Tweet29-09-2009 om 12:19 by Maastricht Region Branding Foundation

Limburg companies are not satisfied with their export revenues, but according to Dr José Bloemer (Reader in International Business and Communication at the Hogeschool Zuyd) it’s their own fault. In her speech ‘International Business and Communication: customer relations without borders’, she says customer relations really produces results. José Bloemer supports her argument on the importance of cross-border customer relations for companies in an international context, and the research among the contacts of the International Business Communications group from the Hogeschool Zuyd reveals that businesses that give high priority to customer relations have higher revenues from export and consequently more profits than those who are less efficient in this area. And also satisfaction and loyalty is greater with customers and staff with companies that are customer-relations oriented.

Research on the importance of customer relations shows that 37% of companies find that their export objectives have been achieved, 41% were satisfied with their performance. However 63% believe that their export objectives had not been achieved, and 59% were not satisfied about the current revenues and their profits in export. The research took place in May and June 2009 and covered 143 representative companies from Dutch Limburg.

Export performance would appear to a very considerable degree to depend on trust, commitment and cultural sensitivity. A company that has more trust in its foreign customers and has a clearer vision of the importance of doing business with foreign customers is more successful than a company that has less confidence and doesn’t understand the importance of foreign clients.

Companies, too, that are aware of other cultures and that understand cultural differences and adjust to them, do considerably better than those who do it less well. This means that investment in customer relations is worth money if companies want to do well on the international market.

Source: Meuse-Rhine Journal

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