Do you have good global manners?

CHINA

You’re at a trade show in Beijing hoping to find a distributor for your luxury brand. You’ve had a great chat with a potential Chinese customer and now’s the time to give her your business card. Do you:

• take a card out of your back pocket and write your mobile phone number on it?

• point out that paper-based business cards are so old hat nowadays — is it OK if you just send her your details via your smartphone instead?

• carefully remove your specially prepared Chinese business card from a silver case in your briefcase, then present it by holding it carefully in front of you, with both hands?

Answer explanation

You’ll find that across Asia, the presentation of business cards is taken very seriously. Don’t ever write on a business card, or, even worse, shove it in your back pocket. Offering a card casually from a back pocket or with one hand is seen as insulting — it indicates that you don’t really care about the relationship. So offer it with respect, politeness and humility — and, for extra kudos, get it translated.

GERMANY

You’re desperate to work with a consultancy in Germany, but you’re not sure you can afford them. You’ve made them a good offer during a face-to-face meeting — now they say they’re ‘thinking about it’. How can you persuade them?

• write an enthusiastic email reiterating how passionate you are about their work and what a great opportunity it would be for them

• write an email asking when they expect to make a decision — after all there are plenty of other consultancies you can approach

• do nothing except send a polite thanks for the meeting. It’s best to wait and see

Answer explanation

Germans don’t like pushy business techniques, and they don’t respond well to wild passionate appeals. They like to take their time when considering a request, so take a step back and let them think about it.

INDIA

You’ve spent a year organising meetings for your buying trip to Chennai, India — but the manager you’re meeting seems distracted. He’s constantly answering the phone or chatting to employees who wander in while you’re trying to talk. How should you react?

• Stop talking and politely wait for your host to finish his conversation/call

• Just carry on but wrap things up quickly as he clearly isn’t interested

• Ask him not to respond to any distractions — what you’re saying is important

Answer explanation

These kinds of interruptions are normal in India, as it’s seen as rude to ignore a phone call or a request. It’s not an indication that your host isn’t listening or is too busy.

JAPAN

You are on your way to Japan for a business meeting but have caught a horrible cold. Should you:

• Go along anyway and don’t mention that you’re ill, you don’t want to cancel the meeting at such short notice

• Go to the meeting and apologise for being ill

• Cancel or rearrange the meeting

Answer explanation

Turning up to a business meeting with a cold would be seen as insulting in Japan and could end your chances of winning a contract. Blowing your nose is also a no no. If you have a cold, cancel the meeting.

NIGERIA

You’re about to meet a Nigerian company director for an informal chat about how your company could expand into Nigerian marketplaces. How should you address him when you meet him for the first time?

• By his title, whatever that is — Professor, Dr, Your Excellency — and his surname

• By his first name, to establish rapport

• By his full name but without the title — titles sound too formal and you want to appear friendly

Answer explanation

Titles are important in Nigeria, so make sure you check exactly what they are.

MALAYSIA

You’re meeting the representative of a big retail chain across Malaysia. He invites you for lunch at a Lebanese restaurant to talk about your products. Which hand do you use to eat your pitta bread?

• the left hand

• the right hand

• either right or left hand is fine

Answer explanation

It’s fine to use your right hand, but don’t ever use your left hand as it’s seen as the dirty hand. (It’s good to get used to this, as it’s the case in most Muslim countries.)