A UN team from the International Trade Centre, in partnership with Ithraa, Oman’s inward investment and export development agency, will conduct export workshops to help Omani non-oil exporters navigate the complexities of quality standards and regulations.

The export workshops will take place in Muscat at the Sundus Rotana Hotel on October 1 and 2; and in Salalah at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on October 3 and 4.

Nasima Al Balushi, Ithraa’s director general of export development and acting director general of investment promotion, said: “Developing international business is becoming an essential aspect for many Omani companies, and serious consideration needs to be given to the quality of product being exported.”

“Indeed, quality has to be customer-driven, not technology-driven, production-driven, or competitor-driven,” she added.

Research shows that businesses who export have greater growth prospects, more durability and higher profitability than companies who do not.

Al Balushi continued: “Also if you needed more encouragement than that, consider the fact that exporting businesses generate an average growth of 30 per cent after exporting for just two years - a fantastic reason to consider trading globally.”

“International exports bring earnings, investment, technology and talent into Oman and are among the primary economic drivers propelling Oman’s economic fortune. Today, we’re exporting to over 135 countries. However, to maintain and improve on this performance we have to ensure that we’re providing current as well as future Omani exporters with the right support and information. That’s what the Muscat and Salalah workshops will be aiming to achieve,” she added.

“In developing product quality programmes, many companies often fail to ask two basic questions. First, how do customers define quality, and why are they today demanding higher quality than in the past? Second, how important is high quality in customer service, and how can it be ensured after the sale? These are just some of the issues I am sure will come up for discussion in the workshops,” she said.

Taleb Al Makhmari, Ithraa’s director general for marketing and media, said: “Doing business overseas needn’t be difficult.”

“Whatever country you’re considering, industry you're in or stage your business is at, Ithraa can help,” he said.

“Our team offers impartial and free export advice to help Omani businesses understand international business practices, quality standards as well as export market opportunities. Working with ITC will undoubtedly help improve our efforts to increase Oman’s non-oil exports,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service