Survey and One-on-One Qualitative Research of
Client Exporters and Export-Ready Companies
Registered with the Virtual Trade Commissioner

Executive Summary

Submitted to:
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
MARCH 2007

POR #: 393-06
08227-076523/001/CY
Contract Award Date: 2007-02-22POR #: 393-06

Table of Contents

• The Good News
• The Challenges Ahead

The Good News

Many of the findings in this research demonstrate that clients of the VTC and TCS consider these services to provide value and utility in helping them do business abroad. This conclusion is supported by the following key findings:

• Among several different kinds of organizations offering assistance to Canadian companies that do business abroad, the VTC and TCS are considered to be the most useful.
• Majorities consider the features offered by the VTC and TCS to be useful.
• Most clients familiar with either the VTC or TCS know they can contact the TCS through the VTC.
• The most common way of contacting the TCS is either by email or through the TCS. Other means of contact (such as the telephone) are less commonly mentioned.

The Challenges Ahead

There are also findings in this research that point to challenges that must be addressed to improve perceptions of services offered by the Government of Canada to companies doing business abroad.

In particular, those services that clients identify as the most important are also services where perceived performance lags. Those key issues include:

• Lists of qualified, foreign business contacts who can help refine clients' entry strategy;
• Information about foreign barriers, regulations and certification requirements; and,
• Assistance with addressing urgent problems that arise when companies do business abroad.

The need for more and better information, particularly with respect to qualified, reliable business contacts, arises again and again.

Service issues are also important, particularly with respect to faster response times.

Another area that business look to government to address relate to business financing and managing the costs and financial hazards of doing business abroad.

• This relates both to the cost of doing business and also to issues related to financial security, such as dealing with reputable partners and effectively collecting on international debts.