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How to Expand Your Business to Russia as a Foreigner

6th June 2023 Learn

Want to expand your business to Russia as a foreigner? You are in luck. Russia, the largest country in the world, is prime for new foreign investments. The country has massive untapped business potential, presenting your company an opportunity to enter the market. Here are some useful resources to help you enter the market successfully.

Expanding Your Business in Russia as a Foreigner

Entering your company in a new market, especially one in a different country, requires documentation and other essential processes like registering the business, finding an appropriate business name, and so on.

Here are a few helpful steps to guide you when expanding your business to Russia as a foreigner.

1. Get the Right Immigration Status

To be able to expand your business to Russia as a foreigner, you will need the appropriate immigration status. And so, it is important to check if your current immigration status allows you to start a business in Russia. If you do not have one yet, you will need to decide if you need a residency or work permit.

2. Decide How to Register Your Business

When expanding your business to Russia as a foreigner, you have the following options:

  • Register as an individual entrepreneur or sole proprietorship.
  • Register using a Branch or Representative Office (RO).
  • Establish a Russian Legal Entity as a —
    • Limited Liability Company
    • Partnership, or
    • Public or Private Joint Stock Company.

Decide on a Local Company Name

This is an important part of expanding your business to Russia as you want to make sure that your business name is available and not already in use. Additionally, you will need an address for your business when registering it.

4. Prepare Documentation

The Russian Legislation states that the founders of a business looking to open or expand to Russia will need the following documents:

  • Full company name as well as any abbreviations that may be used
  • Names and signatures of the founders
  • Amount of shareholder contributions plus the nature of these contributions
  • Business plan as well as rules of the company
  • Legal responsibilities

This process may differ based on the type of legal structure you choose to register your business under.

5. Register Your Business with the FTS

Next, register your business with the Federal Tax Service (FTS) by sending them the following documents:

  • Registration form with notarized signatures (R200)
  • Copies of foundation papers
  • Proof of legal status as the business founder
  • Receipt of state registration fee (R4000)

If your application is accepted, then your business will be registered for tax purposes and you will receive the following documents:

  • Certificate of State Registration
  • Tax Certificate
  • Tax ID number
  • Copy of foundation papers with the mark of the registering authority
  • Extract from the Common State Register of Legal Entities

6. Open a Bank Account

Opening a Russian bank account is the next important step in expanding your business to Russia as a foreigner. To open a business account, you will need:

  • Notarized copy of signatures for the account (R200)
  • Documents confirming the identity and authority of the signatures on the account
  • Tax Certificate
  • Russian business license
  • Founding papers

7. Get a Russia Phone Number

Next on the agenda is to get a Russian phone number. You can purchase Russian numbers from a virtual phone service provider like Global Call Forwarding. Russia toll free numbers will give locals within Russia the option to call your business for free, no matter where you are located. Local Russia numbers let them call you for regular local calling charges.

Investing in Russian phone numbers will help you get in touch with locals, business contacts, and institutions as you prepare to move your business to Russia and build local networks. Have calls routed to any number or location of your choice with international call forwarding.

8. Advertising & Promote Your Business

Finally, you can start promoting your business as an international business. Consider using international SEO and digital and social media advertising to boost your business’ international visibility.

Get Russia Phone Numbers with Global Call Forwarding

We offer business numbers for companies looking to expand globally without dramatically increasing their phone bills. You can enjoy advanced communication features such as creative routing strategies, call recording, and more to improve customer service. Sign up today or speak with one of our global specialists to learn more!

Related: Understanding the Different Types of Telephone Numbers in Russia

Understanding the Different Types of Telephone Numbers in Russia

27th October 2020 International Business, Learn

Want to learn more about the different types of Russian phone numbers available? In this post, we detail the different Russian phone number types and uses.

Different Types of Telephone Numbers in Russia

Russia has a variety of phone number types with different purposes that range from free calling to mobile to emergency special numbers. The country dialing code for Russia is (+7) and the trunk prefix is (8).

If you plan to do business in Russia, then understanding the difference between numbers types proves necessary. Russia uses an open dialing plan with four levels for local, zone, country, and international.

Russian phone numbers are administered by the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media. They are under a unified numbering plan with Kazakhstan.

Let’s look at the different types of phone numbers, their format, and how to get a Russian telephone number.

