The Intersection of culture and commerce: working with Chinese at Allegro

In recent times, the world has progressively melted into a global community with diverse cultures and languages interacting more than ever before. At the heart of this convergence is the e-commerce sector, with an interplay of different cultures in business affairs. Deep dives into the Asian region, fueled by linguistic proficiency in languages such as Chinese, empower us to consistently uncover and leverage new avenues in the e-commerce landscape.

"From the perspective of those fluent in Chinese, Allegro is a great place to be. Our daily engagement with the language not only fuels our personal growth, but thrusts us into an immersive environment rich with opportunities. Operating in a predominantly Chinese-language context provides us a deep understanding of local market dynamics. And there's no denying that Asia, especially China, stands as a global e-commerce hub, making this an intriguing landscape for professional and business growth"
- says Jakub Kołodyński, Senior Business Sourcing Partner

Bridging cultures, languages and business

At Allegro, with an emphasis on a multicultural environment, people fluent in Chinese and other languages find a sporting chance to apply their linguistic talent in the fast-paced world of international e-commerce. The cross-cultural nature of their work defines the company's unique charm, leveraging language skills for business development. The add-on value of language proficiency is apparent in the work we do, especially the venture into the greater Asian region, including China, Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore. Allegro, consequently, emerges as a cultural melting pot introducing diverse products from these countries to the European markets.

“Every new region is a learning experience for us, adding to our overall momentum. We observe a growing global community with a strong European demand for Asian products, matched by Asian producers' openness to distribute locally made products in Europe. This mutual interest makes Allegro a unique crossroads where diverse cultures meet, resulting in a satisfying blend of cultures."

Brewing a shared culture

Amidst this blend of the Eastern and Western cultures, we nurture its unique work culture, embodied best in the shared appreciation of amazing tea. This love for a good brew not only underscores the common passions within the team but also marks the hybrid work culture that we pride ourselves on fostering.

"Operating within a Polish-Asian environment comes with the delightful advantage of the daily indulgence in wonderful Chinese tea. Jokes aside, the range of choices at our disposal is remarkable. For a good two weeks, you could sample a completely different tea each day, and rather than diminishing, our collection keeps growing. The shared passion for savoring high-quality brews definietely connects us all”

Beyond the language skills

At Allegro, the daily use of Chinese is not only a unique facet but a valuable tool that accelerates cooperation with Asian sellers. We push the boundaries of linguistic proficiency, using it as the backbone of expansive ventures into Asia. However, language command is just the starting point. To navigate Allegro’s multicultural and innovative environment, one needs creativity and a knack for unconventional solution-seeking. A keen interest in deciphering cultural nuances, openness to learning, and adaptability to a fast-paced e-commerce landscape become equally valuable.

Depending on your position you may be responsible for contacting merchants, creating content for Chinese sellers, identifying business expansion opportunities, analyzing market potential, hunting, acquiring, negotiating, onboarding, educating, building and maintaining long-term relationships with Asian partners or be involved in the improvement of the products we offer to international sellers.

"Proficiency in the Chinese language is not just an advantage–it's sometimes essential. It's our key tool for many situations. However, some positions we're hiring for also require an array of additional skills. Whether it's customer service, key account management, business development, or content creation, our team includes fantastic individuals for whom an excellent understanding of Chinese and its cultural nuances greatly assists. The content created in Chinese requires native-level fluency. However, for other positions, good communicative language skills combined with other capabilities, such as good work management or identifying potential business opportunities, can be more important."

Innovation thru cultural lens

Challenging conventional business standards, we thrive on the ability to translate diverse cultural practices into sophisticated business strategies. Be it the utilization of popular social media platforms like TikTok for seller education, or leveraging QR codes for daily operations, Allegro leads the way in innovating beyond the norms.

“We once hatched an idea to leverage the power of Chinese TikTok as a vehicle for Allegro content. This allowed us to showcase our platform and educate foreign sellers. While TikTok might be perceived as a light-hearted, fun platform in Europe and Poland, we see it as an ingenious business tool. It serves dual purposes for us - spreading the word about Allegro externally and providing an avenue for current client and vendor education, proving to be supremely effective in all these endeavors. As a team, we have the power to bring our ideas to life. Charting paths that haven’t been ventured before. In a way, we're building this partnership structure from the ground up between Allegro and foreign sellers, and that's a very positive and exciting challenge”

At Allegro, multiculturalism isn't just a business strategy, but a way of life. A work environment with a keen sense of curiosity, an openness to learning, and a shared passion certainly makes it a workplace of preference for those eager to navigate the intersection of language, culture, and commerce.