International Networking for IT Company to Go Global (Steps and Benefits)

International networking for IT companies is unavoidable nowadays. Whether you are someone who intends to run an IT company or your IT company is currently engaged in providing some services such as cloud computing, cybersecurity, network providers, managed service providers, or other services, international networking will provide enormous benefits for your company. 

International networking is not a new buzzword in the business world but is part of business networking on a wider global scale. Business networking in general is where several parties build relationships that can benefit each other on matters that are considered attractive to all stakeholders.

Forms of International Networking in Business Relationship

It is undeniable that technology in general, especially IT, as reported by CompTIA, plays a very important role for a company or business. To support the company's activities such as increasing productivity, creating means for decision making, reducing operational costs, and aids in formulating company strategy, various information and inputs from similar industries are needed so that businesses can compete with others and continue to run sustainably.

Some forms of international cooperation that are often carried out in the form of collaboration and networking between companies, in general, are as follows:

• Exchange of information regarding market conditions in each region and business opportunities that may be opened. Read more about market research in our previous blog article: How to Do Market Research for a Start-up?
• Opportunities for cooperation from both parties where each party is a complement to other parties.
• Opportunity to exchange potential employees or talents as part of the individual employee and organizational development programs.
• Provide training where one party can have more experience in a particular matter, for example, in export-import management, business license processing, expertise certification, and so on.
• Within the scope of similar businesses, it can provide each other with information about vendors or suppliers who potentially can become new business partners
• In the IT world, updates on the latest technology and what will come are very crucial for companies to support business activity. This information exchange is very important so that companies are not outdated and able to compete in the global market.

Benefits of International Networking for IT Company

The benefits of international networking for IT companies will be obtained in various forms, including the following:

1. Benchmark with other IT companies

Benchmarks need to be done so that companies can find out whether current IT operational activities are effective, for example, whether the software development is in accordance with the timeline with good results/quality, whether the company has adopted the latest tools or software, and so on. With cooperation, benchmarking can be carried out so that each company can improve the areas identified as still having shortcomings.

2. Learning new things and ideas related to future technological innovations and trends

By having international networking, a company could get a lot of insights from a partner company. It can enrich existing ideas and you will not be left behind in product and service innovations. Exchanging information in the use of current technology and anticipating future technological trends will bring excellent benefits to the company.

3. Opening new business opportunities and portfolios

Through business partnerships, opportunities for product development/product diversification as well as being complementary to existing portfolios will become more open. Model collaboration and joint development are something that can be done. Through the new market, the opportunities will be even greater and with the right business model, the cooperation that is established is expected to increase revenue for the company. The networking can be formalized into a certain format of partnership such as Joint Venture, Merger & Acquisition, Customer-Supplier, License based, etc.

4. Resources information in the market

Human resources are one of the important factors in the IT world and one of the industry's most expensive. Likewise, the tools used for productivity in an operation or software development. By networking with other similar companies, you can find out what tools are used, the organizational structure, and the "price" of resources if the company wants to use managed services or services. 

Currently, the outsourcing model is a growing trend, namely handing over several organizations to other parties so that companies can focus more on strategic matters. The choice of outsourcing becomes very important because it is usually located in developing countries and specialists there are equipped with a high level of knowledge but have competitive prices. For this reason, sharing this information is important to find the right partner.

If you are interested in more information on how to hire human resources, read our article on How to Hire an iOS Developer: the Ultimate Guide.

5.    Improve the company's brand

Having cooperation with other companies internationally can also improve the image and reputation of a brand. Commercial business-to-business (B2B) cooperation can increase the trust of potential customers. Through this international network of cooperation, brand value will be further increased, especially when conducting collaborations that are focusing on certain areas such as product development and using the latest technology.

Steps for establishing international networking

For a company to be able to network internationally, the following steps can be taken:

1. Research companies that can be part of your network

Studying potential partners who will be part of networking is an important step to avoid potential losses in the future front. Not just by googling, try to get more information from trusted sources such as global and local sites in that country. From here, you can find information about the company's reputation, financial condition, commitment to Good Corporate Governance, anti-corruption policies, and so on. Look for companies that, although ethnically and nationally different, have good business ethics, obey regulations, and engage with innovation, including how the company values ​​its employees.

2. Leveraging the power of social media

Use digital platforms to connect with other similar companies. LinkedIn is one of the most widely used business interconnection platforms and is followed by various companies around the world. From here, you can explore various IT companies around the world, both large and small. Besides LinkedIn, Instagram is also one of the most popular platforms for advertising a company. From the advertisement, you will get a sense of which companies make you interested and want to be engaged with.  

3. Join a trusted international business organization

To get networking in a fast time, joining an international networking business organization can be an option. Here by becoming a member, you will easily connect with tens or even hundreds of companies that have joined before from various industry backgrounds. Another plus is that this business organization has a wide reach that can cover industries and companies all over the world.

4. Visit exhibitions, conferences, and seminars from related industries in other countries

To stay updated on industry developments and competitions in it, there is nothing wrong with companies budgeting funds to visit various exhibitions, conferences, and seminars held in international forums. Even if you can become a participant in the forum, it will become a networking media as well as marketing for the company.

Summary

International networking for IT companies or businesses in general is something that can bring many benefits. They can be felt both directly and indirectly, both in the near and long term. The benefit will also come from market expansion, product diversification, and other potentials which can be commercialized, all of which will lead to the company’s profit increase.

The other intangible benefit also comes in the form of information sharing and collaboration, which can be very useful for a company to stay updated and be prepared for future development. With various ways of networking methods in such a digitally connected world, going global has never been easier compared to yesterday's era.