Even with technology improving how we exchange information, communication gaps still occur – especially when dealing with overseas clients. Here are a few ways you can bridge the gap:

Be responsive

If you can help it, answer work-related emails and instant messages at your earliest opportunity. To avoid delays, enable your email and chat’s notifications so that you’ll know whenever new messages arrive.

But what if you’re really busy? If you comprehensively answered every email and chat message that pops up, you won’t get anything done, right?

The key is to respond immediately, saying that you received the message, and you’ll send a more detailed response later. Doing this buys you more time and helps satisfy your client.

Don’t assume, however, that clients expect instant responses to each message. Some may email over the weekend but don’t really expect a reply until regular business hours. If unsure, ask.

Use video conferencing

Because we don’t see the body language in phone calls, emails, and online chat, it’s important to use video conferencing to visually connect with workmates and clients.

Clients know the value of seeing their staff while communicating with them, but there’s also a practical reason why remote workers should rely on it more often: screen sharing.

Sure, you can email a file so that the other person can see your work, but then you’d have to write a lengthy explanation – and ideally with annotations – to clearly get your point across.

With screen sharing, you can reference the same material simultaneously, then just explain as if the recipient is right beside you. This means it’s easier to be on the same page.

Never assume

We all have different levels of knowledge and understanding. As a result, we shouldn’t assume others know what you know, particularly when explaining something.

For example, if you’re expounding on a technical topic, don’t assume they’ll grasp what you’re saying without additional, easy-to-understand details. For best results, determine what they know before providing any information.

Likewise, if a client or colleague says/does something that annoys you, don’t assume they did it deliberately. Instead, give them the benefit of the doubt and suppose they just made a mistake.

This can happen if you don’t know the context so avoid reacting right away. Clarify first.

Respect cultural differences

Offshore teams usually consist of members from across the globe, and each may have a different way of doing things. For example:

• Australians are usually more direct in their communications.
• Filipinos are typically indirect and are unlikely to openly turn down something even when they don’t agree with it.

What’s crucial is to understand and respect those differences, and make the necessary adjustments, especially when communicating.

So if you’re an indirect speaker dealing with someone direct:

• Ask if they have time to talk before starting the conversation.
• Try to get to the point quickly.
• Know that your subtle approach might not be understood the way you expected.

If you’re direct and communicating with someone indirect:

• Look for hints of hesitation and pay close attention to what they don’t say.
• Probe with polite, open-ended questions.
• Soften your language (e.g. use “may/might” instead of “should/must”).

Plan occasional gatherings

One effective way to bridge the gap between remote workers and clients is to plan face-to-face events. Getting your entire team together under one roof will help develop deeper connections among each other, even if it’s just once or twice per year.

Aim for clarity and conciseness

Don’t send large walls of text in emails and chat; they’re difficult to read. Make sure your communications are clear, concise, and to the point. Focus on getting your message easily understood by the recipient.

Develop rapport

Rapport is critical in offshore teams because it builds trust, but it’s harder to develop without seeing other people’s body language. Here are some ways you can develop rapport remotely:

1. Engage in small talk (e.g. ask about their hobbies) during breaks.
2. Use emojis, gifs or memes to express yourself and add humour to interactions.
3. Don’t respond to your own story when listening to others. Instead, ask others to expound on what they’re saying (e.g. how, when and why).

Balancing act

Communication gaps are one of the most common causes of issues in remote work. To keep things smooth-sailing, you need to be proactive in certain instances (e.g. learning your individual differences) and not being hasty (e.g. giving others the benefit of the doubt) during others. 

It can be a delicate balance, for sure, but bridging the communication gap enables you to minimize the interpersonal conflict and focus on doing what you do best.