When Ken, my business partner from the States, came over to London recently, it struck me just how different the British and Americans are when it comes to expectations of service.
Every Briton visiting the US for the first time is amazed by the service culture that exists there. You simply get much, much more for your money. I remember my first experience having breakfast in a diner. I'd ordered pancakes, bacon, eggs, etc, but when a steaming basket full of muffins was placed in front of me I told the waitress she'd made a mistake. "Oh no Honey," she said, "these are just to keep you going." Well, if I'd eaten all the muffins I'd have had no hope of eating anything else! Such is the American way of life.
For the American visiting Britain then, the difference must come as a shock. Everything - cars, hotel rooms, your dinner - is half the size, yet twice the price. But that's not all. Those tasked with helping you - waiters, shop assistants and so forth - can seem taken aback by the American expectations. Ken is no different in this regard than your average US businessman, but watching him deal with various service personnel, I had to smile. Both parties, equally eager to get things right, often looked utterly confused about how they should interact with each other. And this is in London, a city used to visitors from across the Atlantic.
There's a big lesson in here for British and American businesses seeking transatlantic expansion. It's not as simple as offering more in the US and less in the UK. There are many subtleties in culture and the expectations this creates can be difficult to comprehend. To know what to ask for and when, what's appropriate, when to shut-up, when to shout-up - all these things are essential for smoothing the course and avoiding costly errors. Only a local can give you the answers.
Ken and I, an American and a Brit, help companies to understand and navigate these differences. This extends beyond our own marcoms business into advice about legal, financial, sales, HR, property - you name it. It's not that we have all the answers of course, but we know the people who do - people experienced in working with their transatlantic cousins.
