Remember that cultural clashes are as strange to the opposite party at they are for us. Don’t suppose that our view on matters is the correct one or the one that will remain the absolute truth, just because we are ahead in terms of economic development when business took off between Sweden and the Baltic States 15 years ago. My business venture is a good example. The logistics business is considered heavy and old school in Sweden. In the Baltic States on the other hand, international transportation is a young industry. International business from within these countries was impossible for most companies during Soviet occupation. When logistics companies in Sweden started to look east, middle-aged men with substantial experience were the representatives. On the other side, the companies were often represented by young people seeing opportunities to develop international contacts. With high growth figures, revenue expectations were great. With galloping real estate prices and increased storage costs, the need for well functioning logistics has increased. Today, these requirements are very urgent on the Swedish side of the Baltic Sea and our view on logistics has become more like the Baltic one. This development has increased the demand for the type of services we offer.
In connection with values, there is a minor difference between the cultures. In the Baltic States, they are not afraid of asking for the price of a service and compare it to other offers. As a supplier, it is very important to be clear about the various offers to avoid comparing apples to pears.
Once I had dinner in a very good Italian restaurant in Tallinn with an Estonian friend. My friend was chocked by the prices and burst out: “100 kronor for a main course when you can get it in the dining room next door for 35! A steak is a steak.” With that opinion, 100 kronor is always pricey and could also refer to logistic services.