GERMAN LANGUAGE TRAINING FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES
When a company decides to train its employees in one language, they all think in English, which is logical since it is the global language of communication and allows them to do business with practically any country in the world. However, there are other languages that can make your business successful, especially if your company is Spanish.
Why train your employees in German?
Germany is the third largest exporter in the world, as well as being the first country in Spain before China. Germany is the second most important client after France. In addition, there are more than 2000 German companies with subsidiaries in Spain, so they are potential partners for your business. We should not forget that the most important sectorial fairs are held in Germany, which is all the more reason to adapt ourselves as much as possible to its culture.
Training your employees in German is not only useful for doing business with Germany, but also with Austria and Switzerland. German is the second most spoken language in Europe after Russian and the second most demanded by Spanish companies after English.
Although it is possible to conduct negotiations with Germany in English, reinforcing the German of your employees to speak with clients in their mother tongue will make them feel more important and more attended to in a personalised way.
As with all languages, it is one thing to speak it and another to speak it in a business environment. Communication in a professional environment is different. At Classgap for Enterprise we also offer business German courses to help your employees to cope with any situation.
There are other aspects to consider besides the language, you have to adapt to the culture. If you train your employees with a standardised German course they will not learn this aspect, the best thing is to have native speakers to understand the context in which these negotiations take place, so that they can speak and act in the best possible way.
Some facts to keep in mind are:
- Punctuality: it is essential to start the meeting at the agreed time, even if it is necessary to arrive 15 minutes early.
- Meetings: presentations must be very well prepared and documented, Germans tend to analyse this aspect in great detail.
- Formality: they tend to prefer formal and conservative dress, to address others you must do so by their title or surname until otherwise stated, the hierarchy is very marked.
- Business: the culture of a business meal is not so common in their culture, it will be held when the trust is greater. They are frank and direct so they prefer to get to the point, any agreement or promise is of great value since they are people of their word.
As you have seen, training your employees in business German is not just the language, so adapting training to the specific needs of each moment is fundamental (the client, their culture, their preferences…). This is why at Classgap for Enterprise we are committed to personalised training for companies, thanks to which we can help them achieve their objectives.
Do you want to organize a training for your employees? Contact us!
