Sinead Hasson
When market research agencies expand overseas, little is more important than getting the right people on the ground from the start. The digital age has torn down many of the geographic borders that used to govern how quickly consumer trends spread between countries and markets, making the business of obtaining in-depth, up-to-the-minute insights into local market dynamics more important and more time sensitive than ever. Today’s agencies need to get it right from day one, since many brands no longer have time to wait while their preferred agency beds in overseas. Striking the right balance between international experience and local market sensitivity is fundamental to delivering first-time success, not only in client servicing but also in team management and business development.
Is there a formula for success? Some agencies search for a senior figure who wants to move back home. Others opt for a trusted internal counterpart seeking a new challenge overseas. Many scour the local expat community or embark on a mission to find and hire home grown talent. What is certain is that recruitment decisions made at this time will have a direct bearing on the success of future operations and, above all, should not be made lightly.
Leveraging existing leadership
Exporting leadership ‘from within’ has many advantages. These individuals are already ambassadors and can work to replicate the firm’s unique brand identity and value proposition internationally. They will also have the trust of organisation’s leadership; a vital attribute if they are to act with sufficient autonomy to establish a foothold in a new market.
But there are drawbacks too. Unless this individual is a national of the intended country, it is unlikely that they will have the required market knowledge and affinity with local business practices that are needed to hit the ground running. To plug this gap, they will need local support, and fast.
If a consultancy doesn’t have a prime internal candidate for permanent secondment, a tiered approach can provide a workable alternative. Depending on location, a three-weeks-there, two-weeks-at-home arrangement can also yield positive results. The need for permanent relocation is avoided and the time spent at ‘at home’ can be used to ensure the consultancy’s core leadership remains tightly integrated with developments overseas. What’s more, the tiered structure of the role may elicit wider interest in the position from the firm’s existing pool of leaders, widening the number of trusted candidates from which to choose.
The quest for consistency
Consistency in service quality, adherence to established processes and a commitment to emulating the firm’s corporate culture all strongly contribute to a firm’s chances of success overseas. With this in mind, relying on new individuals to establish a foreign presence can quickly steer a new office in a very different direction. Ultimately, this may not be to the consultancy’s detriment (new ideas and leadership styles can refresh just as easily as they can disrupt), but it is a risk nonetheless. Global brands seeking international programmes value a consistent and coordinated service experience, so an externally recruited leader in a new overseas office will be under pressure to get to grips with both company’s existing corporate norms and the dynamics of their new market. Here again, the rapid provision of local support will be essential to success.
Establishing a local profile
Indeed it is a rare to encounter a circumstance when recruiting local as well as international talent won’t help to strengthen an overseas team. Finding the right local candidates is the biggest challenge. Some markets, where the MR industry is both established and sophisticated, will produce an abundance of first rate home grown candidates, but this certainly isn’t the case everywhere. In some developing countries, where MR is still gaining a foothold, importing talent from neighbouring markets may prove to be the most workable solution. In the long-term, however, nurturing locally recruited individuals through training and mentorship is likely to produce the best results.
Some developed markets, such as Singapore and Hong Kong, have low levels of unemployment, making recruitment a competitive business. In these countries, networking at industry events will be useful for building a contacts book, but is unlikely to uncover the best talent the market has to offer, purely because it is so limited in its reach. Encouraging senior management to establish a clear programme of recruitment and personal development from the start (or as early as is feasible) is a far more powerful a recruitment strategy and holds the long-term key to attracting those that show real promise, and retaining staff that are already adding value to the business. Promoting integration with the wider firm should be considered an essential component of this programme and can deliver a range of benefits, from greater employee satisfaction and alignment with overall corporate culture, to the embodiment of international MR skills and adherence to company-wide best practices.
Becoming locally attuned to market trends in employment packages and work place benefits is another prerequisite for building a successful team. Specialist recruitment consultancies and regional industry bodies can offer guidance for new employers, helping them to assemble an offer that is both competitive and reflective of the expectations of local candidates.
Cultural prudence pays dividends
It is news to no-one that working practices differ greatly from country to country. European offices tend to be open plan and non-hierarchical. In certain parts of the US, however, a director may be less comfortable sitting with their team as, historically, professional status has been more directly reflected in office layout. When setting up in a new market, a choice must be made. Either adopt the local working practices, or retain the culture of the head office and encourage adherence from local staff. Naturally some concessions (in both directions) must be made in order to establish a productive blend of cultures and when conducted respectfully, the whole process can provide a great vehicle for pulling a multinational team together. Mutual acknowledgement and celebration of cultural variances can greatly dispel awkwardness and reticence between team members of different origins, leading to a more unified and productive working environment. That said, all such activities must be viewed through the lens of client-servicing to ensure that any operational departures from the norm are not incongruous with the firm’s overall approach.
As with any substantial corporate venture, moving overseas requires many important decisions to be made in a short period of time. Not all the right calls will be made, but by developing a sound understanding of local employment law and taking the time to select the most appropriate candidates for both the leadership and support staff positions, a firm can at least make sure it gets off on the right foot. A sustained effort to establish a strong and culturally attuned employer brand should follow if the business is to be sustained in the medium to long term.
Commercial opportunity will always dictate the pace at which an MR firm expands internationally, but it will be those consultancies that have the wherewithal to pause and conduct their own research into the cultural, legal and professional dynamics of their intended market which will have the smoothest ride. Ultimately, MR consultancy is an industry dependent on its people, so success really does hinge on preparation and research; something that the key decision makers really ought to have mastered by the time they are faced with the prospect of going global.
Sinead Hasson is Founder and Managing Director of Hasson Associates
