A Matter of Comfort

It seems to me that “U.S. Services Targeted by the Japanese” (June 2) might have missed the mark.

Travel services are usually bought based on personal friendship and/or service. The Mazda people chose to do business with those whom they felt more comfortable with. I doubt that the travel agent who lost the business speaks Japanese or is familiar with Japanese culture. I suspect both of these needs will be available at the new agency for Mazda. If I wanted Mazda’s business, I’d sure be taking Japanese language classes and learning their culture.

Based on my knowledge of these business matters, neither the travel agent’s race nor nationality were involved in the change. Foreign firms would do well to make themselves more sensitive to their host country’s way off doing business.

Nevertheless, I find American business methods worthy of emulation. I also feel foreign firms do business differently, and some of their methods have proven quite successful, e.g., learning our language and studying our market needs.

ROBERT ARONOFF

South Pasadena