1. Russian Local Numbers

Russian local numbers or geographic Russian numbers are phone numbers most commonly used by local businesses and residents. Individuals using these numbers incur local calling charges. Local numbers have a distinct area code for the region they are assigned to. For example, you can get local Russian numbers for the following major Russian cities with these area codes:

  • Moscow (495)
  • Omsk (3812)
  • Saratov (8452)
  • St Petersburg (812)

The format for Russian geographic numbers is: 8 (area code) xxx-xx-xx

As a business, you can get a Russian local number from a virtual provider even if you are not located in Russia. You can have incoming calls routed to your office, situated anywhere in the world. Locals call a local number which then gets forwarded internationally to you. This gives local Russians an inexpensive way to connect with your business, even if it is overseas.

russia toll-free numbers

2. Russian Toll Free Numbers

Toll free Russian numbers work like any toll free number: they are free for Russian locals to call. The toll free prefix used is (800). This means that businesses, customers, leads, vendors, etc., can call your business from within Russia for free. Again, virtual providers will give you the opportunity to use a toll free Russia phone number from outside the country. Therefore, if you want to expand your business to this country but don’t want to move there, you can still offer sales and customer support through toll free numbers.

The format for toll free Russian numbers is: 8 (800) xxx-xx-xx

3. Russian Mobile Numbers

Russian mobile numbers starting with prefixes (939) or (958) are mobile numbers with SMS capabilities. That means that these numbers can receive instant messages. Using mobile numbers can help your business offer SMS as an alternative to phone calls, increasing accessibility.

The format for Russian mobile numbers is: 8 (939) xxx-xx-xx

4. Russian Special Numbers

Russian special numbers are emergency numbers for local Russian residents, such as:

  • 101 – Fire brigade
  • 102 – Police
  • 103 – Ambulance
  • 104 – Gas service
  • 112 – General emergency
  • 107 – Directory assistance, Rostelecom
  • 109 – Directory assistance (free, limited info)
  • 009 – Directory assistance in Moscow
  • 100 – Talking clock in Moscow
  • 115 – Info on electronic government services

How to Get a Russian Phone Number

To get a Russian telephone number, simply sign up on our homepage. We offer Russian virtual numbers, toll free numbers, and mobile numbers. You can also get a universal toll free number (UIFN) that includes Russia, among other countries. To sign up or learn more, call us at 1 (888) 908 6171 or chat with our global experts online today!

How to Start a Business in Mexico as a Foreigner

20th August 2020 International Business, Learn

Starting a business in a new country can be intimidating and confusing when you don’t know where to start. If you are looking to expand your company to Mexico or start a business in Mexico as a foreigner, here are some useful resources to help you enter the market successfully.

Starting a Business in Mexico as a Foreigner

When starting a business in a new country, there are a few things you need to pay attention to. For example, registering your business, tax information, business phone numbers, marketing to locals, and more.

Here are a few helpful steps to guide you when starting a business in Mexico as a foreigner.

1. Decide on a Company Name

First, choose a name for your company. Research local company names to get a sense of the way locals name their business. Then, find one that is most suitable for your business. Keep local slang in mind and consider the use of translation.

2. Create a Deed of Incorporation

Next, draw up a Deed of Incorporation; that is a deed for business entities. To do so, you will need a notary public. You may work with a Corredor Público, a type of attorney that specializes in deed formation. You can register your business as a:

  • Sociedad Anónima de Capital Variable S.A. de C.V. — a regular corporation
  • Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada S. de R.L. — an LLC
  • Sociedad Civil, S.C. — an LLC or PC, or
  • Asociación Civil, A.C. — a non-profit

When signing the Deed of Incorporation, ensure you have the following:

  • All owners are present and mentioned in the Deed
  • Owners’ Identification — official ID for Mexicans; passports and proof of legal presence for foreigners
  • CURP number (like an SSN)
  • RFC number (tax ID)
  • Proof of address

3. Register the Business

You must register your business with the National Business Information Registry (SIEM). Then, register its address by obtaining a Domicilio Fiscal — a registered address. This is the location where you will receive notifications from the government and carry out your business operations. Lastly, you will also need to register with the Mexican Tax Authorities (SAT) through any of their local offices or online.

4. Register with the Foreign Investment Register

An important part of starting a business in Mexico as a foreigner is registering with the Foreign Investment Register. If the owner is a foreigner without a permanent address status, then they have to register here.

5. Get a Mexico Phone Number

Next on the agenda is getting a Mexico phone number. Virtual phone service providers like Global Call Forwarding can help you get Mexico virtual phone numbers so you can get started on your business from wherever you are located. We offer Mexico toll free numbers and Mexico local numbers for different locations within the country.

