Doing business internationally has never been easier. Technology has not only solved many problems, but it has made it so cheap that companies of any size can be competing on the international market.
Here are some tech tools that will make your life easier when doing international business:
1. Payments
Making and receiving payments has never been easier or quicker. Gone are the days of international wires or bank transfers that take days to be received. Now virtually anyone can move money to anyone anywhere with a click of a button.
You can set up a Stripe or PayPal account quickly and receive payments for goods anywhere in the world via credit card. This is all without setting up a merchant account with your bank.
2. Paying employees
Navigating payroll, tax and legislation in your home country can be a challenge. But having international employees adds a significant layer of complexity. There are services that can cater for payroll services in more than 100 nations and are priced to cater for smaller multinational firms, try Easy Payroll.
3. Shipping
Shipping goods internationally is often one of the biggest hurdles. But now there are apps that all the major shipping and courier companies use to allow you and your customers to easily track their parcels. These apps will also help you to estimate shipping costs to ensure that you are on charging clients the correct fee. You can also check for country specific requirements and laws regarding taxes and custom declarations.
4. International calling
We know that being available by telephone for both your customers and your overseas employees is important. But at what cost does this come? These days next to nothing! You can use web based conferencing facilities such as Skype, Zoom, or WhatsApp but you can also connect your business phone to a Voip service (Voice over internet protocol). You are issued a phone number, but your phone is being run over the internet rather than from a physical landline. This opens you up to some incredibly competitive rates that can often give you unlimited international calls.
5. Know how to do business globally
Part of leveraging technology is using it to find information. Government websites in the countries of interest will contain much information on how to go about business in that country. However, sometimes it is about applying that knowledge, and in that case it might be better to invest in some help.
At Azure Group we work with our international clients to provide on the ground support and information about doing business in Australia along with advising our domestic clients with doing business overseas adding value, and saving time. We provide peace of mind to those seeking accurate and proactive advice. Contact us today.