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Trust is not just a virtue when it comes to local and especially international trade. It’s a currency that every business must strive to possess and acquire if they are to grow at a steady pace.
Trust building is especially important when it comes to selling organic products like organic sugar or cocoa to international buyers. To build customer trust, sellers have to facilitate buyers when it comes to navigating complex logistics and regulatory requirements across countries or even continents.
“Building trust with your international buyers is the only way you can come on top in the fierce competition that currently exists in the sugar and cocoa trade.” Says the founder of Geohoney and the CEO of B A Barry Group, Mr Basem Barry.
This article uncovers some key secrets of building trust with overseas buyers to make sure you are able to get consistent business and ensure long-term profits so keep on reading till the end.
Show Complete Honesty and Transparency
Maintain Consistency in Quality and Delivery Timelines
Pay Attention to Cultural Nuances in Communication
Show Proven Track Record of Reliability and Credibility
Invest in Third-Party Verification and Certification
Provide Quality After-Sale Services
Leverage Technology
When it comes to exporting organic products like cocoa or sugar, you need to be very clear about every single aspect of the supply chain. You should be able to maintain complete supply chain visibility from harvesting conditions to packaging, and from shipping method to timelines.
Transparency about the product specifications such as moisture content, cocoa bean sizes, sugar polarization, and quality grades is also crucial if you are to build trust with your buyers.
To further promote customer trust, you can try being upfront about things like crop issues or potential weather-related delays. Another way to promote transparency and build trust is by providing international buyers with detailed documents like certificates of origin, bills of lading, phytosanitary certifications, etc.
Buyers appreciate suppliers who are able to provide consistent sugar or cocoa powder quality in steady volumes. Even the smallest deviations in the organic product’s quality can inflict irreversible damage to your relationship with the buyer.
When facing product quality issues or delivery delays, do not wait till the last minute to discuss them with the buyers. This can help you both work out suitable solutions that will strengthen your professional bonds.
To maintain consistency, your products should adhere to international standards such as acceptable ICUMSA rating for sugar and Grade A beans for cocoa.
And finally, you need to create reliable delivery schedules that meet the target timelines of the buyers to foster long-term trust.
To build a better rapport with an international buyer you can adapt your business norms and communication style according to their culture. Culturally nuanced communication can go a long way in creating a more personal connection with your buyers.
You can further facilitate this by hiring bilingual staff or local representatives who can better communicate with the buyers in a clear and friendly tone. Expert suppliers realize the importance of greeting buyers in their local language or wishing them well on their local holidays to build lasting relationships.
There is nothing that proves you can be fully trusted better than a proven positive track record. Buyers often demand a look into your previous trade history and reference to make sure they only work with reliable suppliers.
Suppliers who gladly share past performance data or trade references for their ICUMSA 45 sugar or cocoa trades are the top priority for most sellers. Another way to build trust is by presenting the buyer with proof of participation in international trade shows like Chocoa, SIAL, and Anuga.
You can also get certified with bodies like the UTZ, ISO, or Fairtrade to show your international buyers that they can fully trust you.
Third-party verification is extremely crucial in building trust especially in the organic sugar, ICUMSA 45 sugar, or cocoa sector which is plagued by fraud and adulteration.
Third-party certificates reflect the legitimization and reliability of the supplier which goes a long way in separating them from shady sources. For cocoa exporters, certificates like HACCP, Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade, and UTZ are a must.
Sugar suppliers must strive to obtain, ISO 9001, organic, or ICUMSA certification to build customer trust.
Buyers do not trust suppliers who only provide services and support until the product is delivered. Buyers appreciate suppliers who remain active even after the delivery.
They follow up with the buyers to ask them about the quality feedback and the overall experience. They take complete responsibility when it comes to custom clearance and documentation.
The quick and fair dispute resolution mechanisms can also make a supplier stand out. Just make sure to always remain reachable and responsive after the sale to build more trust.
Technological integration can also facilitate trust building. Suppliers can offer virtual inspections of their sugar or cocoa powder inventory to the buyers which facilitates decision-making. They can also utilize digital trade platforms or blockchain tracking systems to offer greater transparency which translates to greater trust.
To conduct international trade of sugar or cocoa with buyers, suppliers must work to create a trusting and reliable environment. They can do this by being transparent about their crop management, harvesting, packaging, quality, and pricing practices.
Maintaining consistent product quality and striving to meet all delivery deadlines is another way to make international buyers trust your business. Suppliers who take extra pains to consider the local cultural nuances and business norms when communicating with potential customers usually do pretty well in the international trade of sugar and cocoa.
So, make sure to consider all these factors to make sure your organic products reach all the growing and developed markets all across the globe.
You can visit us at B A Barry Group to buy our pure organic sugar, ICUMS 45 sugar, and bulk cocoa powder all over the world.
