THERE is a need for banks to understand their customers commercially and not just financially, ANZ head of transaction banking, Iain Leech said.
Mr Leech said banks should not just sell products but solutions as well.
He added that ANZ offered "insights" from specialists as well customer assistance on risk management and capital management.
ANZ, he said, offered trade loans as well as risk mitigation products and services.
Mr Leech advised that exporters should work with their respective banks to manage the hazards of international trade. In addition, any exporter should understand the distance between buyers and sellers, culture and regulatory differences, language and time zone differences, unknown standing of the buyer or supplies, inability and unwillingness to pay, sovereign and country risks.
Mr Leech outlined four major steps- to understand your risks, develop a risk management plan, cash protection and liquidity management.
Exporters, he added, would need cash from day one of production until it was exported. Mr Leech said banks could fill in the gap in terms of cash flow.
But trust, he said, was important.
And if you are a first-time exporter, it is vital that you first talk to all government agencies or export councils, Mr Leech advised.
"Just dont go out all alone," he said.
Mr Leech said the Pacific countries had a strong future in terms of export.
"I encourage investment in the export sector because this will lead to ongoing growth.
"The Pacific Island countries are located in a very strategic part of the world growth-in the Asia Pacific basic.
"Pacific Island countries are exporting diverse products and services from agriculture-based goods, natural resources and fisheries to their Asian nighbours who over the coming years would continue to secure food sources and the Pacific is part of the supply chain."