Patience, Time and Trust:
Doing Business Across Borders
Cultural insights
Patience, Time & Trust
When you talk to a client for the first time, the wish is often explicit: a good conversation, a click and preferably the same day, a signature on an assignment. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, in practice things usually work differently. Trust must grow, and that takes time.
The reality of the sales process
Even within national borders, a quotation process is rarely quick. Building trust is a crucial first step, especially with new customers. That process differs from person to person, from sector to sector, and above all, from country to country.
Trust is not universal. The way people come to cooperate is deeply rooted in cultural habits and experiences. What feels safe and natural for one person may be risky or uncomfortable for another. So the question is: How risk-averse is your client, and how long does it take before he or she feels safe enough to say “yes”?
Trust across borders: culture and context.
In conversations with entrepreneurs, it is striking how often we label each other as slow in decision-making. But is that justified? Looking at models by Hofstede or Trompenaars, we see apparent differences in long-term orientation and risk attitude between countries. Based on that, we would expect German companies, for example, to take more time to trust than Dutch ones. Yet you regularly hear German entrepreneurs complain about the slow pace in the Netherlands.
Want to make your comparison with countries of your choice? Have a look at https://geerthofstede.com/country-comparison-bar-charts/
What transpires? As soon as things become cross-border, expectations change. Germans experience Dutch decision-making as slow. Often shaped by a history of crises, Ukrainian companies have even less patience. They have to move forward, driven by necessity. In a recent podcast with Ukrainian entrepreneur Dmytro Svyets, this became clear: where they see speed as a survival strategy, we in the Netherlands demand more time and diligence.
French people also see themselves as efficient, but they get frustrated by the “slow” pace here. Every country has its ideal image of how fast things should go. As soon as that clashes with someone else’s practice, irritations mount. We lose patience, just when trust is still fragile.
Trust in the sales funnel: where does it go wrong?
If we accept that trust is the basis of collaboration, it makes sense to recalibrate the entire sales funnel accordingly. What steps do you take? Where do you use your local glasses? And more importantly, where do you go too fast?
You often see sales and marketing functioning as two separate worlds. Cooperation is essential precisely in the first steps of the funnel. Salespeople are close to the customer, hearing what is happening and their doubts. By sharing these insights with marketing, campaigns and leads can better connect with the customer’s reality.
Due to the nature of the service or product, for example, if a journey takes a long time, there is a risk that the customer’s attention will wane or that a competitor will squeeze in. In such a situation, communication is crucial. Newsletters, white papers, or other content can help if well-timed and personally relevant.
No confidence from a machine
Marketing automation offers useful tools in this regard, but it also has risks. Imagine: you are in the middle of a good conversation with a potential customer, and suddenly, they receive a generic, automated email. The carefully built trust suddenly takes a blow. Especially in an advanced stage, you don’t want a standard message but personal contact.
As the saying goes, trust comes on foot and goes on horseback. This is especially true in a cross-border context.
Take your time, and give it too.
Trust is not a product you can sell. It is a process, a feeling. And it requires something scarce in many commercial environments: time and attention. But those who do give that time and attention reap lasting relationships.
Whether working with French, German, Ukrainian, or just clients in your country, it helps to let go of your pace. Look closely at the other person, listen, and adapt where necessary because only then will that signature come—maybe not today, but in a way that sticks.
And how about making time for trust?
Let’s start the conversation because every collaboration starts with trust, and trust can’t be forced. No matter where you work with your lovely customers, whether in Germany, Ukraine, or the UK, the most important thing is to pay attention and understand each other. But where do you even begin when there are different speeds and expectations? Don’t worry, this article is just the start of a significant conversation within your organisation.
Hey, why not get your colleagues in marketing and sales together with you? You could all look at your sales funnel together and see which steps can make the difference in your next project. And where can you better nurture the trust of your customers, as with your colleagues, whether they are across the border or just around the corner? If you’re curious about how to apply these insights in your practice, I’m here to help. Or maybe you’d like to chat about international communication, cultural differences or how to bring sales and marketing closer together? You are welcome to get in touch.