Running a business from another country can be downright stressful. Knowing that you’re not there to manage all the tasks and communicate quickly with your employees is anxiety-inducing, there’s no doubt. Whatever the reasons for your relocation, it’s not easy to leave your company behind.
Well, you should know that going abroad doesn’t necessarily mean you have to put a lock on your company. On the contrary, you can still expand your business if you’re well aware of some organizational aspects. Also, it’s essential to prepare yourself mentally and logistically to keep up with the changes a new business environment implies.
But don’t be discouraged. Take a deep breath and read our article that explores some valuable tips for successfully running your business whilst logging in from the other side of the world.
Hire self-motivated team members
It’s of the utmost importance to hire a self-motivated team to ensure your business succeeds. If your team stays focused, you’re most likely to expand your business without being forced to constantly stop to hire more and more people. Our advice would be to pay attention to how your future employees think when interviewing them. It’s reassuring to know your team members come up with valuable ideas and make significant contributions to increase productivity and performance in your company.
Now that you’ve hired the right people, it’s crucial to train and upskill them according to your business’s needs. Make sure they gain all of the necessary skills and a deep understanding of both your industry and your customers during their training. It’s vital to have your employees prepared in this regard because running a business from the other side of the world implies a lot of reliance on the staff who will be directly liaising with your end customer. Don’t also forget to set up clear expectations to familiarize them with the company’s standards and values.
Communication is key
Managing your business within the company’s office (if you have one) is by no means an easy job in any case, but doing so from abroad can be extra challenging. That’s why it’s essential to provide a way of communicating with the team members. Consider using a cloud storage service like Dropbox to send and share large files and a VoIP service like Skype to keep in touch with your employees and inform them about the latest news. Anyway, make sure you’re always connected to Wi-Fi in case your employees urgently need you.
If your timezone makes it difficult to communicate often, try to interact with your workers as often as possible, best at a time when you’re all available, even if not at the office yourself.
Make use of technology
Thanks to advancements in technology, people communicate way easier and faster, and therefore so are businesses. After all, why not benefit from something if it’s available? Technology is having an impact, especially when running a business from abroad and here’s why: it helps you manage your employees’ work, save time and money, and stay organized. Consider using shared workplaces and cloud storage services to assign tasks easily and stay updated with their progress. You workers will also have access to all the shared files, so it’s no longer necessary to explain to each one what their duty is.
It would be helpful to invest in up-to-date equipment to avoid any issue caused by working at a distance. Don’t be afraid to call on a technician to check your equipment periodically and repair it if necessary.
Hire a virtual assistant
Virtual assistants have gained much popularity lately, and for a good reason. They help businesses save time and money by handling day-to-day tasks, such as making travel arrangements, scheduling appointments, managing accounts, or keeping in touch with customers (email, phone calls). They’re also preoccupied with managing your social media accounts, digital marketing, and even simple graphic design, which makes them indispensable for running an international business. Hiring a Virtual PA is an excellent idea because they maximize your company’s productivity and support your business’s growth, mainly because they can address different responsibilities. Plus, administrative assistants are a cost-effective solution because they’re paid only for their productive time.
Prioritize your tasks
Large or small, a company certainly implies a lot of tasks, and handling them at once is overwhelming. We know you’re doing your best for your business’s growth, but multitasking is by no means a solution. Even if you manage to solve all the tasks at the end of the day, you’ll end up extremely tired, so you’re most probably not efficient the next day. That’s why it’s highly recommended to make a list of priorities and learn to focus on one task at a time. The best solution would be to deal with the most challenging or most time-consuming tasks and leave the easiest ones for later (regardless of your temptation).
Remember to schedule your day efficiently, as running a business abroad also implies no in-office responsibilities. You need to ensure you have time for corporate meetings or trips, so don’t focus only on the tasks which can be done at the office. Also, it would be helpful to make your employees aware of your schedule to avoid bad timings on their part.
Embrace cultural differences
You may be wondering why this thing is so necessary, but you’ll be amazed to find out how much cultures differentiate from each other. In order to adapt to the new country, you have to understand its values, or at least accept them. There will be situations where cultural differences will mark your business in one way or another, so you need to learn how to deal with them.
Try to communicate with your business partners and get familiar with their way of thinking. Be curious about their culture, traditions, and religion. Keep in mind that different perspectives in everyday life lead to different perspectives in business. But different is not always scary – look at this as an opportunity to learn and broaden your horizon. Maybe your business partners from abroad will give you great project ideas to boost your chances of success back home.
Bottom line
Moving to another country can pose problems in running your business. You need to make some changes and take not-so-easy decisions, but there’s no need to discourage yourself. We promise that distance will not affect your business if you follow these valuable recommendations.
Comments (2)Subscribe to CommentsComment