{"id":15573,"date":"2018-05-11T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-05-11T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.smarteventi.it\/business-etiquette-italy.html"},"modified":"2018-05-11T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2018-05-11T00:00:00","slug":"business-etiquette-italy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.smarteventi.it\/en\/business-etiquette-italy.html","title":{"rendered":"The ultimate guide to business etiquette in Italy"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If you have chosen to live and work in Italy, you should be aware of the local business etiquette<\/strong>, while avoiding the pitfalls of national stereotypes. Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur wanting to do business in Italy<\/strong><\/a> or just looking to expand your market<\/strong><\/a> and establish relationships with Italian partners, whether you are hoping to start a new company or simply looking for employment, it is important to be aware of local customs and what is considered appropriate in different situations<\/strong>. We covered this topic in a previous post<\/strong><\/a>, and our readers have been eager to learn more about it ever since. So here\u2019s our ultimate guide to business etiquette in Italy!
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The ultimate guide to business etiquette in Italy<\/h4>\n

Greetings<\/h3>\n

Have you ever gone through that embarrassing conversation, when greeting someone with a peck on the chick, just to discover that you are aiming for the wrong side or that your counterpart is going for a second kiss and you are not? We have good news for you: you don\u2019t need to worry about that when meeting with someone in a professional capacity. Not only hugs and kisses are not required, they are considered highly inappropriate<\/strong>, unless you are doing business with a close friend (in which case you might not need to worry about etiquette in the first place). A good old handshake is the only acceptable form of greeting, with men and women alike<\/strong>. An extra tip for the men out there (and this is a tip some Italian men might do well to follow too): if you are meeting a potential client, colleague, boss or business partner who also happens to be\u00a0female, you should never, under any circumstance, assume it\u2019s a good idea to kiss her hand. It\u2019s not gallant, it doesn\u2019t make you look like a gentleman and it will not be appreciated, as it shifts the formal terms of the interaction in a completely unacceptable way. It is equally unacceptable to compliment your counterpart\u2019s appearance or comment on it in any way<\/strong>. If business is the purpose of your meeting, formal interactions and formal greetings are in order. Be polite and courteous, not mawkish.
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