China Business Culture and Etiquette 1 - Appointments

Sorry for not blogging for a while, I was extremely busy the past two weeks dealing with the launch of my website. It is a marketplace called Esdena.com where college students can buy and sell college textbooks, DVDs, shot glasses and much more.

Anyhow, in this series, we are going to cover the culture and etiquette of Chinese businesses. Do not overlook this important aspect because Chinese takes them seriously and westerners are often not aware of these cultural differences. Last time, we talked about visiting potential joint venture partners or manufacturers in China. So I will start off by talking about making appointments in China.

First off, be punctual! Being late for an appointment is unacceptable in Chinese business culture, it shows a lack of respect and sincerity for the person you are meeting with and the business venture.

Business and government hours in China are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. There is, however, a five-day work week in larger cities. Avoid visiting government offices on Friday afternoon, not only is it reserved for 'political studying' of the officials, would you want to meet someone on a Friday afternoon? Store hours are 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., daily. Most stores in big cities like Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong, however, remain open until 10:00 p.m.

When scheduling your appointments, be sensitive to holidays such as Chinese New Year (late Janurary or early Feburary). During May Day (May 1st), or the National Day, many businesses will be closed for up to a week.

If you want to arrange an appointment with local Chinese business and officials, the East Asia & Pacific office of the U.S. Department of Commerce can help you; they are also effective in identifing the contacts you will have to establish to achieve your objectives. Sometimes, you might want to hire a reputable Public Relations firm, as they can help you arrange meetings and negotiate with senior Chinese officials or even pinpointing whom you should meet for your purposes.

Next time on China Business Opportunities Blog, we are going to talk about the appropriate dressing when you attend a business meeting in China. Stay tuned.