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Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Business etiquettes for a global business

There's hardly any chance that you can get away with bad etiquettes in your global business endeavor, bad manners will make you loose your company's goodwill, customers and sales in no time. To make it even worse, you can spoil your country's image if you are not courteous enough with your foreign clients. Irrespective of the position you hold in your company, when you meet some client, you are representing your company as a sales person. Business meetings are not a place to show attitude, flaunt your rough & tough personality, being bullish or non-serious. You are not going to meet your international clients a lot, so when you do, make sure you were well prepared for the occasion.

Language:
More than vocabulary, it's the right choice of words, more than accent, it's being clear in what you say, more than fluency, it's conveying your message to the receiver without any confusions. English is the standard business language, and to get into some global business, you need to be familiar with this great communication tool. Good proficiency in English will make it so easy for you to operate while poor English skills will halt your progress every now and then. Apart from English, you need to know a little bit of native languages when traveling to places like Germany or some Asian and Middle Eastern countries.

The all-important Punctuality:
One thing that is equally important and equally appreciated in every society is punctuality. Getting there in time, or slightly earlier than the fix time will do a great deal in casting a positive impression. Being on time shows that you know the value of time; it also reflects at your commitment. How successful do you think a sales person can be who arrives late at business appointments? The client will be judging your sincerity and how seriously do you take your business by your punctuality.

Appearance & Introduction:
Appearance includes your dress, expressions and body language. Read a little about body language and winning expressions and try to apply the basics like smiling, being upright and showing enthusiasm. Don't experiment with what you are wearing; in most cases black suit is a safe option unless you are meeting someone at a golf resort. Be attentive when you are introduced to a group of people, if you have to introduce your companions, use full names and titles.

Gifts & Dinners:
Corporate business gifts like Desk Accessories, Pen sets, business card cases can place you in other person's good book and make your job a lot easier if you are looking to get some contract or strike a deal (same do not apply to the Government officials, there’s a difference between gift-giving and bribing). When it comes to business dinners, take them as seriously as your business meetings. If you are eating out in some foreign country like China or UAE, learn their table manners in advance to avoid any kind of embarrassment.

Phone Calls & E-mails:
When writing business letters or e-mail mention the intended recipient and subject line clearly. Make sure your answering machine or voice mail system is properly working, try to return the calls promptly, when on phone, be polite and talk clearly.

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