business Consultant presented a seminar to all present on the Cultural and business Do’s and Donts when looking to do business with Mexico
“Mexico is already the UK’s second biggest trading partner in Latin America after Brazil, with the bilateral relationship between Mexico and the UK worth more than £2bn a year. But with Mexico’s economy set to become one of the largest in the world in the coming decades, now is the time to start thinking about taking advantage of the opportunities ahead.”
Sir Andrew Cahn
Chief executive officer of UK Trade & Investment
Speaking French as a NATO employee if of paramount importance. When your French is very rusty then you quickly have to improve it. Our NATO colleague flew from Luxembourg to improve his spoken ability in French prior to being posted in Afghanistan for a period of time.
Much of the language covered during the two day tuition period was business language which would enable him to be a more effective communicator in everyday business situations. It was also structured to prepare him for a job interview in Feruary 2010 where part of the Interview would be conducted in French.
In an ever changing multicultural and multilingual world where global travel has never been quicker and easier, the ability to speak a language has become more of a necessity than ever in recorded history. Our European counterparts can not only speak their native language but are often fluent in two or three others as well.
Are we Brits really the language dunces of Europe ? A 2008 government directive allowed schools to drop GCSE language courses from the curriculum due to the funding crisis despite the fact that Business leaders constantly tell us of their particular frustrations claiming that one in ten companies continue to lose contracts because of employees’ inability to speak a foreign language.
The language of world commerce may be English in its various forms, but the language of real success and lasting trade relationships is a clear understanding of the language of the country you are looking to do business with and sell your product into. The day of turning up to a meeting with your printed information and your own ability down to a few words of greeting are no longer enough. Your competitors who have taken more time and trouble by learning the language of their client and showing that necessary respect will win that order. Those companies and organisations that are not preparing for increased cultural and linguistic globalisation will be increasingly marginalised.
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Elanga was asked recently to deliver a Spanish Language training day to celebrate European Day of Languages at the headquarters of UK Trade and Investment in Derby. As a provider to UKTI a rating from all delegates who took part in the training was essential and Elanga was rated excellent by every delegate taking part in the day long session being the only Midlands company to receive a rating of excellent from all members on this celebratory training day.
Comments from the course members as follows:
Very beneficial. Have been doing business with Spain for a long time but the day helped me to learn a lot that I previously did not know
Created knowledge and confidence in me. Where can we get more of this ? I found it very useful practical experience.
Elanga enters the 2009 East Midlands International Business Awards as a quality assured language provider and trainer to the Regional language Network and UKTI UK Trade and Investment. Elanga’s entry is based on a its position in the Midlands as a language provider who has used effective and innovative language and cultural strategies which have made a positive and direct impact on the trade performance of East Midlands companies.
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