#workhabit

Since yesterday, my office was welcoming a foreign lawyer from japan. He will be a foreign counsel in my office therefore now he came to Indonesia to look around.

This time I would like to give some advice about tips to work with a foreigner or foreign company.

Sometimes, many difficulties happened with us when we are going to collaborate with them. Here i describe the difficulties and the solutions based on my experiences.

For your understanding, i will use both language, bahasa and english.

1. Language Yes, sometimes language could be a matter for you who can speak mother language (bahasa ibu) of your foreign colleguage. Then, english will be the best choice to be used as our intermediary.

But the problem is how about if the foreigner could not speak english neither.. The best choice, use translator.

Sometimes some japanese could not explain using english very well. They grammar and they vocabulary sometimes not understandable.

Important: if you didnt understand what he/she talking about, explain to him back about your understanding of the matter in a simple word. Explain in 1 sentence and never use uncommon words.

When you didnt understand a word use google translate, sederet.com or dictionary will help you.

Experience: i use to reply one by one after they question. I retype the question and then put my answer or comment under the question. Reply as simple as u can.

Every foreigner sometimes has different skill in speaking. Western people sometimes more flexible. They sometimes ignore the grammar.

Thank god my japan colleguage could speak english very well, so we easily understand his intention.

2. Needs (kepentingan) As we know foreigner would like to be felt satisfied and be pleasured with our response.

Related to language skill, the more we understand his words, the more we understand his needs.

Never show too much he need us. Be polite and collaborative colleguage.

Terkadang, orang asing pengen merasa mereka adalah prioritas, ketika kita mendapat klien asing, jgn pernah mengabaikan setiap keinginan klien dan komitmen kerja ketika kita setelah ada hubungan kerja sm dia.

Experience: When we could not deliver our work on time, tell him. Explain to him what is your problem in doing the work.

In the day of deadline, tell him and ask some more time.

Never underestimate time. Because even he never complaining, it does not mean he okay. Maybe he will be pleasure with the “result of your work", but he will dissapointed with “the way you work".

So be frankly to them. Be honest, ask for help.

My japanese colleguage is very helpfull. He was nice, and briefly in speaking. I ever work with him when I processed his visa and working permit.

I always be frankly and up date every information related to him.

3. Time zone

We never have matter if the different time zone only 1 or 2 hours with the client.

But how bout if the difference is more then 8 hours. It is ber frustating sometimes. Really. I ever got a client who has 12 hours differences.

Emailing

Experience: when you are going to emailing them. Choose the right time of them. Always consider the time the possible to read our mail. For example:

Singapore (indonesia 1 hour behind singapore time Zone): not to difficult.

If this is an important message, please consider their time sleep or if it is a company, consider their office hours.

Japan as well the singapore time zone. it is only 2 hours behind. It does mot have a much difference. Actually, they always 24 hours in replying email. So be ready guys.

America or europe: more than 6 hours behind. Always email on their work day. We have to adapt with them even we actually tired, replying email in the middle of night will not kill you.

They’s thought is they pay you, they want a quick response and accurate.

Conference call

To be honest, client always want us be adapted with them not vice versa.

Therefore, when you are going to arrange a meeting using conference call. Always advice a time that comfort them and use their local time zone. (You do not want make your client busy searching for the time differences between you and them, right?)

Experience: i usually ask for his or her confirmation on time meeting. For example: “How about on 12pm JST (japan standard time) or you have proposed time?" Or “how about on 8 am EDT (eastern daylight time) or you have proposed time?" (For usa client)

FYI, mostly, USA using EST in the winter and EDT during summer.

Thats why always ask where is he or she or the company located now. So u can measure the time.

Never show to the client that timezone is a big rock.

Always ask their available time, so you can manage your schedule. But if it is not match with your time, make it easy for them. Give 2 hours behind or afterward of their available time.

Once you have meet the time, be dicipline. Never let them down. When you cannot reach them, email them, inform them that you cannot reach them.

But when you cannot make it, inform them 1 hour before the time. Or at least 30 minutes before the arranged meeting call. So you can reschedule.

But make less reschedule, sometimes it is annoying if we often reschedule meeting.

So, it is all about working with foreigner. If I have another tips, i will post it. Hope this will help you. Lets show to foreigner that indonesian are professional.