Mexico toll free numbers let local Mexican residents contact your business for free while local Mexico numbers charge callers local calling rates. You can have these calls forwarded to any number or location of your choice. This way, even before you open field offices in Mexico, you can start communicating with locals through these numbers by having calls forwarded to your office or smartphone wherever you are located.

6. Start Advertising & Marketing

Finally, once you have your business registered, you can start advertising and promoting your business and its products and services. You can use international SEO, paid advertising, social media advertising, as well as promoting your business in local directories, etc.

Get Mexico Numbers with Global Call Forwarding

We offer business phone numbers for companies looking to expand locally and globally. Our plans come with advanced virtual communication features that help with call management and improve productivity within the office. To learn more, speak with one of our experts today!

11 Global Expansion Best Practices to Enter New Markets

30th July 2020 International Business, Tips

Is global expansion on your next business meeting agenda? Any business aiming for success will consider entering the global market at some point. This is because expanding beyond your immediate location can help increase sales and credibility. But how do you make such a big decision and ensure it doesn’t fail? Here are some best practices and tips to consider when going global in 2021.

11 Global Expansion Best Practices to Enter New Markets

Considering global expansion for any business can seem like a daunting task. However, there are plenty of tools and resources available to make this transition as smooth as possible. Here we outline best practices to consider when expanding internationally. These practices are divided into different stages:

  • Planning
  • Presence
  • Follow-Through

Stage A: Planning

The first step to any business’s global business expansion strategy is thorough planning. This includes choosing which countries to target and how to go about targeting them.

1. Which Markets to Target
Conduct market research and gather data and intelligence that can help you determine which regions are prime for your business. Create new buyer personas and study different demographics. Research customer behavior, preferences, patterns, and local trends. Consider: what is the demand for your product and purchasing power of your buyer persona?

2. How to Target New Markets
You can start small by test-selling specific products or services in these markets to see how they respond. You may even consider using research and small business tools made available by the governments in those areas.

3. How to Offer Sales and Support in These Markets
Open lines of communication between your main office and the new areas you want to target. Common options include contact forms, live chat on the website, social media accounts, and local phone numbers. This way, you can sell and provide follow the sun service to entities located in these new markets.

4. International Payment Methods
An important aspect of global expansion is to make processes easy for customers and clients in different states and countries. One of these processes includes setting up international payment methods. In order to decide which payment methods are useful, you will need to research the local buyers’ preferred methods. Additionally, ensure that this payment method has a reputation for security and is credible.

Stage B: Presence

Now, once you’ve decided which markets to enter, the next step in global expansion is creating and maintaining a local presence in these markets.

5. Global Marketing with Partnerships
Start by establishing connections and partnerships with local experts and business contacts. A local partner that has access to the right network of customers, employees, and contacts will prove beneficial. This way, you can quickly enter the market, access the right audience, and create your local presence. You may also consider starting on existing online marketplaces like eBay, Amazon, etc. You can test the demand and make the necessary changes before you start selling with full force.

6. International SEO
Next, you want to optimize your online presence with international SEO strategies. International SEO is like geo-targeting where you’re optimizing your website for different countries and languages. It helps search engines identify the countries you want to target. Then it provides the tools to support your marketing efforts. For example, it may offer different languages you may use or show users local results before international results, etc.

7. Global Sales Development
Now it’s time to start making calls. Once you’ve got your partnerships set up and your website optimized for different markets, the next step is to increase brand visibility and awareness in these local markets. To do so, you can use phone sales. A business phone service can support your sales development strategy by letting you call your local, long-distance, and international customers. Furthermore, you can use international SIP trunks in order to display a local phone number instead of a number they don’t recognize. This way, you can establish connections virtually while taking your time with opening a field office.

Stage C: Follow-Through

Once you’ve got your markets ready and have partnerships and communications set-up, the next step in global expansion is to start making sales and offering customer support. There are a few different ways you can do this. The best way is to buy international virtual numbers and talk to your business contacts over the phone. Here are the most important tools to consider.

8. International Toll Free Service
An international toll free number is a toll free number for different countries. In other words, each country has designated toll free numbers that customers from within this country can call for free. Global Call Forwarding is the most trusted provider of international toll free numbers. Your business can get international toll free numbers for each country that you want to do business in.

