language

Globally sourcing your company’s products can improve your productivity, efficiency and bottom line, but sometimes language barriers can get in the way. From simple miscommunications to cultural gaffes, language barriers can cause international business relationships to grind to a halt. It’s important to have a strategy in place to mitigate language issues before they cause serious problems. So, here’s a closer look at strategies that can help overcome language barriers with your global sourcing partners: 1. Translate all critical documents into the local language. Before embarking on a business partnership, it’s important to consider the basic documents that will outline and guide the relationship. Examples of critical documents include legal contracts, sourcing guidelines, company and background information, and operating agreements. Translate these documents into the local language to ensure that both members of a partnership get off to a good start. It gives everyone involved a clear frame of reference. Any point of…