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| A picture of the Eiffel Tower ~ what else did you think I was going to choose, eh? |
TIPS ON DOING BUSINESS IN FRANCE
- During negotiations, the French may want to express every possible objection. It is not necessary to respond to each and every single statement—French conversational habits encourage all opinions to be voiced, even if they are not critical to the outcome.
- Before you ask for directions, assistance, or just plain information, apologize for not speaking French! You are in France, and the French will appreciate your acknowledgement that you cannot speak French well—if at all.
- Learn proper dining etiquette (including the identification of all the utensils) before you attend a formal French dinner. Understand the seven courses in a Parisian restaurant, in what order they arrive (soup, fish, sorbet, meat or fowl, salad, dessert, coffee) and study a bit about the wines of France. And never cut the point off the brie! (The best part of the brie is at the centre, because there is less rind and more cheese. It is rude to leave just the edge of the wheel of brie, which is typically heavier on the rind, for the next diner.)
- Cultural Quote: “How can you be expected to govern a country that has 246 kinds of cheese?”—Charles de Gaulle.
PUNCTUALITY, APPOINTMENTS, AND LOCAL TIME
- Always make appointments for both business and social occasions. Be punctual, although the French are more relaxed about time in the South.
- Most French get four or five weeks of summer vacation and take it in July and August. Indeed, except for the tourist industry, France virtually shuts down in August. Try to conduct business during other months.
- A law in 2004 created a full working day without salary, which reduced the number of public holidays in France by one day. Called a “solidarity journey,” this day can be applied to any official holiday the company’s employees select. If they cannot decide on which day should be the working day/holiday, it automatically forfeits to Pentecost Monday.
- Always present your business card. When receiving the cards of others, treat them very carefully.
- It is best to have your business card printed in French upon arrival. One side can be in English, with the translation in French on the other side. On the French side, include any academic credentials and your school if it is a prestigious one.
- The best times to schedule meetings are around 11:00 a.m. or 3:30 p.m.
- France is one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (G.M.T. +1). This makes it six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time (E.S.T. +6).
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| French Cafe, 1936 ~ Peter Purves Smith (1912-1949) |
Language Note:
Most English-speaking French have studied British-style English, which can lead to communication breakdowns with speakers of American-style English. For example, in the United States, a presentation that “bombs” has failed, but in Britain, it has succeeded.
Words in French and English may have the same roots, but different meanings or connotations. If you don’t speak French, don’t be offended too easily. For example, a French person might “demand” something, because demander simply means “to ask.” If you speak some French, don’t assume that an English word will have the same connotation in French. For example, if you ask for the bathroom and use the translation salle de bains, it will not be understood that you are asking for la toilette.
NEGOTIATING
- Eye contact among the French is frequent and intense—so much so that some Asians and North Americans may be intimidated.
- Because of the strong “old-boy network” and lack of merit-based promotions, employees stick to their job descriptions. Know who does what. If you are in charge of a service-oriented company, make it a policy to promote your French nationals based on good service, because your French management may not do so. Be sure to effectively communicate your company’s standards for service.
- The French are known for their formal and reserved nature. A casual attitude during business transactions will alienate them.
- During negotiations, the French may make you seem to be the demandeur (petitioner), thus putting you in the weaker position.
- Hierarchies are strict. Junior executives will pass a problem on to a superior. Try to cultivate high-level personal contacts.
- Women should not mistake French gallantry for condescension.
- Don’t start a conversation by asking personal questions.
- Don’t mistake a high-pitched voice and excited gestures for anger; they usually just mean great interest in the subject.
BUSINESS ENTERTAINING
- Business can be conducted during any meal, but lunch is best.
- Though the French are familiar with “le power breakfast,” they are not enthusiastic about it.
- Business lunches usually last one to one and a half hours. Dinner is late (8:00 or 9:00 p.m.).
- At a business lunch or dinner, show enthusiasm about the food before beginning a business discussion.
- The business drink should not be held in a café; they are too noisy. Try a quieter venue.
- Whoever initiates the meal or drink is expected to pay.
- Reservations are necessary at most restaurants, except in brasseries and in hotels. In choosing a restaurant, stick to French rather than ethnic ones.
- The French have a great appreciation for good conversationalists.
- When eating, keep both hands on the table at all times. Food comes gradually, so don’t fill up too soon. When finished, place your fork and knife parallel across your plate.
- Cheese is served toward the end of the meal.
- Don’t drink hard liquor before meals or smoke between courses. The French believe this deadens the taste buds.
