Business Tips for France
If your only experience in France is from a pleasure trip to Paris, you
may be under the impression that the French people are intolerant of American
visitors. However, while this can be true in the city of Paris, it is certainly
not true in the rest of the country. The French people are very individualistic
and love America while being critical of it at the same time. As an American
business visitor in France, you will be welcomed and treated very well by
the French people; however, it is also common to find yourself in a debate
about the American way of life.
When you will be traveling to France on business, you will want to understand
a bit about French culture and history, to be able to better assimilate yourself
into their world.
Building Business Relationships
The art of building business relationships with the French sometimes requires
a step unique to France. The French people tend to love to debate and often
wish to have a friendly argument, especially with American visitors. In the
debate you will be made to take a side and support your position with your
own argument. This debate is used to build camaraderie and to show your knowledge
level. While debates can be lively, take them in the spirit they are offered
and enjoy the banter and the passion of the debate.
Business Introductions
Business introductions in France tend to be formal. You can expect to be
formally introduced and told where to sit in a meeting setting. The shaking
of hands is the acceptable way of greeting in meeting settings, while kissing
of the cheeks is reserved for more personal greetings. You should try to
be reserved in the tone of your language and also not use too many hand gestures
as these tend to be looked down upon as being a “lower class” thing
to do.
Business Cards
There are no formal rules for the exchange of business cards in France.
You will simply exchange them with your French business partners after everyone
has been formally introduced. One thing you will notice is that standard
French business cards are larger than those of most of the rest of the world.
If you will be doing a lot of business in France it is a nice courtesy to
have your business cards printed in French on the backside. This is not a
requirement, but it shows respect to your hosts.
The French: Teamwork and Individuality
Teamwork and individuality are both valued in French business culture. You
will find that as a group they will often debate with you, but final decisions
ultimately rest on those higher on the organizational chart.
The French people tend to judge you in a business setting by your manner
and way of speaking. While meetings tend to be very formal and to the point,
you should always start with an apology about your French skills. Even if
you are fairly competent in the French language, this shows respect to the
French who value their language as much as their customs and traditions.
After your apology, be ready to debate each and every item on the agenda
and support your views without being too overt or loud.
Use Software to Translate English to French or French to English
The French people see their language as a very integral part of their culture.
While citizens of many countries are very forgiving of your lack of multiple
language skills, the French will expect you to at least communicate the basics
in French. If your French language skills are limited, you will want to purchase
French translation software to run on your laptop while you are visiting.
This can help you to do on-the-spot gisting level translations from English
to French and from French to English.
What can French Translation Software Do For You?
• Translate your text from French to English or English to French
•
Convert any e-mail messages to/from the French language
•
Translate letters, documents, spreadsheets, and presentations into
English or French
•
Convert MS Word, Excel, and Power Point files into French. And, convert
PDF files as well.
Tip: If you rely on software completely to do the translation and do not
have human to proofread your document, send both the English and the French
translation and put a note on the translated text to let the recipient know
you have used software. This way if there is any question they can refer
back to the English version.
Final Thoughts
The French believe in the “work to live, not live to work” way
of being. They thrive on quality and distinction in everything they do. By
making every attempt to speak their language and assimilate yourself into
their culture, you can find doing business in France to be very profitable
for your company.
Related Items:
French Translation Software
French Dialects and Translation
How to type French accents
French Document Translation
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