제이륜국제성공(第二轮国际成功): 일개안례연구(一个案例研究)

International Success the Second Time Around: A Case Study

这是一家私人, 第三代家族拥有的公司, Boom Technologies 公司(BTI). 对电力设施提供产品和服务的供应商, 通信和承包商的市场,不断进步的出口. 尽管在2008年出口销售只占总收入的5%, BTI已形成了一个完整的出口部门. 他们的出口部门的执行董事揭示了一家私营公司的试验和错误以及他们对成功的海外市场的疑问. 自成立以来, BTI始终相信它最大的资产是它的雇员. 当出口销售因为缺乏战略和方向而挣扎时, BTI为其出口部门雇了一位董事总经理. 在BTI总裁和总经理的领导下, 他们很好的利用了这个部门的技能和知识. 为向海外扩展他们的市场份额, 增加出口销售他们进行了机构调整. 结果就是, 出口销售增加了4倍, 国家的地区经理增加了, 同时成功养成了分销渠道网络. 有时, 由于公司的结构, 收入形成很难决定. 因此, 在1996年, 出口部门重组为有限责任公司. 这使得公司改进收入和费用. 最初, 80%的BTI出口销售来自两个国家;因此,最初在海外出售的方法并没有达到预期目标. 然而, 所做的修改, 使得现在公司 经营, 销售超过80个国家. 总经理指出主要有三个出口扩张挑战 1. 产品和船运—BTI主要障碍是产品装配. 最初, 大多数的产品被聚集在美国, 这增加了运输包装费用. 有这么多的部分指定订购, 很多次定的东西到的时候有些零部件都丢失了. 失踪的零件价值上万美元. 装运这些失踪的部分也花费成千上万的美元, 外加一个延迟交货时间六到八周, 所有的费用都由BTI出. 2. 产品适应—在BTI80个出口国家中, 每个国家的安全, 产品标准都不同. 重量, 特殊证, 产品的规格要求, 测量系统的稳定性, 卡车都会因国别而不同. 作为一种准入障碍,以致很难使产品适应. 技术和安全标准的障碍, 作为一种保护国内产业的方法, 可以阻碍成功的进入外国市场 3. 市场的挑战—分销的重要性给BTI带来了很多挑战,因为他们试图根据他们的分销系统来确定每个国家如何操作. 有些国家已经从一个小的竞争对手, 只生产一种具有竞争力的产品而极具竞争力. 而BTI制造超过100种的产品. 营销资料是另一个BTI所关心的, 因为他们试图对经销商推动销售成本. 从翻译和文化差异的角度, 合适的市场营销资料可能会花费很多. 此外, 美国的纸张大小不同于别的一些国家, 当试图复制相同的布局和设计时, 就会出现许多问题. 分销已经成为BTI所面临的挑战之一, 公司宣称他们的分销网络是他们的竞争优势之一, 因为他们的分销商的位置和名字都是保密的. 另外, BTI每年有两次奉献: 培训分销商一年, 另一个是分销商会议. 产品, 航运, 产品适应性, 营销这些挑战,这些海外市场错综复杂需要时间和耐心. 另一个竞争优势是BTI的摇篮到坟墓的策略, 他们遵循产品销售到它的最终安息地, 无论卡车是出租或购买新的或用过的. 他们对该公司购买或租赁之前的产品都提供服务和设备维护计划和一份详细的费用分析. 扩大海外总是会面临挑战. 如总经理说, "如果你没有耐心(出口业务), 你最好做别的事." 知道如何快速适应提供必要的技能, 适应每个国家的不同需求, 以及独特的挑战, 使他们能够保持竞争力.

A privately held, third generation family owned company, Boom Technologies, Inc. (BTI), a provider of products and services to the electric utility, telecommunications and contractor markets, continues to make progress in exporting. Although export sales only equaled 5% of total revenue in 2008, BTI has an entire export division. Their export division's Managing Director reveals the trial and errors of a privately held company and their quest for success overseas. From its inception, BTI has always believed its greatest asset is its employees. When export sales struggled due to lack of strategy and direction, BTI hired a Managing Director for its export division. With leadership and guidance from BTI's president and from the Managing Director, they utilized the department's skills and knowledge. Structural changes were made to expand their market presence abroad and increase export sales. As a result, export sales increased four-fold, area managers in new countries were added and distribution networks were successfully cultivated. At times, revenue generation was difficult to determine due to the structure of the company. Therefore, in 1996, the export division was restructured as a limited liability company. This allowed the company to improve the tracking of revenue and expenses. Originally, 80% of BTI's export sales came from two countries; therefore, the initial approach to selling overseas was not reaching their anticipated goals of expanding their foreign market presence. However, changes were made and now the company manages the details of selling to over 80 countries. There were three major export expansion challenges noted by the Managing Director: 1. Product and Shipping - The major obstacle for BTI was product assembly. Originally, the majority of the product was assembled in the United States, which increased shipping and packaging costs. With so many parts specified in the order, many times the order would arrive with parts missing. The missing parts could equate to tens of thousands of dollars. Shipping these missing parts separately in another shipment also cost tens of thousands of dollar, plus a delivery delay time of six to eight weeks; all of which came out of the BTI's pockets. 2. Product Adaptation - Safety and product standards varied widely for each of the 80 countries to which BTI exported. Weights, special licenses, product specification requirements, measurement systems, and truck stability can all differ from country to country and can serve as a type of barrier to entry, making it difficult to adapt products accordingly. Technical and safety standards are barriers that serve as a type of protection for the local industry and can stand in the way of successfully pursuing foreign markets. 3. Marketing Challenges - The importance of distribution creates many challenges for BTI as they attempt to determine how each country prefers to operate with regard to their distribution systems. Some countries have competition from a small competitor that only produces one competing product; whereas BTI manufactures over 100 products. Marketing material is another concern for BTI as they attempt to push marketing costs to the distributors. Adapting the marketing material can be costly in terms of translation and cultural differences. In addition, the size of paper in the United States differs from those in some countries, causing many problems when attempting to copy the same layout and With distribution being one of several challenges for BTI, the company claims their distribution network is one of their competitive advantages, as the location and names of their distributors are not revealed. In addition, BTI rotates two offerings yearly: training to their distributors one year and then the next is a distributor's meeting. With a focus on product and shipping, product adaptation, and marketing challenges, the intricacies of selling overseas takes time and patience. Another competitive advantage noted is BTI's cradle to grave strategy, where they follow the product from sale to its final resting place, whether the truck is leased or purchased new or used. They also offer service and maintenance plans with a detailed cost analysis provided to the company prior to purchasing or leasing the product. Expanding abroad will always create challenges for a company. As the Managing Director stated, "If you don't have patience (in the export business), you better do something else." Knowing how to adapt quickly provides BTI with the skills necessary to adjust to the changing needs of each country and its own unique challenges, allowing them to remain competitive.