Avoid Gaffes with Cross Culture Translation
Before traveling aboard to do business, get the insider's tips on business etiquette.
There are multiple social pitfalls when doing business abroad. A word or a gesture can offend or delight your foreign associates. Crossing borders can feel like maneuvering in the dark when you're not familiar with a culture. Should you shake hands or bow low as is typical in Japan. An established multilingual translation company can be an asset in such a situation. Along with translating text, the company can assist in cross culture translation. A native speaker, familiar with the business culture of his country, can give you the insider's dos and don'ts. For instance, how should you make a toast to the chairman of the board in China? It's requires more than just flowery words. When making a toast at a Chinese business dinner, a person can show his respect by touching the rim of his glass right at the halfway mark of the other person's glass. So to show respect, make sure you don't raise your glass higher than the chairman's. A gesture can speak volumes, and an informed one can earn respect while a gaffe might leave a bad impression.
If you're planning to do business with foreign associates, there are important things you'll need to know. A good translation company will rely on native speakers for guidance, not someone who has lived in the country for a quarter of the century. With generations of cultural snippets to wade through, an outsider can't hope to pinpoint every pitfall. The Russian language, for example, is filled with embarrassing puns and unlucky homonyms that can prompt your foreign counterparts in Moscow to snicker. Bury the thought, right? Particular so if you need to make strong, powerful impression to clinch the deal.
Speaking of clinching the deal. Say you're trying to set up business in Mumbai. Everything is going great, you thought. But then when you ask if everything was a go, your Indian associate moves his head side-to-side. In western cultures, this means no. Not in India. Moving your head up and down means no, whereas, side to side is a sign of approval.
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