Channels of communication

As we have seen, communication with agents or customers is all important. If they do not hear from you regularly they will feel isolated and more inclined to promote their other lines. But apart from the postal services, what other methods of communication are open to you? In this electronic age, it may be easier to make contract by telex and facsimile transmission. Many firms overseas actually prefer these methods since they provide instantaneous hard copies of the information being transmitted and avoid potential postal delays. For those companies who do not have their own telex and fax facilities, agencies exist which offer these services on a subscription basis. They can be found in your local Yellow Pages under Telex Bureaux or Office Services. Fax is rapidly catching up with telex in popularity. It is now being used to send letters and other written documents and not, as in the past, just drawings and specifications which could not be transmitted on a telex machine. The cost involved in using either method is roughly comparable.

Should you need to telephone your agent, to remember to check the time difference, bearing in mind British Summertime and any similar daylight-saving scheme in the overseas country involved. Do not forget potential language problems. Arrange for a linguist to be on hand if the person whom you are telephoning is not fluent in English.

You will undoubtedly also need to use postal communications and purchasing a copy of the Post Office Guide will prove a good investment. This is a comprehensive directory of all the available postal services, including notes on sending letter and parcels abroad, cash-on-delivery, insurance, and so on. If you need to send literature or small samples through the post this guide is essential reading.

Vocabulary notes

BOTB – British Overseas Trade Branch

suitable – подходящий

notification- извещение, уведомление

counterparts – коллеги в бизнесе

mother tongue – родной язык

preliminary – предварительный

spade-work – подготовительная работа

eligible – подходящий

subvention – субсидия, дотация

instantaneous – немедленный

to catch up with – догонять

subscription – абонемент

undoubtedly – несомненно

Comprehension and Discussion Questions

1. When you’re chosen the most suitable type of overseas sales work, how would you arrange the support of your agent or branch office?

2. Are personal contracts with business agent important and how should they be organized?

3. What social facts of the agent’s country should be taken into consideration?

4. What spade-work should be done by the organizers of the British posts abroad?

5. What are obvious advantages of being on an outward sales mission?

6. Does the availability of grants depend on the country involved in overseas trade business?

7. What methods of communication are open to trade agent in our electronic age?

8. Should you bear in mind the time difference establishing contracts with your overseas agents?

9. Is it important to use postal communications with your overseas agents?