Underestimating the Power of Local Culture
Very often people step into a giant hole when they try to do business in the Lowveld because of the unique business culture. Unfortunately in the Lowveld things are different: They do not like to receive calls on a Monday morning or Friday afternoon, you will be rejected. They will only take an appointment if they know you! And…dress like “one of us”. These are only a few of the examples.
Sadly this alienate you from getting potential clients and even suppliers in the Lowveld. Many have tried, but you cannot bend the locals to your will, even if you are MBA graduate. This is the culture. Our slower paced lifestyle and easier dress code (we blame the heat) is what is attractive about the Lowveld and locals will thankfully not change. This however, makes doing business a little challenging, but if you are prepared to embrace this and work around it, you will be welcomed with open arms.
Let’s take the three examples quoted above and see how to work around them:
Don’t make calls to people you do not know, on a Monday morning or a Friday afternoon. On a Monday morning, some people are returning from weekends, and/or have to open their businesses and get things running. Most business owners are also the managers and the marketing managers, so they need to get things going before they can concentrate on your cold call. If you irritate them at these times, you will be flatly rejected.
They will only take an appointment if they know you! Yes, we like to do business with people we know and that’s that. How do new businesses break into this famous Lowveld “click” as they like to call it. Easy, by attending every networking function or opportunity you can! Join the KLCBT and join our events. Once they got to know you face to face, you are welcome to call them for an appointment.
Dress like a Lowvelder. Look, we can afford fancy clothes – check us out at the fancy functions. We dress casually because the climate and local culture allows it. Local people will quickly site you as an outsider if you arrive in a suit – only debt collectors and funeral undertakers are allowed to wear a suit in day time. Both are to be avoided. On a more serious note, embrace the fact that you do not need a jacket and a tie in the Lowveld and enjoy your time doing business here. Tone it down and make some friends – and then do a lot of business!
Now to our local business people… once you have read this and see how outsiders and other business owners perceive the local business culture, maybe we should realize that we need to become perhaps a little more formal or serious about business? Perhaps we take a little bit more “me-time” than is generally acceptable and perhaps we are really so shy to take calls from strangers that we miss out on great opportunities and innovative new products? Maybe we could dress a little better to show some respect to our clients and visitors?
Send us more comments around this topic – it s very interesting!
Linda Grimbeek
