Export: a gamble worth taking
Good news: despite the health crisis, almost all the managers surveyed (97%) remain confident in their company's future.
Furthermore, 41% of the companies surveyed are already exporters, with international business accounting for an average of 12% of their revenue. Among non-exporting companies, 85% have not attempted to venture beyond domestic borders.
Among executives of exporting companies, more than one in two (55%) believe that the health crisis has impacted international development, with the primary consequence being the postponement of projects over the short to long term.
Whether they are already exporters or not, business leaders hold a mixed view of international markets, perceiving them, paradoxically, as both positive and negative. For 68%, it is a motivating, profitable, and unifying strategy, whereas for 63%, the undertaking appears complex, risky, and costly.
Among the factors facilitating a company’s international development, interviewees cite the commitment of the management team (96%), command of foreign languages and cultural norms (95%), and proficiency in digital tools (94%) as the top three. Closely following are technical skills and the offering (product or service quality/differentiation), as well as the experience of dedicated export teams.
International expansion represents a strong strategic pillar in the short and medium term for companies already operating abroad: 60% aim to strengthen their position, while 39% intend to maintain their current level. The objective is to spread risk and identify new growth drivers.
What are the strategies favored by exporting companies?
Europe is the preferred geographical region for 63% of respondents, with a marked preference (45%) for Western Europe. Far behind are Asia (10%), the Americas (9%, including 5% for North America), and Africa (9%, including 6% for North Africa). For the SME and mid-cap executives surveyed, countries often perceived as growth 'El Dorados' are not viewed as such: 40% do not wish to expand into Asia, 28% rule out Africa, and 13% avoid the Americas.
Exporting companies overwhelmingly favor (63%) the use of a distributor, reseller, or agent. The establishment of a commercial office or subsidiary, which requires significant capital, is supported by only one in four respondents. Considered riskier, the acquisition of foreign companies is contemplated by only 16% of those interviewed.
How to overcome the obstacles to internationalization?
The main difficulty for exporting executives is linked to payment delays or risks from foreign clients (50%), followed by the identification of foreign clients or business partners (49%); customs barriers (48%), an offering that is not competitive or innovative enough (43%), and logistics costs (42%) complete this top five, followed by language problems (36%) and intercultural understanding (34%).
Consequently, the need for support is tangible. One in two executives surveyed believes that a company cannot develop internationally without the help of experts (48%) or local contacts in the target countries (53%). Moreover, four out of ten have already called upon, or might call upon, export professionals.
.png)
