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Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia. Dave Duffew International Business Development Manager Castle College Nottingham. The Institution. 2006 merger between Broxtowe College and the Peoples’ College Turnover of £37 million 1000 staff and 27,000 students 17 sites. ….a wealth of international experience.

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Saudi Arabia

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  1. Saudi Arabia Dave Duffew International Business Development Manager Castle College Nottingham

  2. The Institution • 2006 merger between Broxtowe College and the Peoples’ College • Turnover of £37 million • 1000 staff and 27,000 students • 17 sites

  3. ….a wealth of international experience • 30 years of success in recruiting international students • Award winning international student support system • Up to 400 international students attend each year

  4. ….a wealth of international experience • Students come from over 40 different countries • Middle East 4th largest market • Top UK college for international student progression (UCAS) • Contract with UAE military for UK training of personnel

  5. Adding to the offer • Changing market conditions in student recruitment • Merged college meant increased capacity • New opportunities in the international VET market

  6. Why Saudi Arabia? • Saudi Arabian authorities completely re-organising their VET • Saudiasation • Experience in marketing in the Middle East • The College works in consortium with other colleges who have long experience in the country • The Principal joined a Ministerial visit to the Kingdom in February 2006

  7. Penetration - Strategy • Re-visit quickly to capitalise on Ministerial visit • Form relationships with in-country UK agencies – UKTI, British Council • Follow up initial contact with Saudi agencies and businesses • Develop relationships with UK based agencies – AOC, DfES, UKTI, British Council • Visit as part of a Consortium

  8. Penetration - Reality • Follow up visit in May 2006 – visiting Eastern Provinces, Riyadh, Dammam • Visited Aramco, Saudi Pan Gulf, SABIC, Tamimi & Saihiti Transport, F Financial Training, Izdaher, SBG and Jeddah Chamber of Commerce • Visited training organisations including: GOTEVOT, Riyadh Technical College, Jubail Technical College, Dammam Technical College • Consortium has made 3 other visits

  9. Penetration - Results • SBG made a return visit to the Consortium • Izdaher asked Consortium to lead a conference of Saudi business people • We are having more talks with GOTEVOT about running new colleges in the Kingdom • Talks continue with ARAMCO

  10. Factors for Success - 1 Cultural Awareness • Research the country and the ethnic, religious and other factors that may affect the business relationship • Visit Saudi and experience its culture • Show your business contacts that you are interested in them and their culture • Do not sell hard

  11. Factors for Success - 2 Client Relationships • Visit to establish – preferably take your MD with you • Visit to maintain and then do it again and again • Invest time and money • Make friends and develop trust and respect -and use humour • Acknowledge the time lag between these investments and income results – 2 to 3 years is not uncommon

  12. Factors for Success - 3 Provide Client Satisfaction • There should be a designated project manger, if that is not you, take the person with your so that they can form the relationship • All of your staff who will be in contact with the Saudi client should understand the culture and possess good customer facing skills • Deliver what is in the contract

  13. Factors for Success - 4 Provide Client Satisfaction • Tell the client if something is going wrong – they will find out anyway • Deliver what is in the contract – look out for penalty clauses and insure against errors • Check your work and have others do it too

  14. Factors for Success - 5 Be Flexible • Recognise that the contract is the beginning not the end • Make sure that everyone knows about delivery requirements • Allow for extras – hospitality, guest visits, presentations, corporate gifts • Break the price down into components • Be prepared to reduce the price by around 10% just before signing

  15. Factors to Avoid - 1 • Agreeing to something you cannot deliver • Not having a back up plan if things go seriously wrong – plan • Not keeping the client informed – remember communications build relationships • Lax domestic, delivery and support arrangements

  16. Factors to Avoid - 2 • Organisational inertia with systems that cannot cope, are slow and with people who don’t appreciate what contract delivery requires • Being taken for a ride – being asked to provide more than you need to and not knowing when to politely say no • Not being aware that the mobile phone and email have changed expected service levels • NOT BEING ABLE TO LAUGH AT SOME SITUATIONS

  17. Remember Arabs are warm hearted, generous and friendly people. They will make a friend of you if you let them and they will be your friend for life. Loyalty and trust are very important to them. They are also shrewd business people who for several millennia have been traders.

  18. وعد سحابة; [فولفيلمنت] مطر A promise is a cloud; fulfilment is rain. Saudi Proverb

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