Business Etiquettes In India

Business Etiquettes in India By Rupal Jain

 “ETIQUETTE” is about presenting yourself with the kind of polish that shows you can be taken seriously. The word “etiquette” is derived from French which actually means a “ticket”, your ticket to getting anything and anyplace you want.

It refers to norms and standards for behaviour that is socially acceptable and being comfortable around people. Research conducted by Harvard University shows that technical skills and knowledge accounts for only 15% of getting, keeping and advancing in a job. 85% of the job success is connected to people skills.

This research significantly conclude the importance of etiquette skills that includes courtesy, image, trust and reliability; which increases opportunities for new business, fosters congenial business relationship, builds confidence and creates goodwill. India is one of the largest and most multi cultured country and business culture here tends to be more informal and friendly.

Certain personality traits of Indian are:-

• There are more than 14 major and 300 minor languages spoken in India. The official languages are English and Hindi. English is widely used in business and education. ? Many Indians are vegetarians.

• Indian often over promise in an effort to please.

• Favourite topics of conversation are Politics, Family, Cricket, Bollywood and Films. ? Whistling is considered as Impolite.

• Alcohol is usually avoided at lunch; Indian women are not always comfortable drinking in public.

• Breakfast and Dinner meetings are rare and usually business lunch is preferred.

• Business decisions are mostly made at higher level.

• The country’s most important festival is Diwali, when business associate exchange small gifts, sweets or dry fruits. It is considered especially auspicious to start a new business at this time.

Etiquettes are dependent on culture, what is excellent etiquette in one society may be rude in other. Thus, understanding the culture of India is a key to successful business relationship for which there is certain Business Etiquettes which may vary by region, office size, business speciality, company policy, rules and regulations.

However, general business etiquettes in India are:- • Gifts are not opened in the presence of the giver. • Acceptable gifts are flowers, chocolates and perfumes. • “I will try” is an acceptable refusal rather than “No”. • Putting hands on hips is rude.

• Keeping confidential matters/materials in few hands as it can be used against the interest of the company. “In modern world if the company is able to deal e-mails effectively then they can gain competitive edge and achieve professionalism. While replying to an e-mail include the original mail in your reply, in other words click “reply” instead of “new mail”.

Make your subject line specific, meaningful and don’t type in all CAPS as it signifies a scream”, advices Mr. Hemant Parekh, CEO- Parekh Constructions Ltd, “Avoid glaring errors such as misspelling, proper grammar and punctuations as it can sometimes change the meaning of the text. Customize your mail and be concise, to the point”, he added. Don’t attach unnecessary files/ documents in your e-mail; take care with abbreviations and emoticons.

Use proper structure and layout; use active instead of passive voice, avoid long sentences and repetitive use of words like urgent and important. Never write e-mails to discuss confidential information; answer swiftly; don’t reply to spam and never copy attachments or messages without permission are some e-mail etiquettes.

For effective meetings, communicate beforehand the objective, expected duration and the topics/issues expected to be discussed. Make it a point to arrive 10-15 minutes early for a meeting and introduce yourself to the other participants. A short and light, not firm handshake is the customary start of the meeting and a non-verbal clue of friendly deal. Make sure to thank the meeting members for their time and participation; show them how their contribution helped to achieve the objective of the meeting. Avoid arranging your meetings on national holidays and don’t bring your cell phones to meetings. There are certain telephone etiquettes which one need’s to follow. Communication over phone requires the use of non-verbal skills such as pleasant tone, sweet voice, proper intonation and clear articulation of words. Before initiating a call, prepare yourself about what is your purpose and contents.

A confident self-introduction always makes a positive impression. Introduce yourself in a slow, clear manner and don’t use words such as Mr, Ms, Mrs, Shri, Smt while referring to yourself, you can call other persons by such names. According to Mr. Ketan Punamiya, General Manager (Human Resource) of a reputed firm in Mumbai, “The most important things to remember is to be considerate, courteous, diplomatic and thoughtful to the people around you, regardless of the circumstances. Address conflicts as situation related rather than people related and never differentiate the people by position or standing with the company. Treat all colleagues with respect and recognition.

Always speak well, don’t leak other’s secret and pass along credit to everyone who made a contribution to the efforts. REMEMBER- Don’t take credit for your co-workers contribution to a project”. Avoid chewing guns loudly and asking personal questions to colleagues about their family size, marital status and religion; never tell dirty jokes or forward dirty e-mails.

Don’t talk about your organisation, other colleagues or boss behind their backs – as it minimises irritation and contributes a positive work environment. For any business party carry your business card, avoid drinking too much and never use foul language or tell dirty jokes.

Don’t wear suggestive, revealing clothes, and never do back-biting. “Always consider the languages, time zone, working schedule, holidays, food, tradition and customs of other country for any International Business as these have become critical elements for all global business managers. Thus, the basic knowledge and practice of etiquette is a valuable advantage because in lot of situations a second chance may not be possible. Finally, every work place has certain unwritten/ written rules which apply to every single aspect of work life i.e. how to e-mail, talk on phone; conduct themselves in a meeting, business party and group conversation.

Written By: Rupal Jain, Lecturer, Atharva Institute of Management Studies (MUMBAI) She can be reached at jainrupal@sify.com