UK Business Blog

Intro

Demonstrating an awareness of and respect for different cultural behaviour is one of the first things an international business prospect needs to know if they want to look intelligent and refined (and who doesn’t).

Many expatriates of non-UK English speaking countries have found it difficult to adapt to UK customs which can be subtly confusing when compared to more obvious difference in countries such as Japan. There seems to be an expectation of similarity between countries that speak the same language and these assumptions can cause embarrassment or a bad reputation.

Gesturing is one of many types of cultural nuance that can create an impression. For example, the ‘thumbs up’ gesture, which represents positivity or an affirmative in Western culture, can mean the equivalent of a ‘middle finger’ in other cultures. First impressions, communications and meetings are all topics that have specific etiquette guidelines to conform to whilst in the UK. Seeing as the British love manners, it’s a good idea to swat up on UK business etiquette.

I can't tell if he's being offensive or not?

Katie Jamieson

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Meetings

UK meetings are like open forums.

Meetings in UK business have been described as inconclusive and frequent. Very often they are used as a forum for open debate as opposed to other cultures which may use meetings for assigning tasks and delegation.  By comparison to other countries, there is a lot less preparation done prior to the meeting, which means you are expected to use the time in the meeting to demonstrate your usefulness – no hiding behind an agenda or slacking off or sleeping! UK meetings are still quite formal and require usual common courtesies such as punctuality, committing to appointments, not interrupting others and listening to others.

Don't overlap meeting times - Else you're brain will look like this.

As it is impossible to measure the length of a debate, it may be difficult to determine how long a meeting is going to be and therefore there is a slight chance it will stop short or overrun. It is probably wise to leave a considerable length of time between meetings in case one overruns, or you have transport difficulty, i.e. you miss a train.

Meetings are usually around lunchtime, but may be held at breakfast or dinnertime. Generally, people do not meet for food the first time, but it is common to meet for food and drink at other times, whoever calls the meeting is usually expected to pay for the meal.

When you are the guest, make sure you print a map of directions to the restaurant, as it’s easy to get lost in a city and with technologies like Google Maps and smartphones, getting lost is no excuse for lateness or absence. Also make sure you allow spare time in case of bad traffic or congestion on the roads/buses or at some times of the day, the tube.

You could probably get away with having a glass of wine at this meeting.

If offered alcohol, it is best to follow whatever the contact is doing, especially if they are the host. You may feel inclined to sample British Ale and maybe even encouraged to do so if your host is particularly keen to welcome you to British culture. Larger amounts of alcohol are consumed at dinnertime, but in both cases you are not expected to drink if you do not wish to.

When it is your turn to arrange the appointment, it is safer to book a table at a nice place, but not too expensive as it may seem like you’re showing off or it may intimidate your contact, which you don’t want to do (unless you’re in the business of Gladiators). Take recommendations from your hotel if you are staying at one, friends if you have any in the area or perhaps ask the contact themselves to see what they recommend, that way you will know it’s a place they like! Some sectors, such as the media sector, prefer venues that have a cool reputation but that will allow less formal clothing.

Otherwise try these links for places suggesting business lunches:

Impressive 

Discreet

Inexpensive

Katie Jamieson

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Waiting for an email reply or going to ring from a different country? Fact: most business hours in the UK are Mon-Fri 9am-6pm with lunch generally around 1pm-2pm, so consider this if you are having difficulty contacting a UK business from another country.

The best way to find contacts is at a networking event or through social media. If you prefer more traditional methods you may go off word of mouth or through a telephone/advertisement directory.

For making initial contact, networking events or social media are best. Networking is important to many different sectors of different-sized companies. Using social media to promote your business or find contacts demonstrates forward-thinking and shows you’re involved in a medium that is growing in popularity and opportunities. For more information on this, visit our sister blog, the B2B Guide to Social Media.

More direct or formal approaches would be through a speculative email. It is usually better to email before phoning a new contact, as it gives them a chance to conduct research about you and your query (nosy at your LinkedIn profile) and prepare for any questions you may ask in a phone call. If a query is complex you may want to speak to somebody about it on the phone in order to explain yourself more easily, but it is not commonly acceptable to take up a lot of someone’s time on the telephone unless it is a planned conference call.

Contacting somebody through writing is not a common practice anymore, since the popularisation of email and the time saving, cost-cutting and paper-saving benefits it offers. Save it for love letters I say! If things can’t be embedded or attached to an email then fax is an acceptable way to send things urgently, if a fax machine is available and if you can bear that strange dialling tone they make.

Oh I forgot this, the most effective method of modern communication

Katie Jamieson

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Communication: Conversation Topics

Disagreeable topics

"The problem with Canadians is... " Such a no-no!

• Personal questions – some people you meet may share information with you about their background or marital status, but usually if information is not mentioned, then it is inappropriate to ask. Some people are very protective over their private lives and they may not answer your questions, which would make the conversation very uncomfortable.

• Class/race/gender/orientation/disability – these are sensitive issue and best avoided in case you offer an opinion which offends. The UK is a country which promotes diversity and equality as best it can. There are so many other topics of conversation available that even if you’re not being discriminatory, you still may come across as prejudiced if you mention one of these issues.

• Religion – religion is a source of dispute and violence across the globe, and so may be an upsetting or aggravating topic. Never assume somebody’s religion, it may be offensive and you’re likely to be incorrect. The UK is an extremely diverse and cosmopolitan place with a whole manner of religions. If you wish to share the fact that you are religious that may be fine, but don’t do it in too much of a direct way as it may seem aggressive and discourage potential business interaction.

• Partisan politics – whatever your political beliefs, unless you are a politician there’s not really place for them to be discussed in the workplace subjectively. As with religion, you cannot assume somebody’s political preference. If someone you are doing business with has opposite partisan beliefs then they may not want to do business with you.

