What impression do you think the international sales manager made on the purchasing manager?
The international sales manager has set his mind that going to Sweden is just another usual business trip or contract to be secured. Thus, there is no homework made by the international sales manager on the business arrangement even though he just has little understanding and knowledge about Swedish way of doing business. The international sales manager does not understand or try to adapt to Swedish ways of doing business, so there is no arrangement or appointment made with the Swedish firm before he arrived in Gothenburg. He also thought that the purchasing manager make the business decision based on relationship and will make the business decision alone, thus he had chosen a table with only two seats when the purchasing manager agreed to meet him for 10 minutes in the café. He tries to take things slowly and to spend time forging a good relationship and showing what he could do, but this situation did not suit him at all because the purchasing manager came to the café along with four other people.
When the international sales manager has finally had the meeting setup with the purchasing sales manager, he is expecting a quick decision made by the purchasing manager during the meeting. He does not expect that he will have to make his presentation to no fewer than 12 people and also does not expect the purchasing manager to lead the Swedish team to debate about the business arrangement. Other than that, the international sales manager also feels that the purchasing manager is rude, direct and aggressive, unfriendly and no sense of humor. Reason being is the purchasing manager initially rejected his dinner offer with a single word
– “No”. The purchasing manager also did not seem to be happy to talk when the international sales manager tried to steer the conversation in the direction of the order. There were long periods of silence during the dinner, and the purchasing manager often appeared disinterested and aloof. In addition, the international sales manager also has difficulty to read the Swede’s body language.
Due to the little understanding of Swedish culture which put more emphasis on the written than the spoken word and prefers to follow up things in writing, therefore the international sales manager was shocked when the purchasing manager asked him to email him all the points that he had brought up during the dinner.