和不同國家做生意的技巧
Tips for doing business with different countries
China is the biggest market in the world, and many countries such as Germany, the USA, the UK and Russia do a lot of business there. Let’s have a look at some important tips to help you be successful with these nationalities.
Firstly, you must be punctual with Germans. Even 5 minutes late makes a bad impression. Being punctual is also very important in the USA. In the UK, it’s important to be punctual for business meetings, but nobody expects you to be on time for a social event. Half past seven really means quarter to eight, or even eight o’clock! With Russians, always be on time, but don’t be surprised if your Russian contact is very late! It is not unusual for them to be one or even two hours late!
In all four countries, it is best to dress formally and use dark colours. In Russia, designer clothes are very common. Don’t be surprised if you go to an office in the UK on a Friday and find everyone wearing jeans. Many companies have ‘dress down Friday’, when people wear casual clothes.
In Germany, first names are only used with family members and close friends, so be prepared to use titles and last names. In the USA you will usually be invited to use first names almost immediately. The British are quite informal and using first names in business is more and more common, especially among younger people. In Russia, however, nobody uses first names, so use titles and last names.
In conversation, the British and the Americans value humour, and both like to talk about sport. The weather is also a good topic of conversation with the British, but avoid talking about politics. In Russia, say positive things about their country, but avoid making complaints. The Germans, however, prefer to get straight down to business!
Finally, when doing business in all countries make sure you have a lot of business cards. Remember that in Germany, once a deal has been agreed, you can’t change it! In the USA, money is more important than relationships, whereas in Russia it’s important to get to know your contact well. Finally, don’t be surprised if a British meeting seems like chaos, with everybody participating and giving opinions!
So, use these tips, and you will be on your way to a successful international business career!
GLOSSARY 詞匯表 (收聽發音, 請單擊英語單詞)
market
市場
punctual
準時的
contact
聯系；聯系人
designer clothes
名牌服裝
titles
職稱；官銜
humour
幽默
complaints
抱怨
business cards
商（業）務名片
chaos
混亂
tips
技巧
makes a bad impression
留下不佳印象
formally
正式的
casual
休閑的
informal
隨便的；非正式的
avoid
回避
get straight down to business
開門見山談生意
deal
合同
career
事業
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