The World is becoming smaller every day. High-speed communications and the abundance of digital channels are connecting consumers and businesses around the world, regardless of their location. As companies in different corners of the world strive to engage customers from other geographies, it’s critical to understand local preferences and cultural differences.
This includes differences in customer expectations by region, as well as channel usage and other behavioral variations. “Whether your company is doing business in Hong Kong or Halifax, it’s critical to recognize and abide by cultural distinctions and to treat different customers differently,” says Mark Grindeland, Chief Marketing Officer at TeleTech. For instance, in Bahrain and other parts of the Middle East, handshakes between men are typically firm and tend to linger whereas in Singapore, a gentle handshake is the norm and a firm handshake is viewed as a sign of aggression.
Identifying, analyzing, and acting on differences among customers in various regions can enable sales, marketing, and customer service leaders to ensure that customers are receiving relevant and appropriate experiences. Companies that are able to connect the dots on customer expectations can position themselves to deliver the types of experiences customers want.