• European Commission
• Languages
• Languages mean business
• SME's experience

SMEs' experience

Learn from these top-performing European SMEs how they improved sales by employing innovative language management strategies.

• Danfo AB - Sweden
• Evricom - Bulgaria
• FILC - Slovenia
• Golla Oy - Finland
• IKO Sales International - Belgium
• Kartographie Huber - Germany
• Nikwax® Ltd - England (UK)
• Steelpress - Poland
• Stenders - Latvia
• Tarmeko Spoon - Estonia

Danfo AB - Sweden

Danfo favours local agents and native speakers, preferring to have in-house knowledge of languages spoken in key markets wherever possible. In some cases where this is not possible, the company hires professional translators. Because the company's product is culturally specific, Danfo has also adapted the content of its website, each language version featuring content appropriate to that market.

Danfo's main export markets are the UK, Norway, Denmark, North America, Russia, Spain, Greece, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Evricom - Bulgaria

Each employee must speak at least English, but most speak two foreign languages. They use translation and interpretation services for correspondence, phone calls and negotiations. The company hires native speakers, as this creates confidence and increases the company's capability. It also uses local agents for language and cultural support. Evricom recognises the close relationship between website adaptation, language management strategies and successful sales.

The company's major export markets are Greece, Romania, Macedonia, Germany, Italy and Georgia.

FILC - Slovenia

FILC hires both native speakers and local agents for, among others, the Russian, Turkish and French markets. Each employee must have a command of at least two foreign languages, but professional translators and interpreters are also used. The company has benefited from a large network of partners (universities and educational organisations).

FILC's main market area is Germany, France, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark and Ireland.

Golla Oy - Finland

Golla talks to its customers in their native language. The company hires native speakers, keeps track of its employees' language skills and offers them training. Golla's offices in China, France, Germany and Japan are all managed by local native speakers.

The company language at Golla is English. Other used languages are for example Spanish, German, French, Russian, Japanese and Chinese.

IKO Sales International - Belgium

The company employs people by virtue of their language skills relative to their foreign markets as the company stringently follows the rule of communicating with its customers in their own language. Languages used: English, French, German, Slovak, Czech, Russian. Specific use of Slavic languages for the eastern European market is highlighted as critical. Languages have taught staff the importance of understanding different cultures. Cultural knowledge is very important, e.g. in the symbols the company uses and in the global marketing approach.

The main export markets are: Germany, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, France, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Italy and the UK.

Kartographie Huber - Germany

Many of Huber's export countries use both English and another language, therefore all employees must speak as a minimum English and another foreign language, and they can also receive further language training. In addition to hiring native speakers, using local agents in export countries has been a way to avoid language problems. The company has learned from intercultural problems and therefore given its staff intercultural training in the Russian, Hungarian, Spanish, Arabic and English-speaking cultures.

The company exports to numerous countries in Europe and worldwide.

Nikwax® Ltd - England (UK)

Nikwax's language strategy is very proactive: each part of manufacturing and exporting is analysed in terms of language and cultural barriers in order to avoid these. The company's export team consists of French, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Polish native speakers. Detailed cultural and economic background research is undertaken before visiting clients in foreign countries. Staff members speak two foreign languages, and local distributors are used in most of the export countries as well as in countries where the company is planning to expand. The company encourages personal development through training - each employee receives a £150 annual training subsidy.

Steelpress - Poland

Steelpress's staff members all speak one foreign language. They are encouraged to attend language and cultural training courses and to communicate with foreign trainees. The company also uses professional translators, native speakers and trainees for language issues. Local agents are hired to help out in new market areas and the website is adapted to different cultures.

Stenders - Latvia

Stenders employs native speakers and uses local agents, in addition to expecting its employees to know two foreign languages. It also offers its staff online language learning possibilities. The company website is culturally adapted and translated into 13 languages.

Stenders exports approximately 70% of its products to more than 20 destinations. Russia, Poland, China, Ukraine and Estonia are its main target countries.

Tarmeko Spoon - Estonia

Tarmeko aims to communicate in the client's own language at the beginning when establishing a business relationship, before perhaps communicating later in a lingua franca when moving on to more serious business negotiations. The company hires native speakers and uses local agents; it also offers online language courses to staff. The website has been adapted in four different language versions, with more still to come.