9. 24/7 Customer Support
Another important global expansion best practice is to offer 24/7 customer support on different channels. This includes phone, email, live chat, SMS, trouble tickets, and more. You can offer after-hours service by developing an efficient automated self-service system that resolves common queries. Most commonly, businesses will facilitate global customer support using an ITFS number. Customer support is often handled by workers in remote locations and different time zones.

9. Regional Offices and Infrastructure
Ultimately after reaching global revenue targets, your business will need to open regional offices and colocation centers. Regional offices will host local staff in each region. In addition, your critical infrastructure will be hosted at colocation centers. You can find co-working spaces and regional data centers by doing a quick search online.

10. Local Phone Numbers
Local numbers have specific area codes that distinguish them from other areas. Local calls are charged local rates instead of long-distance rates. This is why businesses choose to get a local business number so local customers can contact them without any hesitation. When it comes to driving international growth in 2021, convenience is more important than ever. Your business should aim to provide a convenient experience as part of your follow-through.

11. Universal Freephone Numbers
A UIFN is a single, universal toll free number accessible from 45 different countries. However, this list of countries is predetermined and cannot be altered. If most of the countries you want to do business with fall under this list, then you search for a UIFN to streamline your inbound calls.

Start By Setting Up International Communications

We at Global Call Forwarding can set you up with local, international, and toll free numbers to get your international communication taken care of. Start by signing up for our global inbound service or porting your existing number on our homepage. For more information, call us at 1 (888) 908 6171.

Best Sales Strategy for an International Finance Bank

5th August 2019 Learn, Tips

Do you work as part of the marketing department for an international finance bank? Whether you’re employed by a national finance company or corporation bank, boosting sales through optimized advertising is key. 

In this guide, however, we won’t be talking about the typical ways of increasing the number of leads through having a well-honed sales team. Nor will we cover the in’s and out’s of crafting clever advertising that gets results. Instead, we will take a look at a relatively simple concept: how virtual phone numbers can impact the success of your international finance bank. 

How Virtual Phone Numbers can be Beneficial for your International Finance Bank

Virtual phone numbers have been evolving with the latest developments of telecom and modern computing. Thanks to their enhanced functionality over traditional communication solutions by phone, virtual phone numbers can greatly benefit your international finance bank.

Broad Access

While we live in a modern era of telecommunication, not every caller can reach your international finance company. By accommodating every customer regardless of their ability to communicate from outside of their country by phone, you exponentiate your sales results. 

The best way to remove barriers of communication is by incorporating virtual phone numbers in your business model. Virtual phone numbers enable callers to call your international finance bank without incurring long distance fees and service blockages – two factors that can influence how likely a customer is to transact with you.

Professionalism

Businesses that deal within finance can’t afford to appear out-of-step with technology – particularly if your competitors are dedicated to appearing more professional. By using toll free phone numbers, your international finance bank gains two advantages of professionalism: First, your organization pays for each call made to the number. Second, numbers with a toll free prefix immediately impart a professional aesthetic that customers associate with high-volume professional enterprises. 

Selecting Your Target Markets

Being able to directly call your leads and prospects with outbound calling is a pivotal sales strategy. However, you’re probably aware that broad cold-calling campaigns can bring less-than-stellar results. The secret lies in narrowing the scope of your intended target market by appealing directly to your potential customer. How? With local access numbers from Global Call Forwarding. 

Global Call Forwarding offers virtual phone numbers in over 140+ countries around the world, with innumerable cities and regions included. This means that your international finance bank can target hyper-specific target markets with virtual phone numbers that have the same country/area codes customers are familiar with. This aids in the localization process, particularly when your customer base may only want to do business with domestic entities – or organizations that they perceive as “local.” 

Virtual Offices

The days of having multiple branch offices spread out around the world are no longer necessary. Thanks to the advent of “virtual offices,” customers simply aren’t required to handle their business in-person. Virtual offices are simply a method of approximating the same level of service that a brick & mortar location offers by leveraging Internet-based technologies. 

This is especially true for big-name corporation banks and national finance corporations. Customers that want to open up accounts and get loans at these institutions can do so without stepping foot inside a brick & mortar location. Of course, speaking to your international finance bank’s representatives directly over the phone is still an important part of doing business. And virtual phone numbers are the key to driving sales and taking care of customer concerns, all in one solution. 