• War – another contentious issue in the UK. Some people may believe in the need for war, whereas others may be pacifist. Even if you intend to raise this issue without mentioning your opinion, it may be sensitive for business contacts who may know people in the Forces.

• Sex – even with their friends, many British people do not talk about sex. It is regarded as a very private act and maybe even a more private conversation topic! It’s not a case of prudishness that stops Britons from speaking about it, it just is not appropriate in the workplace, for obvious reasons. 

• Death – a few centuries ago, death was much more common, which meant it was as acceptable to talk about as the weather is now, though it was upsetting. Fortunately, mortality rates have improved but death is still upsetting. Mentioning this may cause emotional reactions.

Katie Jamieson

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Communication: Conversation Topics

Favourable topics

• Weather – the quintessential Brit talks about weather. Mainly to praise any form of sunshine and denigrate any precipitation. It is a perfect topic, as everyone knows something about it and discussion of it will rarely offend.

• Current affairs – grabbing a newspaper (many in the cities are free) or watching TV to catch up on the latest news (regional, national and global) is a fantastic way to have basic fodder for conversation. Even if you have only one paragraph’s worth of knowledge on an issue, replying “yes” when someone asks, “have you heard the news about…?” opens up the conversation where you can learn more about a recent event or story and share opinions on it, if appropriate.

• Sport – football/soccer is a particularly hot topic amongst fans. Others may find it tiresome and so it might be useful to mention a popular inclusive event like the Olympics. The topic of sport can be a useful conversational tool if you are a sports fan, as you can bond over team support or have a light-hearted joke if you have opposing views.

• British history, culture, literature, art, and popular music – if you are in Britain, why not mention the things you are seeing/doing/reading/listening to. British people might be surprised if you know something about their culture that you have learnt and they do not know. If you really know about this topic of conversation and don’t just base your conversation on cultural assumption then you will look involved, interested and intelligent –people will want to do business with you.

• Food and Drink – most people love food, and being positive about British culinary experiences is likely to be well-received by your business contact. In turn, they might recommend a fantastic restaurant or bar and may even schedule a meeting with you there. That has to be a positive!

Katie Jamieson

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Communication: Phrases

Additional to spelling distinctions, phrases can denote very mixed messages. For example, in UK culture if someone describes something as ‘not good’ it may actually mean ‘very bad’. As in, “this blog is not good…(it’s great?)” This particular phrase is a good example of how the British business style has a reputation for being indirect and diplomatic, especially in person or over the telephone.

Very often, the main message someone is trying to imply can be heard by what is not said, rather than what is said. Not in a really cryptic way though, otherwise I could just type this blog and hope you understood everything by what was ‘not said’. A good way to understand the intention of a statement is to look at body language and eye contact of how it is delivered and also listen to the intonation in the voice. In writing you will find sarcasm is less prevalent, but the tone will still be quite indirect.

 And if you’re bad at sarcasm, get practising! Sarcasm may be the lowest form of wit, but it’s the highest form of business-speak!

Oh I'd HATE to eat some sausages and mashed potatoes right about now.

Here are some phrases that UK people may say in the workplace and the translation to North American phrases.

Katie Jamieson

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• US labor – UK labour

 ‘ze’ vs. ‘se’ 

• US criticize – UK criticise

 ‘ce’ vs. ‘se’

• US practice – UK practise

 ‘ll’ vs. ‘l’

• US skillful – UK skilful

 ‘g’ vs. ‘gue’

• US dialog – UK dialogue

 ‘er’ vs. ‘re’

• US center – UK centre

 ‘ck’ vs. ‘que’

• US check – UK cheque

 ‘e’ vs. ‘ae’

• US encyclopedia – UK encyclopaedia

 ‘iz’ vs. ‘is’

• US organization – UK organisation

 Base form vs. ‘ed’

• US fit – UK fitted

Katie Jamieson

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First Impressions: Business cards

Take a lot of business cards with you. Especially if you're doing business with an elephant.

 

Business cards are usually exchanged upon parting or meeting and there is no real ceremony surrounding their exchange as they are primarily used as a marketing tool with contact details on. Don’t be offended if your contact doesn’t look at the card before putting it away; you may think this is a sign that he / she doesn’t want to go into business with you, but more attention is likely to be paid at a later date if your card is added to a contact database that many companies use to keep a record of business associates.

Always bring a plentiful supply should the business contact want to pass them on to any other relevant people.

Katie Jamieson

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First Impressions: Titles

Despite having a reputation for stiff formality, the British commonly use first names in business, you know, whenever we’re not calling each other ‘Old Sport’. As a business technique, this familiarizes you with the contact and bridges the intimacy gap that physicality often doesn’t (see the Greetings post). It is frequently indicated how someone wishes to be addressed upon meeting them. They may say a simple “Call me Alex” or repeat the part of the name they wish to be called by, such as “My name is Pat. Pat Smith”. Agent 007 is a great example of British introductions, when he says the famous line “The name’s Bond. James Bond”.

Just call them 'Bond', otherwise it's 007.1, 007.2, 007.3...

It isn’t just top spies that prefer to be called by their surname though, as you may find particularly older or more experienced business contacts wish to be addressed by title and surname. The titles Mr. (pronounced MIS-TER), Mrs. (MISS-IS), Miss. (MISS) are used as titles. Don’t assume a female’s title; refer to her as Ms. (MIZ) if you are unsure.

Generally it is only doctors, clergy or legal professionals that use their academic titles in business. People from the military often use their title too. For knighted people, use ‘Sir’ in front of their name and similarly the female equivalent is ‘Dame’.

(Miss) Katie Jamieson

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