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But there is more than just language that makes global office a tricky workplace to navigate. Aside from lack of water coolers and washrooms, most of world works in metric, but biggest Internet market works in imperial. So some customers won't know what a mile is, and others won't know what a kilometer is.
And everybody spells funny to someone else. Is it honor or honour? Center or centre? Folks or peeps?
Fortunately for me, I live in Canada. 95% of Canadians live within a stone's throw of US border. (They are all folks, by way.) So we officially learn to spell and to count way British do (but they are still not peeps). Nevertheless, Americanisms sneak across border by osmosis, perhaps due to an attack dog budget shortfall at illegal aliens department.. At least I'll know what a mile is – it's that thing people want to take when I give them an inch.
And what about currency? I make it simple. I use US dollars, because that really is currency of Internet. But I also accept Paypal payments, so anybody can input their favorite currency and out pops US dollars on my end. I wish more people would do that. I could use more dollars.
If none of that phases you, consider time zones. Just as a client in Australia is waking up, your client in United States is going to bed. And how will they reach you when you are not in office. Services like email to phone conversion can help. So can insomnia.
Nobody twenty years ago would have imagined that you and I could sit at home and type words into a TV screen to make a comfortable living. Welcome to my office – Planet Earth.
Hmm. Right now I am reading The Hitchhiker's Guide to Galaxy...I wonder if I can work from home on Internet on any other planets...
David Leonhardt is a Canadian seo consultant and a website marketing strategies consultant. Pick up a copy of his SEO book or his media relations and publicity tips book.