Authors : Suharyanti , Bambang Sukma Wijaya, Ahmad Hidayat Sutawidjaya and Marseila
Abstract: A business institution and the individuals who are involved is often faced with a situation where business partners have the cultural background from different countries. How to manage communications for good business relationship in such situations? This research examines the strategies undertaken by the client service department in an Indonesian local advertising agency in managing business relationships with multinational client from one of Europe countries. Using the case study method by interviewing clients and client service persons as well as observing the situation in the agency’s work environment, researchers found that in building relationships, client service department applies the strategy of macro-micro contexts. In the macro-context, client service department builds the inter-institution relationships and communications by understanding both the industrial and the country-of-origin cultures behind the client’s corporate organizational culture whereas in the micro-context, client service department manages the relationships through interpersonal communication with cultural understanding of the person-in-charge of the client. The 4Cs strategy is used to succeed the agency-client’s relationship, namely chemistry, communication, conduct and change.
Suharyanti , Bambang Sukma Wijaya, Ahmad Hidayat Sutawidjaya and Marseila , 2016. How the Client Service Department in Local Advertising Agency Manages Relationships with Multinational Client: An Intercultural Business Communication Perspective. International Business Management, 10: 667-675.