A team consisting of five people will be going to Italy on a business trip. I, Toni Siebert am the leader of this group and will be advising you on what to do, and what not to do. When entering Italy, we have to remember their norms are not the same as ours. They do things differently and also some things alike. This is a guide for you to study, learn, and become accustomed to their norms and ways of living.
We are going to start with what is the proper way to greet. This is especially important due to this being our first impression with a hopeful business partner. When greeting someone in Italy, you must shake their hand. If you are shaking a woman's hand, you wait for her to first extend her hand to shake. It is also very important that when ending the meeting, you shake hands again. It is also normal for Italians to kiss on the cheek, so do not be alarmed. Typically, they do this with friends but do not be alarmed if this happens. Also, greet everyone with their last name. They will give you permission to use their first names when they are comfortable. In order for everyone to feel comfortable, make sure you keep eye contact when speaking. If you do not keep eye contact when speaking, they will get suspicious. Italians are known to talk with their hands, do not be alarmed by this. It is normal for them to be more expressive than we are.
We must make sure we shake everyone's hand that is in attendance at our meeting. "Buongiorno" is a way to say Good Morning. Italians do speak English but saying good morning in their language is polite. Also, know that "Buonasera" is for Good Evening. Italians will sometimes embrace you when greeting. They do not expect us to do the same so do not be alarmed. "Signor and Signora" is how we will greet everyone. "Signor and Signora" mean Mr. and Mrs. it shows respect to greet this way. Italians are more personal than we are and may
ask about your family, and life. Italians often interrupt each other when talking, if this happens remember to keep eye contact.
Chewing gum is unacceptable so we will need to remember this. Also, here in America, we like our personal space Italians are much different. They may stand much closer to you but do not be alarmed it is normal.
Business Cards etiquette is a big deal in Italy, and there are a lot of guidelines to follow. We will be giving everyone in attendance a business card, and vise versa. When receiving their business card remember to read it and then either set it on the table, or you can put it neatly in your business card holder or briefcase. Italians love to be personable and trust who they are getting into business with, so make sure you are inviting in conversation.
We are all used to being early for meetings. In Italy being on time or even early is not normal. We will make sure that we are on time and patiently wait for them. Make sure that you do not say anything about them being a little late due to their culture being different than ours. Italians do this so they can be a little more flexible in their day, and maybe fit in something else. They will modify their schedules as issues arise. Italians are professional multitaskers and sometimes will cause them to be late.
We will be attending dinner so there is a dining etiquette I will address. We have to attend this dinner if not it is considered to be rude. We will be using their dining etiquette to ensure they know we respect their culture. If they pay do not question it, this is normal for them when inviting dinner guest. Make sure that you so not start eating before the host/hostess. Eating before the host/hostess is considered to be rude. If you are eating pasta roll it around your fork using your plate, do not use a spoon. If there is fruit make sure you use your fork to eat it, do not use your hands. If you want more food make sure that you wait for the host/hostess to offer it. Also, it is considered rude to leave the table if you are finished. Wait for everyone to be finished before excusing yourself from the table. Since we will be
going to their home after dinner, we will ask for a tour. Italians love and take pride in their homes.
We must make sure we are well dressed at all times. Italians are big on their wardrobe selection. Italy is the home of fashion and everyone dresses well. We will make sure that we are professionally dressed at all times. Men should wear suits and ties. Women must wear feminine dresses or suits. Formal attire is worn by all Italians. We must make sure that we follow their dress code as well to ensure professionalism. How we present ourselves will also be a determining factor for their trust and partnership. We need to present ourselves just as they do due to fashion being so important to them.
Gift giving in Italy is a social norm for friends but not for business meetings. We may bring small gifts but nothing with our business name on them. Small gifts are welcomed like wine and liquor but do not give them a gift until they give us one. We will give this gift as a token of our appreciation for them taking time out of their day to meet with us. Also, we cannot use black wrapping paper or gold bows. Black wrapping paper and gold bows signify death. Bribery is considered a criminal offense in Italy. Just like here in the United States, it is something that will not be tolerated. Our company will not participate in any sort or bribery. If you come across this politely excuse yourself, due to the ramifications that can come after. Our company will not do business with another company if this is to happen.
Also, any gifts you receive to make sure you also open them on the spot, if not this is considered rude. Gifts are not necessary but common so we will bring one just so we can show them our appreciation for their partnership. Our gift will be pens and pen cases without a company logo, as well as a nice bottle of wine, and a book. Also the day of the party one of us will be responsible for sending flowers to the host before dinner. This will show our gratitude for them allowing us into their home, and this is a social norm in Italy as well.
We must also study the laws and regulations of Italy. We are representing American's so we must make sure we are not breaking the law. While not in meetings it is okay to site see but remember this is a business trip. We must keep in mind that the laws in Italy are different. For example, you can not drink alcohol in groups bigger than three. You can be fined for this due to it being illegal. We should not be out drinking but I wanted to show an example of how different laws can be.
This information is important and will make our company look much better. Remember everything we do in Italy is a representation of our company and country. Everyone should go home and study up on their country and become more knowledgeable. We want them to know we respect their culture and also gain their trust.
The reason why we research the company we are visiting is because of the cultural differences. There are cultural norms that are normal for us and not for them. We have to make sure to respect their culture while visiting their country. These are all things that can make our company look bad if we do not do them. We are traveling to Italy in hopes to close a business deal. Gaining their trust is a huge part of this process, not just our business proposal.
In conclusion, this is all a part of performing business internationally. Every time we leave the country for business we need to look into the social norms of that country. We all need to study so that we can ensure no mistakes. Also, I may have missed something so doing your own research is important. The things that I have outlined for us can make or break this business deal. We do not want to them to think we are rude or a company they can not trust. We can lose their trust with something as simple as eye contact. Every little behavior counts and also your body language. As long as we remember what is their business etiquette is everything should go smoothly.