Sales Strategy for International Bank
Source: Stockphoto.com – O#100204681922ID#100186088462

 The Best Virtual Phone Numbers for your International Finance Bank

As you’re probably wondering, what makes Global Call Forwarding such a great service provider for international finances banks? Especially when there are literally hundreds of companies offering what appears to be the same basic service, Global Call Forwarding sets its service apart with top-tier features and add-ons. These include:

  • Extensive Experience: For more than two decades, Global Call Forwarding has provided enterprise-level, startups, and SMBs with the best in telecommunication.
  • Instant Access: When it comes to sales, the best strategy is immediacy. Thankfully, working with Global Call Forwarding enables your business to start using virtual phone numbers quickly. The subscription process only takes a few minutes to select a business phone number for your international finance bank. 

How ITFS Numbers Can Bring International Leads

18th July 2019 Learn

International toll free service (ITFS) numbers enable callers to make free phone calls to the ITFS subscriber. ITFS numbers are a very effective tool for marketing to international leads because our service makes any business more reachable in other countries.

One of the greatest benefits of ITFS numbers is that customers from abroad can call your business without a charge. Your business can be physically located anywhere because ITFS numbers forward calls internationally. With an ITFS number, your company will be charged for the service, while customers benefit by calling a “toll free” number.

Benefits of Getting ITFS Numbers

Global Call Forwarding offers ITFS numbers in more than 140 countries. This allows businesses all over the world to take advantage of expanding into specific markets and testing others to see the most profitable markets for their companies and services. With an ITFS Number, you can finally gather international leads using your ITFS Number in your current marketing strategy.

ITFS numbers are a critical tool for many international businesses. They enable your business to be more reachable in foreign markets, and this can contribute to increasing your customer base. The service also makes your business available at all hours, with multiple features designed to manage incoming calls. Imagine, having a Facebook or Instagram Ad – targeted in the country of your choice with a phone number to reach your business, which is essentially the main perk of ITFS numbers. It builds a bridge between the customers or marketing leads you want, in any country you want.

ITFS Numbers with Free Business Features

Global Call Forwarding provides ITFS numbers with a wide array of different business features. When you get ITFS numbers, you will have access to a suite of advanced features such as time-of-day forwarding, advanced IVR, call recording, long-term storage of recorded calls, blacklisting, whitelisting, and others.

Account settings are easily manageable from your ITFS provider’s online portal. Global Call Forwarding offers a very user-friendly dashboard that enables you to access all of your account details, and you can manage all aspects of your ITFS numbers using it. You may also configure your ITFS virtual numbers with an interactive voice response system (IVR) that will greet callers and direct them through a series of prompts. IVR can help your business manage incoming calls more effectively and project a more professional brand as a result of having your communications streamlined so efficiently.

Having these numbers can also boost the productivity of employees and virtual call center representatives. When a customer calls your ITFS phone numbers, he can immediately get access to critical information before speaking to an actual representative. This IVR facility directs all callers to the appropriate department, agent or service representative at the onset of the call, and saves valuable time. The IVR is not only easy to set up but makes use of audio prompts for requesting information based on voice input or touch-tone. This, in turn, also makes way for easy input of authentication information and caller identification.

International Leads
Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 ID#100096292794

Getting the Best International Leads using ITFS Numbers

When you get ITFS numbers, your business is taking the first bold step to enhance customer relationships. Global Call Forwarding offers ITFS numbers in over 140 countries so your company can offer free calls in almost any market. Customer relationships will be improved because their calls are handled more efficiently and routed to the appropriate department without unnecessary hold times. This, along with the calls being free, leads to enhanced customer satisfaction.

ITFS numbers can also enhance customer relationships. The call recording feature helps you maintain productivity standards and agent quality, while also being of great benefit to settle disputes faster from credit card companies or customers. You can not only record all incoming calls for reference and security purposes, but you can also listen to the calls on demand and download recordings for quality assurance and training purposes.

An Affordable Cloud-Based Business Communications Tool

International toll free service numbers from Global Call Forwarding are a cloud-based service, and they do not require any expensive equipment for operations and maintenance. Incoming calls can be answered on your mobile phone or landline, and the number of settings can be managed online. This makes it easy for you to run your sales team almost anywhere. Remote teams are a very popular and affordable solution for international call centers and are used commonly for businesses like Apple call centers or Xfinity call centers.

Your company can also test various markets with minimal risk using ITFS numbers. Global Call Forwarding does not charge activation fees and you will not be asked to sign a contract. Your ITFS numbers can be canceled at any time if you find the service does not fit your needs. Global Call Forwarding can provide you a free consultation to better determine the cloud communications needs of your business. Contact us today to discuss how we can help you get ITFS numbers for your business.

