Last updated 16 August 2008
Cross Cultural Communication Web Tools show you the different things you can emphasize to communicate more effectively with different cultures through your website. These web tools are not absolute remedies to barriers in your cross cultural communication. You will need to find the right mix of different web tools to communicate effectively with your particular markets. Different cultures respond to different things. They have different communication needs. And it is never a simple mix of tools. There are fives scales to measure different cultural behaviors.
- High Individualism versus High Collectivism Behavior
- Uncertainty Avoidance versus Low Uncertainty Avoidance Behavior
- High Power Distance versus Low Power Distance Behavior
- High Masculinity versus High Femininity Behavior
- High Context versus Low Context Behavior
Important: Read the Basic Guidelines For Using Cross Cultural Communication Web Tools before implementing any of these web tools.
There is more than one tool you can use to appeal to each of the different cultural behavioral traits. This is the first web tool for cross cultural communication to cultures with cultures an Uncertainty Avoidance behavioral trait:
Customer Service
This week we will look at a web tool for cultures with a high Uncertainty Avoidance culture behavioral trait:
- Customer Service
Some cultures expect more emphasis on customer service than others. Cultural barriers will pop up if you don’t give this information to them, or if they feel you are not presenting it well enough to them. There are some cultures that respond better with stronger communication on customer service. As you get to know your foreign markets, pay attention to their needs in customer service. You may not need to change what you already have on your website addressing customer service.
Let’s review the cultural behavior of uncertainty avoidance:
Traits Of Cultures High In Uncertainty Avoidance
Some cultures are described as being high on a scale of uncertainty avoidance. These cultures are stimulated more with:
- Predictability
- Structure
- Order
They do not respond well when they are faced with:
- Ambiguity
- Less structure
- Taking risks
Here’s one thing you can do to communicate better with your clients in these cultures:
Highlight Use Of Customer Service
In these cultures you need to pay attention to:
Website Tools
- Customer support contact details
- Customer service options
- Customer help procedures
- Frequently asked questions
E-Marketing Tools
- Customer service emails
Do some online market research in your target country to see how other local websites are addressing customer service.You might want to change the location of your customer service information. You may want to make it more prominent on your web page. You need to find the best way to communicate this to your foreign market.
The Right Touch
This is not about whether to put any reference to customer service on your website or not. This is to help you test:
- the best places to put this information on your website
- how your web tool comes across in these countries
Remember, there will be other tools you will need to highlight as well. Use these cross cultural web tools to inspire you to improve your web communication with your international clients. There is lots more on the different cultural behaviors in the June issues of the Get International Clients Weekly Newsletter. Sign up quickly for more tips and ideas for getting more out of your international marketing.
Important Notice
Basic Guidelines For Using This Web Tool
If you have not read the Basic Guidelines For Using Cross Cultural Communication Web Tools as mentioned in the very beginning of this article, please do so before implementing any of these web tools. You need to look at the whole picture of all five cultural behaviors before tweaking how you use the specific web tools outlined here.
