Expanding from Vietnam into Europe, the US, and Australia is a major opportunity — and a common trap. Many Vietnam IT vendors arrive with strong engineering skills and competitive pricing, but stumble in client relationships because they misread cultural norms. If you plan to go global, your market entry success will depend as much on how you work with clients as what you deliver.
Below is practical, experience-based guidance — drawn from real consulting work — on how to treat Western clients appropriately so your first deals become long-term partnerships.
A short story that teaches the lesson
In one memorable sales meeting, a Vietnamese sales executive said to the prospect: “The client is my king.” The room went quiet. The German Client replied, “If I’m king, then what are you — a slave?” The meeting collapsed.
The mistake wasn’t politeness — it was the signal that over-deference sends in many Western contexts. Western clients generally expect equality, transparency and partnership. Over-elevating the client creates discomfort, blocks honest communication and kills trust.
Why Western clients react differently
When you go global, understand that Western business culture tends to value:
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Equality — partners, not hierarchies.
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Directness — clear, unambiguous communication.
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Accountability — people who own problems and fix them fast.
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Practicality — solutions, measurable outcomes and efficient meetings.
Treating a client like royalty can unintentionally remove the sense of partnership and discourage your team from being candid — which leads to hidden problems and project failure.
How to treat Western clients appropriately (practical rules)
1) Aim for “partner”, not “king”
Position your company as a professional partner:
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Use language that emphasizes collaboration: “Let’s solve this together,” not “We’ll do whatever you want.”
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Show confidence in your approach while respecting the client’s goals.
2) Communicate directly and clearly
Western clients prefer simple, fast messages:
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Use the “Issue → Impact → Proposed Fix” format in updates.
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If you don’t know something, say “I’ll check and get back to you by [time].” Don’t guess.
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Avoid long, roundabout replies that obscure the point.
3) Take ownership early and visibly
When things go wrong, lead with solutions:
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Flag issues immediately with a short remediation plan.
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Use templates: “We found X. Impact: Y. Proposed fix: Z. ETA: DD/MM.”
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Don’t hide problems — transparency increases trust.
4) Be proactive — add measurable value
Western buyers reward initiative:
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Fix small, low-risk issues without waiting for approval, then report them.
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Propose one improvement per sprint or milestone with estimated benefits.
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Over-deliver where reasonable (A+B+C rather than only A+B).
5) Balance respect with confidence
Respect in Western contexts looks like reliability, competence and clear commitments — not excessive deference. Keep tone professional, honest and decisive.
6) Train your team to act this way
Embed behavior through practice:
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Publish 3–5 actionable philosophies (e.g., “Be direct,” “Own it,” “Add value”) and display them in tools and onboarding.
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Role-play client calls in training: status update, raising an issue, proposing a fix.
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Choose one behavioral focus each month and review examples in weekly meetings.
Meeting & communication templates (use these)
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Weekly status (2 minutes): Done / Blocked / Next — each bullet 1 line.
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Issue report (email): Subject: [Issue] — Impact — Fix — ETA — Owner.
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Proposal intro (email): Short opening sentence; 3 benefits (bullet); proposed next steps.
These short, structured formats align with Western expectations for clarity and efficiency.
Quick checklist before your first Western engagement (market entry readiness)
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Team trained on direct communication ✔
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Ownership & escalation playbook documented ✔
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One proactive improvement template ready ✔
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Weekly meeting template prepared (Done/Blocked/Next) ✔
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Client-facing language reviewed (partner vs king) ✔
Final thought
When Vietnam IT vendors go global, success depends on more than technical delivery. Western clients value partnership, directness, accountability, and initiative. Avoid the trap of excessive deference — aim to be a confident, reliable partner who communicates clearly, owns outcomes, and proactively adds value. That is how your market entry will convert first projects into long, profitable relationships.
See the full podcast: here