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PUNCTUALITY IS ESSENTIAL.
Even keeping an executive waiting one or two minutes may
totally ruin your prospects of a successful deal. |
| • |
Do not forget about the Germans group
of background decision makers. This will save you the
frustration of understanding why the individuals who appear
to be decision makers are not currently making the decisions. |
| • |
Be prepared to spend a lot of time developing
a relationship with the Germans since that is the only
way you are going to get around their apparent “standoffishness”. |
| • |
All of your promotional materials, manuals
and supporting information should be translated into German. |
| • |
Be prepared to hand out a lot of business
cards. Note that generally the higher ranking people in
Germany will have less on their business cards, so govern
yourself accordingly. |
| • |
If your company has been in business for
a long time, it is wise to notate that on your card. |
| • |
Include any title on the card that is
above a bachelors level. |
| • |
Germans do not appreciate humor in the
business context. |
| • |
Do not give or expect compliments. This
is clearly embarrassing to the Germans. |
| • |
Remember, the Germans are very formal;
therefore, all your correspondence and actions should
reflect this. |
| • |
The Germans do not appreciate the compliment-compliant
approach many Americans take; it simply confuses them. |
| • |
Respect Germans privacy. Doors are closed
and you should always knock before you enter. |
| • |
Never discuss business during the meal. |
| • |
When you finish eating, your utensils
should be placed side-by-side on the plate. |
| • |
Germans love to shake hands and a firm
handshake should initiate and end all meetings. Only shake
a woman’s hand if it is offered to you. |
| • |
Always stand when a woman enters the room.
Women should know as long as they remain standing, so
will the men. |
| • |
Never address someone by their first name
until you have established a close personal relationship
with them. It is always better in Germany to error on
the side of formality. In addition, always use their formal
title wherever possible. |
| • |
Fraulein is only used for women under
18. Whenever you meet a business woman in Germany, whether
she is married or not, Frau should be used before her
surname. |
| • |
As in many parts of the world, the eldest
or highest ranking person should enter the room first. |
| • |
When invited to dinner in a German home,
always bring a bouquet of unwrapped flowers to your hostess.
The bouquet should have an uneven number of flowers. Avoid
the number 13. Red roses are for courting and should not
be used. Also, heather should never be used because it
is often planted on graves. |
