Big 5: Confidence is vital for business survival

Carl Dowling.

Assurance and confidence are two of the most important assets that a new entrant into the UAE business market can have, a leading business development expert has said.

The UAE market is one that respects decisiveness and boldness claimed Carl Dowling, business development manager for the Links Group of Companies, speaking at the ‘Top 10 Tips for New Businesses’ seminar.

“You have to talk with presence, you have to talk like it’s a done deal. This is a very confident country, especially Dubai. No one is interested in someone who is neither here or there, they want to know that, ‘yes, this is a winner, this is going to work,” he said.

Given that the pace of development happens so rapidly in Dubai, Dowling added that by being decisive in their business decisions, new companies can catch the breaks available in the market, thereby laying the platform to grab bigger opportunities in the wider GCC.

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He added that it was vital that new companies network extensively to establish themselves in the region and become ‘known’ to those operating in their business environment. As such, working with locally based professionals can help grow business for a new company.

To this end, Dowling suggested that companies should take advantage of the Emirati workforce as they would be able to help furnish connections in the industry.

“There are requirements to hire Emiratis, but those vary from industry to industry. This is very key and by all means support it because at the end of the local Emirati population all know each other and they can only help build your business. You can find a lot of gems in there that will do their best to build your business,” he explained.

Furthermore, by having Emiratis on the workforce, companies are demonstrating their long term commitment to the region. This can only help as the government is most interested in handing out tenders and contracts to companies that are willing to establish themselves in the UAE and help grow the economy.

“No one in the GCC generally likes the guy who flies in, tries to work out a deal and flies out. In this region, you’ll find that they want to know that you’re already here and that you’re committed, before they give you the work.”

“This is especially in true in Qatar, where the local population isn’t interested in any bid if that company registered. Quite often you’ll find that they’ll check to see if this company is registered or if they’re just there to make a quick buck. The UAE is the same thing, especially in Abu Dhabi. You’ll find that if you don’t have the license, they don’t want to see you, even with a Dubai license. You may get away with it, but generally speaking, if you want any government contracts, you need an Abu Dhabi license,” Dowling said.

Given the values held by the country, he added that it was vital that companies do their research and know the market they’re entering intimately, including knowing all the local laws and customs, and more most importantly, respect them.