Decorum For Trading In Spain

Before you start up with a new business in Spain you must understand certain business manners as these play very important role in the success of the business. Understanding decorum of Spain or any country wherever you want to set up your new business helps in having better business relationships. The points highlighted below can help in better understanding of the business etiquettes followed in Spain:-

Business Meeting

It is always favorable if the lead is taken by the other party, but still you must be ready for shaking hands. Sticking to only handshake is always recommended if you are not properly aware of dos besos. Dos besos means exchanging two kisses; one on each cheek initiating from the right cheek. Moreover whenever you attend an official call on telephone or internet, always make sure that you begin with Good Morning or Good Afternoon. In Spanish Good Morning is addressed as Buenos Días and Good Evening as Buenas Tardes.

- Business Dress

Business dresses among Spaniards include formal, well ironed, neat and clean outfits, both for men's fashion as for women's fashion. Often color combination and accessories are also given great attention while dressing for even a casual meeting.

Business dresses among Spanish men include well-customized coat-suits along with the accessories like a formal or a branded watch in combination with the dress color. Business outfits among Spanish women includes pantsuits, or well-ironed properly fitted skirts and sometimes scarves as accessories in winters are very well admired.

- Decorum during meals

For businesses in Spain, meetings at meals are often considered as one of the best ways of developing better business relationships. Continental-style is often followed by the

Spaniards during the meals i.e. they generally make use of both knife as well as fork while eating. Keeping hands in lap is often considered as bad table etiquette. You must plan meals in such a way that you get enough time to carry out healthy conversation regarding your business as it is more of a professional meeting.

- Schedules for Meetings

The working hours for most of the Spaniards are 8.00 am to 2.00 pm and from 5.00 pm to 8.00 pm. So you must schedule your meetings within the working hours only. During the month of August, Spaniards often go for vacation, so you must try not to plan your business meeting during that month. For business class in Spain, Friday is generally a half-day. And the most important and expected thing is that you should be punctual for the meeting.

- Space utilization

Personal space needed by Spaniards is often much less if compared with the space needed by other countrymen. Make yourself as much comfortable as you can. Generally no queues are maintained by Spaniards at the shops, but they always remember their turn i.e. when they have to enter the shop. So if you go to any shop, then you must ask and confirm whom to follow while entering the shop. While moving upstairs you must keep yourself to the right.

The above stated are some business etiquettes that must be followed while expanding your business in Spain.