Eastern European consultants not good enough for the UK

[DodgyAgent]

I was told today that an ERP consultant from Eastern Europe would not be suitable to work with UK clients. Anyone care to comment on the reasons why this would be the case (yes he does speak advanced/fluent English)

[WTFH]

Market sector experience?
Location?
Was travel part of the requirement?

[eek]

I was told today that an ERP consultant from Eastern Europe would not be suitable to work with UK clients. Anyone care to comment on the reasons why this would be the case (yes he does speak advanced/fluent English)

Because the previous consultant (also of Eastern European descent) was not capable?

[Eirikur]

because they work too hard and deliver top quality and by doing so they make the Brits look even more stupid?

[DodgyAgent]

Market sector experience?
Location?
Was travel part of the requirement?

It is about the interface with the client nothing to do with market sector, location or travel.

The client is making a sweeping claim that unless they have worked in the Uk with UK clients they would not be suitable no matter what module of ERP.

[WTFH]

It is about the interface with the client nothing to do with market sector, location or travel.

The client is making a sweeping claim that unless they have worked in the Uk with UK clients they would not be suitable no matter what module of ERP.

If it was a specific market or a system which had key UK localisations, then I could possibly understand it, otherwise it sounds like you've got a client who doesn't like Europeans.

[SueEllen]

It is about the interface with the client nothing to do with market sector, location or travel.

The client is making a sweeping claim that unless they have worked in the Uk with UK clients they would not be suitable no matter what module of ERP.

Has the person ever lived or worked in the UK?

I know from my European friends (from all over Europe) even if they speak fluent/advanced English before they came there are little things they are initially not aware of which are more important in business situations.

Though it is amusing to work with someone from Eastern Europe who doesn't understanding a business user, who is a manager, is a bulltulipter so asks them serious questions about that they want done in meetings especially as the bulltulipting manager goes when called out.

[Old Greg]

Because there's a 52% chance that any individual British colleague will be a racist cretin.

[gixxer1k]

consultant from Eastern Europe would not be suitable to work with UK clients

Is it for a role that involves pre-sales, direct contact with customers or senior management? Heard that a few times before from people who perceived eastern europeans as very strong minded and/or very direct (e.g. one engineer was making his TL 'look bad' in meetings because he would argue for what he thought was right, even if that meant proving that his manager was wrong)

must be something that falls under 'cultural fit'

[DodgyAgent]

Is it for a role that involves pre-sales, direct contact with customers or senior management? Heard that a few times before from people who perceived eastern europeans as very strong minded and/or very direct (e.g. one engineer was making his TL 'look bad' in meetings because he would argue for what he thought was right, even if that meant proving that his manager was wrong)

must be something that falls under 'cultural fit'

Not pre sales, yes direct contact with clients and fairly senior management/users. My own view is that provided the person is a really good communicator, good at listening and confident it doesn't matter what country they come from. If they have been used to dealing with these sort of people in their own country then they should be able to make the switch to the Uk.