New GOST-Buster Helps Companies Succeed Abroad

Online, May 12, 2010 (Newswire.com) - A tool that will turn your global customers from murky, ghost-like figures into real people was launched this week by Conversis at the Globalization and Localization Association conference in Prague.

The tool, known as the GOST-buster, is a consumer segmentation tool developed by the international business school at St Louis University and is being brought to market by UK-based language services agency, Conversis.

"The GOST-buster is basically for any company that is expanding into different online markets," explains Professor Nitish Singh of St Louis University.

"There is a need for localising their site and content to make sure it works practically, plus there is a need to make sure that the colours are not offensive, the images are not offensive - that it's culturally appropriate for that particular audience.

"But localising all that content can be very expensive for a company. If they don't have to localise all the content, it could save them a lot of money."

In a globalised economy, getting localisation right is more important than ever. Often, not enough effort is put into presenting products and/or websites to new customers in a manner that gels with the locals. This is especially true for SMEs with limited funds. The result of poor or ill-considered localisation is often the failure of the foreign launch.

The reason the GOST-buster tool is so effective is that it accurately assesses the audience's expectations and preferences in terms of online consumption. This is particularly important for SMEs with limited funds because not all foreign consumers will expect the whole site to be localised. The tool tells companies how much - or how little - it needs to spend to suit the needs of its new target audience.

"The GOST-buster is a gift to international marketers and SMEs looking to expand abroad. That's why we jumped at the chance to work with Professor Singh to apply the tool practically for our customers," says Gary Muddyman, CEO of Conversis.

"The tool is important in ensuring that businesses don't waste money in their international expansion plans and also maximise their ROI."

You can access the White Paper via the News section on the Conversis website, www.conversisglobal.com. Both Gary Muddyman and Professor Nitish Singh are available for interviews.

Notes to editors:

About Conversis
Founded in 2003 and based in the United Kingdom, Conversis is now one of the world's fastest growing and most innovative providers of Globalisation, Internationalisation, Localisation and Translation (GILT) services. As a multilingual one-stop-shop localisation company, we understand our client's industry and business requirements and allocate the best resources to each job. Serving clients in more than 30 markets worldwide, Conversis is dedicated to advancing the understanding and use of GILT as a strategic business tool. More information can be found at: www.conversisglobal.com

About the John Cook School of Business at Saint Louis University
The John Cook School of Business offers an Executive Certificate in Web Globalization Management. This is an international online program for professionals involved with any aspect of conducting global business and e-commerce. The international online program provides participants with the cutting edge skills to conduct international e-business in a networked global economy. Find out more at http://www.globalizationexecutive.com/