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September 7, 2010, 6:04 am
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KnowledgeBase article #4 |
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Mexico- San Luís Potosí |
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Program: |
Programs for Corporations [en] |
SpringHills' Mexican Division: Language and InterCultural Training
The Region:
Mexico, San Luís Potosí
The city of San Luís Potosí, the capital of San Luís Potosí State, is home to more than a half a million residents. An eight-hour drive from the US border, San Luís Potosí, with its expansive railway centre, is seen as a key distribution point for foreign and domestic merchandise. There are a substantial number of tanneries, flourmills, textile mills, breweries, automotive firms and furniture factories.
The Companies:
ELSTER-AMCO de Mexico
The ELSTER-AMCO Group is made up of companies originating from diverse geographical regions. With counterparts in Germany, USA, U.K., the Netherlands, France, Slovakia, Belgium, Italy, Austria, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Scandinavia, Spain and Switzerland, the ELSTER-AMCO Group strategically focuses on the development, production and marketing of high quality, innovative and safe products, systems and services for gas transportation, distribution and utilization.
Its division in Mexico, ELSTER-AMCO de Mexico, produces various products and provides a distribution structure and technical guidance capable to support large portions of Latin America. As with any multinational, communication across vast geographical regions poses certain hindrances. There are not only language barriers, but intercultural barriers as well.
Wabtec Servicios Administrativos S.A. de C.V.
The Operational Challenge:
Due to the need to increase interactions with colleagues and clients across borders, several of our Mexican clients found it conducive to the success of their business to increase their English communicative skills. Many of these clients had received formal English training previously and were considered to be at an intermediate skill level. However, these clients desired further language training to enhance their ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, in both informal and formal settings. This learning challenge was further compounded as many of the industries that our Mexican clients operated in, utilized industry-specific terminology in their day-to-day communications.
Sample of Client Roles:
Plant Controller
Needed to regularly consult and hold e-conference meetings with colleagues in U.S.A. and Germany. An English language medium was adopted for such global communication. This client requested training to enhance his English telephone and presentation skills.
Administrative Manager
This client consistently dealt with expatriates employed at her company. She requested training to enhance her socializing, networking and telephone skills.
The Complete Solution:
SpringHills sent a team to Mexico to provide on-site services to business clients.
In the initial stages of the program, the English language proficiency level of each client was vigorously assessed. After the assessment the instructor consulted with each client to identify the communicative proficiency level they desired to obtain and to prioritize their specific objectives for the workshop.
Intensive Training sessions were arranged for three hours a day, over a period of two weeks. Program support was provided via on-line tools and telephone, for 6 months following the end of classes.
Training Program:
Clients expressed a desire to improve their language and intercultural proficiency skills in several key areas. A sample of some of the topics covered included:
Business Communication Across Cultures and Languages: Cultural differences with respect to business interactions in Mexico compared with business in the U.S. and Canada.
Socializing and Networking: Cross-cultural Greetings, topics for socializing, asking questions and showing interest.
Communicating By Telephone in English: Telephone expressions, greeting and introductions on the telephone, small talk on the telephone.
Effective Business Writing in English: Business letter format and style, email styles and conventions.
Making Effective Presentations in English: Expressions and connecting words/phrases, presentation practice, individual presentations and critique.
Business Meetings in English: Strategies and gambits for interrupting, asking for and expressing opinions, language of agreement and disagreement, making suggestions and proposals.
Clients were constantly engaged in interactive exercises with their instructor. Role-plays and simulation tools were used to consolidate and build on the skills that the clients acquired.
Quality Assurance:
Throughout the 2-week training session, clients' progress in acquiring the targeted language and communication skills were continually monitored and evaluated. Clients were given the opportunity to provide detailed feedback at regularly intervals. The program remained fluid as it incorporated feedback which reflected new skill areas that clients became aware of during the program.
The complementary 6 months follow-up program was key because it gave clients a medium through which they could continue to practise and preserve their enhanced language skills, while receiving guidance from experienced language educators.
The Return on Investment:
-Clients were able to stay in Mexico and training sessions were scheduled according to clients' preferences. As a result, the clients' employers and the clients' themselves were not subject to costly interruptions and time constraints.
-Substantially efforts, such as a free 6-month follow up program, were made to ensure that clients were able to preserve and continue to enhance these new skills.
- Clients were able to increase their English language proficiency, especially with respect to the inter-specific terms of their industry. They were also able to identify interactive cues which made them more aware and sensitive to cultural differences.etc.
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