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Stefanie Bayer

Alfredo Daz Palancar

Andreas Lempidakis

Len Zenteno-Tovar

09.04.2008

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Marketing in the Middle East

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| Founded in 2001 in Amman, Jordan

By Maher Mouasher, Faris Nimry and a third passiveinvestor

| Re-branded to , which is Arabic for support

BOSSit = Back Office Support Services using Information Technology

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BOSSits Business

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| Customer service for companies to outsource this function to

| Superior, high-quality customer support via informationtechnology

| New level of customer service

| In English and Arabic

| Initially: respond to customer phone and email inquiries| Later: detailed customer tracking and customer-tailored services

| Idea:

Aquire knowledge about customers products and services

Train Customer Support Representatives (CSRs)

CSRs are clients off-site customer support department

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Application to Jordan society

| Jordan has the desire to become an IT leader

| King Abdullah II supports technological development| High level of education / university graduates

| Good relations with the US / many US subsidaries

BUT:

| Customer support remained unfamiliar concept in Jordan

| Outsourcing customer support totally new

Help from John Whiting, retired American executive

Hiring a new Marketing Director from the US, Ali Oveissi

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Expectations on work environment

| Task for the Marketing Department

| To develop a structured approach to acquiring new clients based on western

strategies

| Expectations by implementing a western marketing strategy

| Employees balance their work requirements as needed

| Reliability of partners to lead to a successful business

| Use of available technology to show delivery capabilities

| Deliver on promised timeline as agreed on meetings

| Employees show personal & religious orientation at work

| Suppliers & Partners conduct business through

unfulfilled formalities

| Relationships & trust secure customers

| Delays and cancelations of deliveries w/o previous notice

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Differences between USA & Jordan at work

USA Jordan

1 40-hour Workweek Flexible working hours

2 Work effectiveness orientation Personal/Religious orientation

3 Regular attendance as self professional mgt.Irregular attendance (strict control by the top

mgt)

4 Appointments are guides to action Appointments are a respectful formality

5 Work is conducted through goals and plans Work is conducted through personal contacts

6 Meetings are a exchange information channel Meetings are used to establish trust

7Promises are fulfilled as a result of

compromised progress

Unfulfilled promises are normal and progress

is not constant shown

8Institutions deliver reliable and updated

information

Official information from institutions are not

reliable

9Business approach are formal and informative

regarless the relationship between partiesBusiness approach with "meal & deal"

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Accepted/No-Accepted US-American ways in Jordan

| TV-Media

| Education

| Communication

| Sophisticated ways of conducting business

| Collective campaign for acquiring customers

| Rigid work hours

| Informative meeting

| Commitment to work activities

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Wastah what is it about?

Its not about the money

Its not about power

Its about TRUST

Its about Friendship

If one uses it there will be a timethat he will have to repay the

favor

From little things to BIG things

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The Role of Wastah in the Arab World

The Arab World

Everybody uses it

Everybody respects it

Not everybody agrees with it

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Wastah Controversies

Competence has nothing to dowith it

Not everybody gets favored

Its known that a society mayshow downfalls when vastly used

The new generation of the Arab

World has strong disagreements

on its use

Example: A university degree or

even a PHD wont give you the

right job, but you fathers

connections might.

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The Role of Wastah in the Arab World

AMMAN

A Wastah society

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Marketing in the Arab World

One does not Go Looking for clients

Commercials are considered desperate

measures

Most western marketing tactics are

considered a taboo

One uses Wastah to approach potential

clients

A client will use the services of a companyor a person only if he Checks out through

Wastah

When a representative of company meats

a potential client, they dont talk about

business right away

Going straight to business is just impolite

in order for a deal to close, regardless of

the magnitude, several dinners will take

place and at the end very seldom a contract

will be signed

Verbal contract is above any other form of

contracts

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The Role of Wastah in the Arab World

Traditional Marketing Approach

Through the Stomach comes

Wastah

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Marketing in the Middle East and the western approach:

Melting business cultures

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CUSTOMER

PARTNERS TEAM

BUSINESSCULTURE(WASTAH)

The Jordan traditions are part of the society and business culture.

In order enter the market adequately it is important to understand, adopt and somehowbe able to adaptmarketing activities to Jordan the Bizz Culture combination would bebest!

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Understanding the Jordanian ETIQUETTE:

Hierarchy and rigid structures.Social relationship with your Jordaniancounterparts. Respect and friendship In a business setting,Mutual benefitand trust One uses Wastah to approach potential

clients

Marketing in the Middle East and the western approach:

Melting business cultures

Working out your CUSTOMERS:

Approaching focus customers Developing a social relationship with yourJordanian counterparts

Leisurely pace over tea and coffeeFocus on cost savings and efficiencyimprovementUse actual customers reference list as push-

pull effectDONT rush !!

Understanding your TEAM:

Deadlines and punctuality are notnecessarily a priority-Appointments for times of

day rather than precise hours. Properly train them, and provide on-timecomprehensive support.

Conflicts in the workplace are usuallyaddressed privately

Work meetings with clear Agenda anddeliveries

Finding your partners:

Find competent local firms that are capableof organizing marketing campaigns

Commit to local agents, properly trainthem, and provide on-time comprehensive

support

Marketing mix together with local partners

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See also: http://www.sanad.jo/

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Questions?

Human Resources Management

http://www.sanad.jo/http://www.sanad.jo/http://www.sanad.jo/