With markets more connected than ever before and technology changing the ways consumers interact with their products, globalization has become an opportunity to excel far beyond previous possibilities. The international economy provides much more than tools to extend the reach of business; it is, itself, a vital asset, one that can be used not only to remain competitive but to gain a profound financial advantage. Knowing how to exploit the openings it offers means understanding the market both as local and as global, a plurality of smaller trade circumstances that operate in the context of a singular and universal commerce.
The power to draw from resources outside the scope of individual economies is only the first part of success. Having the flexibility to accommodate the differences and navigate the similarities between those economies is where a profitable company turns into a thriving company.
The Power of Commercial Communication
For the international enterprise-level business, communicating with distant suppliers and consumers is about more than reaching out to them. It is about speaking the language of their markets so well that products and services can be modified specially for them. It is about adapting, being able to change and evolve according to the needs of the consumer—about knowing how to change the offering without changing the business. Traversing the distance between far-off markets is only partially a question of logistics, for it is precisely in that grasping for new consumers that the potential for transformation emerges.
Will your new customers prefer credit cards or direct debits? Will they pay directly for the product, or does a subscription model better suit their needs? Will your billing system have the sophistication not only to calculate, manage, and break down charges between markets, but to communicate them clearly to consumers from radically different backgrounds? Every aspect of the production cycle must be able to change on the fly to suit altered circumstances because every part of the business is the product.
The International Language of Business
The essence of good business is knowing how to reach out to the customer. With technology extending that reach further than ever before, and customers that once seemed past the horizon now close enough for a handshake, the time has come to embrace the future and make your good business a global business. Fully integrating into the international economy presents challenges. To the prepared company, it can create a wealth of opportunities as well.