Communicating with Coworkers Who Don’t Speak Your Language

24th April 2018 Learn, Tips

Communication is an integral part of any thriving society, it is how we express feelings and cultivate relationships. However, communication at home or at work can be very difficult for some people, and when you add a language/ culture barrier there are even more things that can go wrong. There are thousands of languages in the world, and in your lifetime you have probably met a wide assortment of people who did not speak your language. When you’re working with someone who speaks a different language there are many creative ways to communicate with them that will make collaboration and teamwork easier. Here are a few tips to help business communication go smoother for all parties involved.

Find Some Common Ground

Try to feel out how many words and phrases the other person knows in your language and vice versa. Use those to begin communications. It does not matter if the conversation is very simple, it is a start. Try to avoid the use of any slang words; using slang could lead to a lot of confusion or even offense if the person takes the slang term literally. Remember to speak clearly, loudly, and slowly. You will appreciate the same from them when they attempt to respond in their language. If you’re working with this person on a daily basis, try to use the same words over and over again. Don’t get fancy with your wording because learning a new language takes time and a lot of effort. As soon as you or the other person shows signs of improvement in the new language, then you can start using more complex sentences and challenging words. Using the same words that you both understand will help you communicate, but using the same word over and over that you don’t understand will not help. For example, if your coworker does not know the word for “peach” saying peach over and over again is not going to help them understand what it is. They will not have a Eureka! Moment and suddenly a new idea will pop into their head. Instead, grab a peach and point to it and say the name again. If you can’t find the object or it is an abstract concept, consider explaining the word in a simple definition they will understand.

2. Actively Listen

Listening to someone speak in a foreign language can be very confusing. If you know a few words, trying to translate them in your brain can take a great deal of effort. Try to make that effort and hopefully the person you are speaking back to is doing the same. Look out for confusion on their faces or nonverbal body movements that express perplexity. Most people say “huh” when they are confused no matter where they’re from. Others will shrug their shoulders or raise their eyebrows. If someone is trying to explain something to you in their language, try to learn the phrase for “I don’t understand” in their language so you can let them know they need to explain it differently.

3. Write It Down

Some people may understand a language on paper better than they can understand it while it is being spoken, especially since accents differ greatly among many languages. If someone has studied a language in school, for example, they probably have a lot more experience reading the language instead of speaking it. If you know that you’re going to be speaking with someone who does not speak your language, consider bringing a small notepad with you when you go to see them. If the person will not recognize a word even if you write it down, try drawing it. If you’re not much of an artist, Google the word on your phone and pull up images to show them.

coworkers communicating in different languages.
Source: Stockphoto.com O#20443 – ID#100092592016

4. Be A Mime

Not literally of course, but acting out what you are trying to convey can be very helpful since you are unable to use your words. For example, if you need to let this coworker know that it is time for lunch, mime having a plate and spooning food into your mouth. You can also rub your stomach to let them know you are hungry. Gestures can be helpful as well. For example, lifting up four fingers will let them know that the meeting is at 4 pm, or that you need 4 copies of a certain document, it all depends on the context of your conversation. Just keep in mind that not all gestures mean the same thing throughout the world. In some countries, certain American gestures are considered rude.

5. Get a Helpful Translator

If your company has recently brought in new employees from another country, or you have been hired into a company that works across different time zones or countries, it is a great idea to download some translation apps on your cell phone. You can use Google Translate right from your phone’s internet browser or you can peruse the app site for something to have readily on your phone. A few apps to consider downloading on your iPhone or Android device include iTranslate, TripLingo, SayHi, Voice Translator Free (Android only), and iHandy (iPhone only). If you don’t want to have your phone out all the time consider purchasing a language dictionary. Leave the dictionary in your desk and bring it along with you when you know you’re about to have a conversation with the coworker who doesn’t speak your language.

Overcoming a language barrier is not impossible. It is important to continue at it and not get frustrated with yourself or the other party. Remaining as professional as possible when speaking to any coworker is very important, so don’t forget these rules still apply to someone that doesn’t know your language. Respect the person who has come into your office with a language barrier, do not make them feel bad for not understanding a foreign language overnight. They are clearly at your job because they want to work and therefore they deserve to be treated with dignity. If it is you who is on the other side, you’d most appreciate this treatment returned to you.