While reaching out is key to business success in today’s biz world, many companies have remained surprisingly wary when it comes to tackling global markets. After all, costs and practicalities alone have left these wide-scale focuses out of reach for many, while failed attempts have stopped countless companies in their tracks. Now, though, with remote work becoming the standard and predicted to last, it’s fair to say that global reach stands to be easier than ever. This is somewhat surprising considering that, as of March last year, globalisation was nick-named ‘slowbalisation’ and deemed to be doomed for all time. Not to mention that customers have spent the past year claiming this is the age of supporting local businesses. A look at the markets, however, shows that many businesses who’ve struggled globally in the past are managing to succeed regardless, and remote work is the springboard from which they’re doing so. Here, we’re going to look at how, and whether global markets could be right for you right now despite those doom and gloom predictions.
Easier ways to get employees on the ground
The software and capabilities necessary for overseas employees have previously left this option out of reach. That’s bad news considering that knowledge of local customs is vital for everything from developing an efficient retail promotion calendar through to creating on-the-ground connections. Luckily, the remote work norm means that businesses now have the infrastructure and technology needed to enable long-distance working arrangements. As such, there’s never been a better time for expanding the reach of your team, and thus globalising your business.
Long-distance communications with ease
Even if you don’t want to break out with on-the-ground employees, the remote focus has also made way for easier long-distance communications than ever before. Far from relying on snail mail, online chat capabilities through platforms such as Slack mean that any member of your team can pick up a long-distance chat within seconds. This has been a standard for a while, of course, but with online communications now the prime mode of customer service, companies have furnished such efforts with the streamlined focuses that may previously have been missing.
Agile third parties
Since remote work rose up the ranks, many companies have filled in-house gaps with outsourced providers. Not only is this fantastic news for processes crucial to globalisation, such as shipping and technology, but it also makes for agile solutions moving forward. After all, risks to outsourcing when the pandemic first hit have led to third-parties going above and beyond to provide bomb-proof global solutions as we move forward in this business minefield. That’s a level of security we’ve never before seen from the global market, and it’s something that even small businesses are in a position to take advantage of.
Is globalisation risk free now that workplaces have gone remote? Of course not. But, as can be seen here, there are various reasons why branching out now might be easier than ever before. So ask yourself, has remote work given you what it takes to go global?
TDP x
