Meeting a buyer doesn’t yet define the work result
A company engages a foreign representative, but the parties have different understandings of the task: whether it’s a list of contacts, negotiations, or support until payment.
If the result is not defined, a dispute about performance and remuneration may arise even if the work is useful.
First, agree on the subject of the assignment and the scope of authority.
The legal status of the agent, remuneration terms, and possible mandatory regulations in a specific country require separate legal review.
An internal work card does not replace this.
Let’s discuss the work boundaries of a foreign representative in your company
I’ll help you clarify the work boundaries of a foreign representative, collect initial data and evidence, identify participants, and define immediate actions.
We’ll also discuss similar challenges and related foreign trade tasks in your company.
We’ll agree on the scope of support before starting work.
Separate contact search, negotiations, and company decisions
Describe what contacts the representative should seek and what they should find out about the buyer’s request.
Clarify what materials they can share, who approves the price, and who has the authority to sign documents.
Avoid making promises about quality, deadlines, or payment beyond the scope of authority.
The International Trade Administration recommends assessing the capabilities and compatibility of a foreign representative with the product and market.
This is a useful guideline for questions, but American services and regulations do not automatically become available to a Russian company.
Assignment card
A training structure helps discuss a verifiable result.
| Block | What to agree on |
|---|---|
| Goal | Which buyer and which request is needed |
| Actions | Search, meeting, data collection, or coordination |
| Authority | What the representative cannot decide independently |
| Confirmation | Recording the contact, meeting, and next step |
| Remuneration | Event and procedure per the verified contract |
Do not equate the number of sent emails with confirmed negotiations.
However, the absence of a deal does not automatically mean the assignment was not fulfilled if the result was defined differently.
Verify the quality of request transfer
Illustrative example: the representative passed on a company contact but did not clarify the product, volume, or the interlocutor’s role.
The coordinator returns with specific questions to distinguish a casual acquaintance from a viable request.
Preserve agreed information and the next step without transferring unnecessary personal data to public materials.
Confidentiality terms and data processing legality are defined separately.
Do not promise the representative a commission for an event that the parties have not yet agreed upon.
Start with a limited verifiable assignment
Define the trial work period and scope, feedback method, and the person accepting the result.
After verification, decide whether to expand.
Commission and other legal terms are approved before relevant actions in accordance with the applicable procedure.
For incomplete requests, use buyer RFQ qualification.
The representative helps obtain information; decisions about the product, price, and obligations remain with the company’s authorized participants.
A practical management guide.
Examples are illustrative.
Check requirements and contractual terms for the specific product, country and shipment.
Internal forms do not replace official procedures.
Sources checked on 25 October 2026.
