Companies need to take culture, background, languages and legislation into consideration when expanding globally, with technology playing a key part, according to Natasha Anthony, mass foundation alternative distribution direct marketer for Old Mutual.
Speaking at the Customer Experience Management (CEM) conference in Cape Town today, Anthony said: “Textbook style, what is globalisation? It’s the movement towards the creation of a world-wide market with goods and services.”
This is not as simple as it may seem, she said.
Anthony said not all markets are the same, despite extensive tenure within the industry and technology also plays an important role in globalisation.
Regarding leveraging technology solutions in Africa, Anthony said: “We think that we’re backward with technology”, pointing out that at the end of 2011 the Old Mutual call centre began handling Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and IT processes for the European market from Cape Town.
Since Old Mutual has established its footprint in various countries around the world, Anthony said it is vital to understand that what might work for South Africa definitely will not work for the USA or UK.
Anthony said it did not work for Old Mutual to “paint everyone with the same brush” so it would make sense to employ people to work for Old Mutual within their own countries.
She said Old Mutual has established the “Old Mutual Culture Wizard”, an online source of invaluable information pertaining to the culture, language and other information about the people within that country, aimed at people who want to work in different countries. She said it is also equipped to teach languages.
Anthony said a small household run business has the potential to globalise, thanks to technology.
“I think technology helps us a lot. The globe has become much smaller, but it’s also become a lot more accessible,” said Anthony.
