Exporteurs
kunnen bij
de Rabobank
ook tijdwinst
boeken.
evening
in Stuttgart
Rabo
band
IN BRIEF
Rabobank Export Plan supports small
and medium-sized Dutch firms
in the export market
Positioning
Rabobank as an
international
bank for Dutch
customers
Brazilian
bankers visited
Raibobank
'The World
Market
for Oils
and Fats'
Football
Issue 5/December 13, 1989
Rabobank Nederland re-
cently introduced the 'Rabo
bank Export Plan', a practical
export gulde for businessmen
in small and medlum-sized
firms in the Netherlands.
This plan is intended to help
businessmen find their way
around in the countries to
which they export and answers
their questions briefly and con-
cisely. All the necessary prep-
arations for successful export-
ing are dealt with in the form
of a step-by-step plan, from
the exploratory stage to actual
implementation. About one-
third of all the businessmen in
small and medium-sized firms
are members of our organiz-
ation. As a result of European
integration, more and more
companies will start doing
business internationally. Ex-
ports are vitally important for
the Dutch economy and there
are many opportunities here,
particularly for businessmen in
small and medium-sized firms.
Research has shown, however,
that these firms' export oper-
ations are far from perfect and
that the difficulties of this busi
ness are often underestimat-
ed. All kinds of problems erop
up in finding the right partner,
because of language barriers,
the sometimes completely dif
ferent payment practices and
the collection of outstanding
debts. This product - which has
meanwhile met with an en-
thusiastic reception - was de-
veloped under the supervision
of Mart Hermans (r), head of
the Export Promotion Depart
ment at Rabobank Nederland,
because no practical export
guide existed specifically for
this market. The Dutch Cham-
bers of Commerce have also
reacted positively.
Rabobank fZJ
Onderneem T met de Rabobank.
By hel succesvol aken doen in en mei het builcnUntl zijn twee (actoren vaak
van (Joontaggcvcndc beukens, 'n Betrouwbare handelspartner s een. snel
heid van handelen twee.
U» beide kan de Rabobank het piste adres zyn. Met eigen vesugingen
m alle beUngnjke cxportgebicden in de wereld kunnen wy u letterlijk 24 uur
per dag van drenst zyn.
Vanuit de vestigingen brengen wij u in contact met jlnemers Daar
bij spreken wy uw tul en realoeren ons ook dat tyd een kostbaar goed s. Lktl
laatste komt lot uiüng in diverse produkten. mals de Quidt Cheque Service.
ms zelfs weken - eerder uw geld uil het
le Rabobank tijdverschil voor u om in tijdwinst
To create increased aware-
ness in the Dutch business
market of the Rabobank of
fices abroad, a new advertis-
ing campaign was started in
October. At the same time,
the local banks sent a direct
mailing to their international
business connections. This
mailing contained a brochure
entitled 'Rabobank, an inter
national bank' and a folder
with information about all the
Rabobank offices abroad.
This direct mailing and the ad-
vertising campaign are activ-
ities initiated by the Interna
tional Marketing Department
in Utrecht. This department
supports the local banks in
their marketing efforts aimed
at businesses operating inter
nationally.
In recent years, Rabobank has
regularly developed new prod
ucts which enable Dutch ex-
porters to receive their pay-
ments from abroad more
quickly and efficiently. To
achieve a further increase in the
sale of these products in the
market, it has proved neces
sary to bring the positioning of
Rabobank as an international
bank to the attention of the
target group more forcibly. It
is only when Rabobank has es-
tablished its image as an inter
national bank in the market
that it will have any chance of
success in getting through to
non-customers.
In addition to this advertising
campaign in the national dai-
lies, the local banks are sup-
ported from Utrecht with mate-
rial for working the market. Di
rect mailing activities relating
to the bank's international ser
vices are mounted twice a
year. International Marketing
also regularly organizes one-
day information sessions
about doing business with a
particular country for cus
tomers of local banks who are
in the export business. This is
generally a country in which we
have our own office, so that in
addition to general information
about doing business with that
particular country, attention
Last summer Rik van Slin-
gelandt, General Manager of
Rabobank Nederland's Interna
tional Division, first visited the
Raibobank in Brazil. The crew
of the Sao Paolo office orga-
nized a special lunch to wel-
come Van Slingelandt. The
most prominent Brazilian
bankers were invited and all of
them were present. Managing
Director Teun de Boon: 'This
definitely shows the high stan
ding and reputation of our
triple A international agribusi-
ness bank here in Latin Ameri
ca. All banks are ready and
willing to co-operate and work
with us. This gives the Rai
bobank team a big boost and
forms a great stimulus to es-
tablishing an even more active
presence in Brazil in the future.
can also be drawn to the ser
vices the office concerned can
offer to its business cus
tomers.
An important means of com-
munication used by Rabobank
in the international business
market is the 'Import-Export'
trade bulletin which is circulat-
ed among some 20,000 cus
tomers in the Netherlands eve-
ry month.
The official opening of the
Raibobank in Sao Paulo, Bra
zil, took place at the end of
October. As part of the effort
to profile the representative
office as an agribusiness
bank, a Portuguese version of
the brochure 'The World Mar
ket for Oils and Fats' was of-
fered to business customers.
This study presents a picture
of the trade in edible oils and
fats which, after the trade in
cereals and meat, occupies
third place in the total range
of world food exports.
As an international agribusi
ness bank, the Rabobank
Group supports the commer
cial activities in this market
with financing, funds transfei
and document handling. The
products concerned are mainly
transported by ship, so that
the most important interna
tional ports - where Rabobank
has offices - also play an im
portant part in this trade. The
study was carried out by Mr
Geurts and Mr Mul of the Sec-
toral Research Department in
Utrecht. In addition to the Ger-
man, Portuguese and English
versions, a Dutch version will
become available in due
course. The brochure will be
sent to all offices abroad.
On 13 September the
West German team VfB Stutt
gart played an important
match against Feyenoord
of Rotterdam (Netherlands).
That prompted the Stuttgart
branch of the ADCA-Bank to
organize a German-Dutch foot
ball evening.
Some 25 Dutch and German
football fans, all customers of
the bank, were taken along to
VfB Stuttgart's Club Restau
rant by our German colleagues
before the match. After a
meal, the fans saw the Stutt
gart eleven - under the leader
ship of their Dutch trainer -
win the match by 2-0. This was
followed by an extensive dis
cussion of the game. Both the
customers and the ADCA-Bank
staff agreed it had been a suc
cessful evening, which of
course was not only devoted to
talk about (banking) business.
