Good customer service means different things to different people. To ensure culturally sensitive service, become an active listener and watcher to gain insight into customers’ values and beliefs and to avoid cross cultural conflict and miscommunication.
Cultural identity influences the expectations and behaviors of both the customer and the service provider. Two important cultural influences on the customer service relationship are:
Power Distance
Power distance refers to how members of a culture expect and accept a hierarchical and unequal power distribution. In cultures with small power distance (e.g. US, Denmark, Australia, Israel) people relate to one another more as equals regardless of formal positions. In cultures with large power distance (e.g. China, Japan, India), power is based on formal, hierarchical positions.
One study showed low power distance cultures 1) had higher service quality expectations, and 2) were more willing to directly critique service. Low power distance service includes friendliness and being personal, which may be seen as inappropriate for customers from high power distance cultures.
Task-Focused or Relationship-Focused
Whether the customer’s culture is task- or relationship-focused also impacts customer service. Unlike relationship -based cultures that focus on building personal connections, task-based cultures prefer to complete tasks quickly. Good customer service is speedy and efficient.
Task/relationship orientation also influences how a customer reacts to recovery strategies for unacceptable service. According to the same study, an apology from the service providers for unacceptable service may be more appreciated in relationship-focused cultures than in task-focused cultures, where compensation (discount, etc.) is preferred.
Dear Lauren,
If I may ask, how have you attained your information?
I am presently working as a coach, consultant and advisor in the area of Cross Cultural and Global Communications.
A Canadian by birth, I have for the last 15 + years resided abroad – ( working & Living in Russia, Ukraine, Mexico, Turkey, Israel, Kurdistan Iraq, Spain, Italy, Greece, France, Brazil, England, Germany and the US ) I have as well travelled interminably over the years to more than 75+ countries for both business and pleasure.
Although I find that your analysis and theories bear some merit, I have found that on some levels they are a bit inaccurate.
In a professional environment, corporate attitudes have a lot more to do with how one chooses to be perceived by either the host or the hosted. Further the size of the transaction can as well in many instances dictate behavior patterns.
In many cultures it is not what is said but what is actually done that will be the deciding factor.
For this to be an appropriate analysis it should not speak so generally so as to provide inaccurate stereotyping which could for the newcomer can provide biased information leading to inappropriate behavior in a business or social setting.
More important than the country of origin where one is conducting business is ones ethnicity which will govern attitudes.
Israel is a perfect example for this. While many conduct business in an informal setting, they are very results oriented. Pleasantries are not a sign of acceptance nor are the lack of them a sign of indifference. Israelites from birth are far different than those who have migrated over the years. Today this country has many immigrants from Eastern Europe and from America whose work ethic cannot be compared and generalized as common cultural attitude when speaking about communications.
Russia is yet another country which has been vastly misrepresented and as such many have lost out on potential business endeavors.
It is generalities that cause horrific breakdowns in communication.
I certainly would like to see you present an analysis or study based not only on the country, but combined with ethnic origins, education and status in the community (financial as well as social)
Thank you for the opportunity to comment
Nina Rose Dolman
Ottawa, Ontario
NIMAR MANAGEMENT INC
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