- Respect privacy. The French close doors behind them; you should do the same. Knock and wait before entering.
The complete entry for France in Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands - The Bestselling Guide to Doing Business in More Than 60 Countries (2006) by Terri Morrison and Wayne A. Conaway.
Use the COMMENT feature below to discuss this article if you want.
Despite the fact that I am not quite interested in working in France, it doesn’t reduce the chances of me ever having to do business there, so these are some pretty useful tips. Personally, when I imagine the French, I think I get quite intimidated. I imagine them as very high-class, etiquette-respecting, possibly snobby people who may or may not judge me based on the outfit I decide to put on. Of course, these are all just based on Hollywood-film stereotypes and not much on personal experience interacting with them. Since I’ve only been there once where I stayed for a very brief two days, I didn’t interact enough with the French to perfectly envision them without the typical movie stereotypes and all. I think one thing that may make it very difficult to communicate with the French, in all honesty, is trying to pronounce a French word correctly. I remember in fourth grade, I had a half French-half Indonesian friend named Francine. Her father was named Jean Paul. After telling us her father’s name, I said, “Oh, your dad’s name is Jean Paul?” Francine then goes, “No. It’s Jean Paul.” And I replied with, “Yeah. That’s what I said. Jean Paul.” Francine, of course, tells me I’m pronouncing it wrong again, even though I felt as if I was pronouncing it the exact same way she was. The same thing happened in Paris when we got in a taxi and the driver asked us where we were heading. Because we had no idea how to pronounce Rue Réaumur correctly, we just showed him the text on Google Maps. Then, he proceeded to try to teach us how to pronounce it. I think there was a lot of frustration – on both ends – when he was never quite satisfied with how we pronounced it. Maybe French words were only made for the French to pronounce. How mystifying.
ReplyDeleteThis article is very informative for me. I think that different language and culture can have a big impact if we don't try to adapt to those kind of differences. In terms of the French language, I think French is one of the most difficult language I have ever learned. French has a distinction between what is written and what is spoken. My experience while in France and chatting with an immigrant trader from India, he said it took him 3 years to learn French and get used to the accent of French. In terms of the culture, I think France people has a pretty good habit of welcoming guests from outside of France. If I'm not mistaken, France is also the country that accepts the most immigrants compared to other countries in Europe, so they are already used to living side by side with guests although it is immigrant or not. However, this also causes France, especially in Paris, to experience crimes accident such as pickpocketing on the subway. My mom's friend lost all the money in her wallet without realizing someone picked it up while on the subway!
ReplyDeleteAs someone who has lived in France for 3.5 years, I can confirm that these tips are indeed factual. One thing I would like to add is the fact that if one does not speak French especially in Paris, you will be judged heavily. Often, this creates a situation where the people would no longer be willing to help you. If you are asking for a direction I would recommend using this format: "Ou Se Trouve *insert a place*". Another thing I would like to point out is the fact that Sunday after 12 is usually a shutdown for most stores out there. It is one of those things that have bothered me for way too long. There are times where I urgently need to buy something, but in the end, it was never open. In terms of the business aspect, it is vital to keep in mind the work hours and personal hours. The French are strict in terms of keeping separate entities between work and personal life, therefore work emails after 4 pm are expected to get replied to the next day. That culture of work emails has carried with me until this day. Since the language of English comes very much influenced by the French, some words are the same but have a very different meaning. One day, it happened that I was late for class and I was shocked when my teacher said to me "Tu es en retard". I didn't know that "retard" in French means late. I thought the teacher said I was slow mentally.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I see these differences as a way to differentiate our uniqueness between different countries. Of course, there are some parts that we do not agree upon, but we just have to find the middle ground where we could operate on good terms.
As a student in business faculty, it is interesting to learn other country business culture. So far, I have read the Dutch and Japanese ethics, and both have many similarities toward Indonesia. I was expecting the same normal things, such as keeping promises, range of time for an agreement, punctuality, and all the common things that many countries apply. But as I read each points highlighted in the article, I found numbers of differences. It leads to my conclusion, that French observe more detail things. For an example first, you have to know the proper etiquette on lunch or dinner. Second, it will be better if the meeting was planned on lunch. Third, remember to bring your business card written in French, in order to show your respect as you are asking or making a deal with them. Fourth, be careful when you received other party card and treat it gently. As we can see, these few norms are more detailed from what we found in other countries. It more likely to be a special request from the French, to follow their culture. Until before I read this article, I thought the Japanese was the hardest to be partners. But I guess now the standard just went up.
ReplyDelete