- Greetings among strangers often involve a handshake, but
as people get to know each other, the greetings become more demonstrative.
- When joining a group it is important to shake hands with
everyone.
- Saying “hello” to a group rather than greeting people
individually may be seen as rude.
- The amount of personal space between two people is
smaller in Chile than in America.
- When pointing at something, use your entire hand rather
than one finger.
- General
- Business attire in Chile is conservative and formal.
Business casual attire will generally not be acceptable.
- Bright colors should be avoided.
- Men
- Blue/gray suits with a white shirt would be the best
option for business attire.
- For dining, a suit and tie should be worn.
- Women
- Blue/gray business suits with low heels would be the
best option for business attire.
- Jewelry should be kept to a minimum. If jewelry is
worn, it should be conservative.
- For dining, an elegant dress should be worn.
- Do not compare Chile to other South American countries,
especially ones that it has had conflict with.
- Do not be offended if you are interrupted during a
conversation, it is seen as a sign of interest.
- Do not start out conversations by asking someone what
they do for a living.
- Good topics to discuss are Chilean history, food and
wine, sports, art and literature.
-
Topics to avoid
include human rights violations, the countries around Chile, wars and
politics.
- Appointments should be scheduled two to three weeks in
advance.
- It is usual to be introduced to a business person by a
third party.
- It is extremely important to build a rapport with the
people you are wishing to do business with.
- It is normal to engage in small talk before discussing
business.
- You should be empathetic in your dealings, kindness is
valued.
- It is not acceptable to offer bribes in Chile like it is
in some countries.
- Do not attempt to be aggressive in your business deals
with Chileans.
- Lunch breaks usually last two hours.
- Dinner is usually after 8:00pm.
- When entertaining business associates, it is a good idea
to let them begin any discussions about work.
- If invited to a person’s home, it is normal to arrive
15-30 minutes late.
- If someone says a toast in your honor, it is polite to
say one back to them.
- Good table manners are important in Chile, use utensils
(even if eating something that would be considered “finger food”).
-
If you are
served something that you do not like, at least take a couple bites of it to
be polite.
Source
A summary of this information can be found at Executive Planet.
For more information go to:
http://www.executiveplanet.com
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