7.3 印度商务礼仪在线视频

Now let’s move on to the fun part

The business etiquette

In this part

we are going to talk about the following

etiquettes that you should pay strong attention to

while communicating with Indian businesspeople

They are

Meeting etiquette

Emphasis on seriousness

Business dress code

Greeting manners

Dining manners

And Gift-giving manners

Meeting etiquette

For business meetings in India

it is wise to make arrangements with

your business contacts at least several days

in advance depending on how busy they are

Make sure to check the details of any meetings

and if unclear

contact your Indian business partner by call

or email for further information

Indian culture supplies a great amount of flexibility and

tolerance when dealing with people from outside of the country.

So if things are off the plan

you do not need to worry

You can notify and explain the situation to

your Indian business partners and they will understand you

What’s more

they are willing to offer some extra support too

This is a matter of informing all the affected parties

then you can cancel or rearrange your appointments.

One of the best ways to initiate a meeting is to contact

the personal assistant of senior executive

and ask for convenient meeting time

If you will be travelling to India from abroad

it is advisable to make appointments by email or by letter

at least one month and preferably two months in advance

The most suitable time to schedule meetings is late morning

around 11am or early afternoon

It’s wise to reconfirm your meeting the week before

and give your meeting parties a phone call again

that morning since it is common in India

for meetings to be canceled at the last minute

You should arrive at meetings on time since

Indians do appreciate punctuality and keeping promises

Since Indians may take longer time and

more visits to try to figure out the situation

first meet-ups are usually for introduction and agenda analysis

Typically

Indians choose to take their time

making important decisions.

Business meetings hold high importance and

are taken very seriously by Indians

which will be hereby further explained below

Indian executives from the top management prepare precise agendas,

which are usually imposed on strict censorship

Meetings in India always target for authoritative conclusions and

results instead of providing an opportunity

for abstraction or miscellaneous discussion

Emphasis on seriousness

When doing business with your Indian business partners

it’s important not to add too much of the humour gene

Doing business in India is a serious thing

so make sure you don’t have slapsticks

or even just liven up the atmosphere with light-hearted humour

or even just liven up the atmosphere with light-hearted humour

as it will definitely affect your business relationships

Sometimes Indians seem to be argumentative

emotional and expressive

only to a proper extent which is a normal part of their personality

and therefore shouldn’t be seen in a negative light

Business dress code

Different parts of India may embrace different dress codes

Generally for men

shirts and trousers are usually the common choice

while for women

saris are the typical outfit

Nowadays, it is common to find draped

elegant, modern clothing in business settings in India

Formal shirts, suits

ties and trousers are common business attire for men

Many businesses have their own uniforms

with company-style uniforms that look incorporated

with the whole company culture

The new generation startups are adopting a smart dress code

that is comfortable to wear

that is comfortable to wear

and gives a young-professional company image

Brands, designer suits and evening gowns

are quite popular among high officials.

Apart from the free choice of dress code for business occasions

women are advised to cover their heads and

shoulders when travelling in or near religious places

which is seen as a sign of respect

for culture and customs

Also, apart from the restrictions on clothing

if a woman is menstruating

she is not allowed to touch or enter any religious place

So, if you are a woman

invited by your Indian business partner for a guest

tour of their wonderful monuments and temples

be sure to remember to choose a suitable “date”

Greeting manners

in India gestures such as long handshakes

and shoulder taps between men don’t mean anything

rather than a friendly gesture

There are limits to physical contact between men and

women in the workplace which you should avoid

when greeting your Indian business partners

no cheek kisses or passionate hugs

unless you know how your Indian business partners like it

In any professional urban business context in India

a real firm handshake from a foreign client

(male or female) is highly recommended

However a “Namastey”-style greeting - greeting done

with your hands folded in front of your chest - to

your Indian business partner is always acceptable as an alternative

Dining manners

Since India is a country with rich religions

you should be aware of your Indian business

partners’ religious conventions when having dinner with them

If you are dining with your Indian business partners

who are Muslims or Hindus

do remember that Islam prohibits the eating of pork

and Hindus do not eat beef

When dining with Hindus

do not touch any food directly with your fingers

which is being served to others

and this is especially the case between men and women

according to Hinduism

this makes it impure

when dining with earnest Muslims

it is especially important for women not to

touch directly any food that is being served to men

this also makes it impure

Also

if you are right-handed

make sure to keep the spoon in your right hand

and put it down when switching to the fork if you need it

Never use your left hand for eating

because left hand is considered

tainted according to Indian religious teachings

If your dish requires you to eat with your hands

you should wash your hands before you sit down to eat

and also wash your hands again at the end of the meal

As mentioned above

you should use your right hand when picking up and eating food

never your left hand

Keep your left hand at your side

Do not place your left hand on the table

and do not pass food with your left hand

Normally in India

Banana-leaf food is usually eaten with your hands

These are vegetarian or meat curries

served with rice and sauce on a large banana leaf

If your Indian business partner invite

you to have such kind of food

the correct procedure of eating it would be

first pick some rice with your fingers (right hand)

then gently roll it between your index and middle fingers

and thumb (not in your palms) into a kind of self-sticking ball

dip it into the sauce on the banana leaf

mix it with a vegetable or a piece of chicken

then reach the whole thing into your mouth

Most of these hands-on banana-leaf

restaurants are Muslim or vegan

Gift-giving manners

When invited to your Indian business partner’s home

you should follow the Indian gift giving customs

nd bring the host/hostess a small gift of chocolates or flowers

If your gift needs wrapping

do not wrap it in white or black colours,

which are considered unlucky colours in India

Instead

use bright colors such as green, red, or yellow.

In India

gifts are not usually opened in the presence of the gift giver

Also, if your Indian business partner is Hindu

you should not give gifts made of leather

if he/she is Muslim

then you should not give gifts made of

pigskin or any alcoholic products

Items we considered gifts may not be available in India

so you can send your Indian business partners

other gifts such as electronic gadgets

computer disks bandages soup mix

and knives would be appreciated

chocolate, disposable razors, perfumes, toiletries

and household items such as plastic containers

can also be given as welcome gifts