According to the survey, it appears that UK companies rely too much on using English to communicate with overseas clients when using the local language would be more beneficial. Stephan Chambers who is the MBA programme director at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, said that “Fluency in languages other than our own must help insight and understanding and, in turn, our national competitiveness.”

It is essential for UK firms to reduce their reliance on using English when dealing with overseas clients particularly if they trade with the world’s growth markets such as Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC countries). Companies with staff who can speak Mandarin, Spanish, Russian, Arabic or Portuguese could potentially win more business and build stronger relationships with their customers in countries where these languages are spoken.

Read more about the Regus survey and why a lack of language skills is damaging UK businesses>>

Get ahead in your business with a business language course>>

Get the business language advantage. Claim your competitive advantage!

The company provides e-faxing services via email either through a computer or through a mobile device. Customers can select to pay in one of 20 currencies including Danish Krone, Mexican Peso and Brazilian Real. This level of multiple language services (to also include live sales and customer services support) and international growth in this level of communication, allows international customers local access and, most importantly, in their own native language.

Read more about j2 Communications Inc and its multiple language-specific websites and services

Does your business have an effective online strategy for boosting overseas sales? Is your site optimised for international search engines? When Googled internationally, how is your company presented online?

This will benefit … London-based businesses seeking to increase the efficiency of their current website.

• Choose an international web strategy that is best for your business
• Find out how to make your website look more international
• Understand how to make your website multilingual
• Utilise free tools and applications
• Avoid costly trial and error approaches.

For more information and to to book a place on the UKTI Masterclass workshop, please contact Sarah Carroll directly via this email: sarah.carroll@growglobal.co.uk

This strong multilingual ethic within Longo Toyota began 15 years ago when the now CEO of the company became aware of the huge diversity of cultures and languages already available amongst the staff at the company. The CEO encouraged recruitment of his managers and supervisors from ethnic minorities and immigrants. Having a multilingual reach available to Longo Toyota’s customers proved an invaluable advantage over its competititors.

Some of the languages spoken by the Longo Toyota staff include Arabic, Cambodian, Farsi, Hindi, Italian, Punjabi, Romanian, Spanish, Thai and Yoruba.

Read more about the multilingual business practice and languages spoken at Longo Toyota

Teach Yourself Business Mandarin Chinese is a three-hour, all-audio, straightforward course that will help you to acquire essential up-to-date business language to use in China. You can use the course at any time – to dip into in the office or as a refresher before travelling to a meeting. Through realistic conversations and authentic material, the ten Business Zones will give you all the specialist terms you need for your role or your project.

The three CDs come with a booklet containing the transcript of the recorded material in pinyin as well as a glossary listing all the vocabulary from the course. The accompanying culture book contains tips on etiquette and business culture so you will never be stuck for something to talk about or worry about committing blunders.

Teach Yourself Business Mandarin Chinese is perfect for intermediate and advanced learners of Mandarin Chinese.

for more information and to buy Teach Yourself Business Mandarin Chinese>>

Also available in the range are Teach Yourself Business French, Teach Yourself Business Spanish and Teach Yourself Business Japanese>>

Get the language advantage with Teach Yourself Business Mandarin Chinese. Claim your competitive advantage!

Leigh Hafrey, who is a senior lecturer in communications and ethics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management, says that ‘Speaking the language confers a huge advantage for anyone who wants to do business in a non-English-speaking country. It gives you flexibility, knowledge that you need, and personal connections that can make a difference in the speed and effectiveness of your negotiations’.

The next language on the Bloomberg Rankings after Mandarin Chinese, is French followed by Arabic and then Spanish.

Read more about why Mandarin Chinese is the most useful business language to know after English>>

Learn to speak Mandarin Chinese>>

Find out more about Chinese culture >>

Learn to speak Mandarin Chinese in China>>

Get the Chinese Mandarin language advantage! Get your competitive advantage!

International trade has never been of more importance, especially in light of the current economic downturn here in Britain. Exporting accounts for nearly 30% of British GDP and is a crucial way to help companies to succeed and grow in today’s tough economic climate. This places exporting at the heart of the government’s approach to the recovery of the British economy.

The seminar offers SMEs, whether manufacturers or service providers, an excellent opportunity to evaluate the potential of exporting and expanding business in international markets. The Keynote Speaker is Lord Green, Minister of Trade and Investment.

Why attend this seminar?

• Learn more about how to develop your business internationally in a struggling economy

• Opportunity to network with experts from the City of London, LCCI and UK Trade and Investment

• Meet and network with successful SME exporters

• Learn how the City of London as a global trading centre can support your company’s export business

The seminar is FREE and will be held on Monday 17th October 2011, 09:00 -13:00, The Mansion House, London, EC4N 8BH, UK.

To book a place and for further details, please see here

Does your business have an effective online strategy for boosting overseas sales? Is your site optimised for international search engines? When Googled internationally how is your company presented online?

This will benefit … London-based businesses seeking to increase the efficiency of their current website.

• Choose an international web strategy that is best for your business
• Find out how to make your website look more international
• Understand how to make your website multilingual
• Utilise free tools and applications
• Avoid costly trial and error approaches

The Master Class will be held on Tuesday 27th September 2011, 09:00 -13:30, The Bermondsey Square Hotel, Bermondsey Square, Tower Bridge Road, near Southwark, London SE1 3UN, UK.

To book a place on the UKTI Masterclass workshop and for further details, please contact Sarah directly via this email: sarah.carroll@growglobal.co.uk

Does your business have an effective online strategy for boosting overseas sales?  Is your site optimised for international search engines?  When Googled internationally, is your company found?

The workshop will explore practical steps you can take to boost your international business performance online. You will receive the latest web knowledge and tips so you can grasp the international opportunity that web 2.0 presents:

- choose an international strategy that is best for your business

- utilise free tools and applications

- avoid costly trial and error approaches.

The workshop will show you:

- how to develop credibility

- ways to ensure customer satisfaction

- ways to get more traffic

- ways to convert more customers.

This workshop will include an introductory presentation about the UK Trade & Investment Website Export Communications Review (ECR) service, by Sarah Carroll, a registered export communications consultant and will show you how to get your website ready for international business.

TO BOOK A PLACE AT THE WORKSHOP, PLEASE CONTACT SARAH CARROLL>>

CONTACT SARAH TO FIND OUT HOW TO BUILD AN INTERNATIONAL WEB STRATEGY>>

Read more about learning languages for the 2012 olympics>>

Find out how to learn to speak French and get the French language advantage>>

Find out how to learn to speak Spanish and get the Spanish language advantage>>

Find out how to learn to speak Chinese and get the Chinese language advantage>>