Business In America
The general manner in which Americans conduct business is unique to our culture; we get down to business right away, view time as money and are motivated by time-saving activities, equipment, and processes. What is an acceptable way of doing business in your home country may not work in the United States.
If your company has never done business in America, there will be much to learn about working with Americans, and it is possible that your American customers will need to learn how to work with a foreign company as well. Some important things to keep in mind are:
- America's business is conducted 24 hours per day; 365 days per year and your company must be prepared to meet these demands in order to be successful.
- American customers will tend to expect everything completed - - yesterday!
- Managers, plant personnel, engineers, or anyone else that you meet with today might be working for a new company, or be moved to a new position in the same company, tomorrow.
- Americans are generally not fluent in foreign languages.
- Many Americans have never made a phone call to a foreign country.
- The complexities of international shipments of equipment and parts, as well as an international wire transfer for payment of an invoice might cause problems that were never anticipated.
Don't worry, Techmark can help!
We can eliminate the confusion and concerns that arise from such a an important business decision, help develop a strategy for market entrance, and then assist your company every step of the way to begin laying the foundation for long-term success in the most lucrative marketplace in the world.
Techmark can provide an insider's insight into the American market, our business customs and practices, customers' expectations, the nuances of "American" English, and most importantly, what needs to be done to successfully enter the American market.
We know that penetrating the American market takes time, patience, resolve, persistence, and a great deal of planning. Unlike a representative agency or an equipment distributor that must sell product in a short period of time to achieve success, Techmark will make sure that your company has the opportunity to achieve success because we will guide, manage, train, and assist with your company's documentation, promotional materials, technical services, sales network, or any other aspect of your business to best serve the American marketplace. Techmark can give your company the advantage it needs to achieve long-term success.
Questions and Concerns Americans Will Have
American decision makers considering the purchase of products designed and manufactured outside the USA tend to have the same questions and concerns:
- Does the manufacturer have local (USA based) representation?
- Does the manufacturer have people in its organization that understand and can meet the demands of USA customers?
- Does the manufacturer have local service and support?
- Does the manufacturer offer 24 hour per day/ 7-days per week service and support?
- Will the people I contact from the manufacturer speak English?
- Does the manufacturer provide help with international equipment shipments?
- Are spare parts available locally?
- Will the documentation be complete and in English?
- Who will train my personnel and will that person speak English?
- Does the manufacturer have the proper insurance for its personnel entering my factories?
- Will the equipment comply with OSHA standards, state standards, and local standards for user safety?
- How will currency rate fluctuations affect the price of equipment?
Techmark = Success
Techmark has a history of success organizing the business of foreign manufacturers selling equipment designed and produced outside of the USA. From 1994 through 2003 we acted as the General Manager for Emmeti USA, a sales and service company for three Italian packaging machinery manufacturers (Emmeti SpA, Sipac SpA, Mectra SpA) based in Montecchio Emilia (RE), Italy. After 4 years of pioneering work, Techmark sold over USD 50 million of equipment in 5 years to customers in North America, South America, Australia, and the Caribbean.
The customer map shown on Clients/Customers page indicates the growth that Emmeti experienced due to Techmark's sales and marketing expertise in the USA. Let Techmark put its years of helping foreign manufacturers achieve success in America to work for your company!
Services for Companies Coming to America
- Business entity formation and coordination
- Forming a corporation based in the USA can be beneficial to the future growth of any non-USA based company, especially when dealing with issues related to American customers' perceptions, parts shipping, insurance, taxes, etc.
- Techmark will work with accounting and law firms to provide recommendations of the type of entity Corporation (C or S), Limited Liability Corporation (LLC), or Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) that a company should consider forming in the USA. Techmark will then provide oversight of entity formation by working with accounting and law firms and your company's personnel.
- We can help you select the proper service providers (long distance telephone, cell phone, internet access, shipping company, etc.) for your business.
- Business plan development
- Techmark will prepare a detailed business plan after meeting with your company's personnel and visiting you organization's facilities.
- Personnel coordination
- Techmark will work with your company to put personnel in place to grow and expand business.
- We will recommend positions that need to be in place for organizational success. Next, we will write job descriptions, work with sources to locate people to interview, interview applicants, and recommend potential hires.
- Techmark will provide recommended salary ranges for personnel that need to be hired and determine total estimated costs for each employee according to wages, expenses, benefits, taxes, etc, associated with each position.
- Recommend location of sales personnel in USA.
- Recommend and implement employee benefit plan.
- Recommend and implement employees' insurance policies.
- Marketing
- Develop corporate branding strategy so that customers in USA begin thinking of the organization as an American business partner.
- Reviewing all existing promotional and collateral materials and make recommendations regarding modifications and improvements needed to make the materials more appealing to the American market.
- Modify and improve marketing materials, and if required, work with advertising firm to produce required changes.
- Recommend the trade show(s) to attend and assist with trade show design and coordination.
- Managing and resolving insurance issues
- Techmark has experience with issues relating to the types of insurance required by customers in order to have an OEM's technicians enter a facility for installation. Techmark can work with insurance agencies to make certain that the correct insurance is in place to satisfy customer demands and minimize your company's liability exposure.
- Accounting oversight
- Techmark will work with an accounting firm to oversee accounting and tax issues affecting the organization and to minimize state and federal tax liability and to assure tax compliance.
- Work with accounting firm to oversee quarterly report preparation and transmittal.
- Work with accounting firm to oversee end of year financial statement and tax filing oversight.
- Legal issues oversight
- Techmark will work with a law firm to review and analyze legal documents and make certain to protect the interest of its client.
- Legal assistance is required for such issues as immigration questions, sales terms and conditions, customer agreements, sales contracts, etc.
- Planning for future growth
- Techmark will meet with your personnel on a quarterly basis to review business growth status and direction, including a review for adherence to business plan.
- Discuss future target customers and markets.
- Meet with your personnel as needed for planning sessions.
- Review of annual operating budget.
- Review costs and expenses and if possible propose methods to reduce costs and expenses.
- Translation assistance
- Techmark will work as needed to review and improve your company's written materials that are written by a person that does not speak English as their main language. Techmark will revise the document(s) as needed to make certain that the documents are actually in (American) English.
- Discussion with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM)
- Techmark's will contact OEMs to attempt to develop a working relationship (alliance) between your company and the OEMs that will lead to increased awareness of customer potential projects, and if possible to increased sales.