Technology has benefited the business world in more ways than one. Setting up an international office has only gotten easier because of the advantages that technology provides. But it still takes a lot of planning and organizing to make sure things go over smoothly. Here’s how to successfully set up an overseas office.
Find Your Number Two
You won’t be able to run the new office by yourself, as most of your responsibilities will still reside at the original office. Therefore, you need a number two. Your number two will help set up and run the new office for the first few months.
The person you choose should have a firm grasp of the company and its operations. They need to have natural leadership skills and be good at delegating. Run through your best candidates and give them a series of tests. See how they would handle different scenarios that may come with the promotion, then make your pick.
Get Ready To Relocate
You can set up most things while still in the US. However, you and your number two need to be ready to relocate for a few months when the time comes. Your number two will need to relocate longer than you, but you should both take care to avoid the common mistakes people make when moving internationally.
The relocation process takes time and planning, too. Find a temporary home close to the soon-to-be office. Try to get there a couple of weeks before the office officially opens to give yourself a chance to get situated.
Select Your Team
The team members involved in this process should be a mixture of international players and some employees from your current office. The majority of the members should be international because they’re the ones who will be in charge of ensuring the success of that office.
Try to organize a team of 7–10 people that includes one team lead from each department. This team will be in charge of recruiting and hiring the staff for the entire office. Operations need to be in place first before hiring full-time staff.
Meet With Partners
Typically, when a business sets up an overseas office, they already have partners and connections in that country. Be aware that the standard order of operations in their country might differ from yours, which is why it’s beneficial for a series of meetings to take place.
In every meeting, your number two needs to be present. Run through the important checkpoints that help your company run successfully. Discuss previous finances and future profits and try to predict where problems could occur, and brainstorm some solutions. You also need to set up a launch party once everything is settled.
Setting up an office overseas is a big deal and an important business move. There are some risks involved, but a successful setup will ensure a profitable business.
