The international BA is not as glamorous as the International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers, but it is exciting. For a number of reasons, many BAs are interacting with customers and team members across the globe. One of the keys to success is to understand and sometimes embrace the culture of the people with whom you are interacting. I want to share a short story of how I was able to break the ice with some clients in Argentina.
I spent some time in Buenos Aires, Argentina implementing an inventory management system. My first trip was dedicated to eliciting requirements. Prior to my trip I spoke with some of the key stakeholders to get to know them. I was hoping this would make my elicitation easier, but my first day in the office was not an easy one. Although everyone was extremely friendly, I did not really connect with many people. My elicitation was not going as well as I had hoped. Later that afternoon, I was thinking about how I could improve. I was looking out in the hallway and noticed something. When people greeted each other they gave a kiss on the cheek. I remembered that when I introduced myself to everyone that morning, I had the outstretched arm with a firm handshake. I made sure to keep a good amount of personal space.
With no other great ideas, I decided in the morning I was going in for the kiss. I am a hugger, but not necessarily a kisser when it comes to hello's. I was definitely going to be out of my comfort zone, but I had to do something. So, in I came the next morning and turned into the kissing bandit! The first few were uncomfortable, but I got used to it quickly. And, it worked! There was this transformation from Kupe the outsider, to Kupe is one of us trying to help. The trip was very successful as were all my future interactions with this customer base.
Embrace the opportunity to meet new people and experience new cultures.
So, that was my story let's hear your story.
2 Comments
Hi ..
Thats an interesting story..! Sure it would have been difficult initially but you need to get your job done. I guess I am going to keep this in mind when I work with a client with a different cultural background.
Kupe,
I really appreciate this story! I have always loved to take the role of the International BA even though travelling to some countries can be a bit dangerous.
I absolutely agree with you that embracing the culture is very important for the international BA as it helps the customers/client become more comfortable. My observation is that International customers (this is my bias because I am also a non-US citizen) are easier to deal with and will easily give you the information that you want. However, just like in the US, they have their business politics and theirs are a bit different. To some countries, gift exchange is the key to breaking the ice, while in others they bow politely to show respect, and that does it.
Once, on my way to elicit requirements from an icelandic customer (who by the way was not pleased with our services so far) I learned few icelandic words as I thought, “I must find a way to break the ice”. So when greeted by the customer in English, I responded in their native tongue. Their eyes looked sparkly as if they had seen the solution to their problem and the ice melted instantly. They proceeded to teach me other words (Don’t ask me if I remember any of them) and the rest of my journey with them was a breeze.
For the BA who is interested in international customers, I strongly encourage that you pick up the book: Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands: The Bestselling Guide to Doing Business in More Than 60 Countries.