Vision - September/October 2008 - (Page 23)

and a horde of small electronics specialists, which are common elsewhere in the Middle East. One value of marketing in a small country is that to spur attention to new products, it merely requires a campaign on the two largest national TV networks. Part of the value of operating in a relatively small country is that changes in ordering and shipping can be achieved relatively quickly. It also enhances the ability, and need, to respond to consumers’ demands. In a country of finicky and fickle customers, retailers and distributors must cater to after-sales needs. Generally, the distributor handles such cases, supporting the stores. After-sales support services are essential, with distributors often handling service contracts that the retailer sells. Israel’s Ministry of Trade and Industry actually requires companies to guarantee maintenance for several years in order to bring products into the country. Importers must show that they have the capacity to provide such service. Biber explains the ways in which Dell Israel meets these service requirements. The company maintains a spare parts hub in Israel, managed by the European Services Logistics group of Dell EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa). At its call center in Europe, Hebrew-speaking personnel handle customer support for Israeli customers. “About 85 percent of the issues are solved over the phone,” Biber says. “In the other 15 percent, where Dell needs to repair hardware, we dispatch the call through an independent service provider that has been appointed.” Cultural Adaptation Modern Israel has been a melting pot since its creation 60 years ago. In the past two decades, the influx of immigrants from the former Soviet Union has markedly changed the landscape and demographic focus—as has the sizeable Arab population. Since more than 60 percent of Israelis speak English, many advertising campaigns are run in English, drawing from European or global marketing materials. Nonetheless, print advertising is almost all in Hebrew, often because it is relatively easy to translate messages from English into Hebrew. Unlike ad campaigns in nearby Arab nations, Israel has few barriers on the graphics or images that can be used in marketing. While facing the same global challenges regarding intellectual property and unauthorized digital material, Israel has a relatively strong enforcement policy to curb violations. The weighted average tariff rate is a relatively modest 1.7 percent and there are few restrictions on CE and electronics products, other than for items which might be used for military or defense purposes. In addition to the U.S. free trade agreement, Israel has signed an FTA with the European Union and China is its third largest trading partner. Israel’s long-standing ties with the U.S. are legendary, but, as one observer acknowledged, some American companies are still “afraid to work here.” Looking at its growing economy and tech-savvy work force, optimists see many reasons for more CE and tech sales into Israel. Biber of Dell Israel adds, “American and global suppliers should find in Israel a very attractive place. The Israeli market is very competitive, people here are enthusiastic to do business and succeed, and willing to work hard for that.” • www.ce.org September/October 2008 23 http://www.ce.org/markofexcellence http://www.ce.org/markofexcellence http://www.ce.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Vision - September/October 2008

Vision - September/October 2008 Contents Shapiro's Spectrum In this Issue The Economist Visionary C4 Trends Coming to a Neighborhood Near You IPv6: Connecting People and Things Israelis Spend Big on the Latest CE Devices Tech Speak Tech Policy CEA Newsline Going Global Eye on Business Market Insider Just the Stats

Vision - September/October 2008

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