January has been the month of Russian at TranslationsInLondon. We have dedicated our social media to this beautiful but challenging language.
Moscow International Business Center (a.k.a. “Moscow City”) is the new, modern face of the Russian capital – a striking contrast to the historic onion domes of the Red Square. Full of eye-catching skyscrapers, the new district
If you are planning on doing business in Russia, there are a few rules to follow which would not occur to most people. However, these rules are incredibly important and not sticking to them can damage your business relations.
At 17,125,200 square kilometres (6,612,100 sq mi),[21] Russia is, by a considerable margin, the largest country in the world by area, covering more than one-eighth of the Earth’s inhabited land area,[22][23] spanning eleven time zones, and bordering 18 sovereign nations.
Some of these rules are pretty straightforward and are often used in Western countries as well, those being: dress smartly for meetings, speak formally to one another, and try to keep your work and social life separate. Although those are straight forward, they are important for keeping a professional and positive business relationship.
The next rules are less commonly followed in Western countries. Firstly, to use the correct titles: these are a point of pride for the people of Russia, so using the incorrect titles could be taken offensively and give the impression you are disrespecting themselves and their position. You can read a bit more on this interesting site.
Secondly, a good way to establish a positive relationship is to provide gifts, this is because it shows how much you value them. When visiting someone’s home, flowers are always a well-received gift but avoid yellow flowers as they are thought to bring bad luck and bring an odd number of flowers, as even numbers are associated with funerals. Keeping up relationships are vitally important, so expect to be answering calls at anytime of the day!
When doing business in Russia, it is very important to remain flexible and adaptable. For example, it is greatly important to consider the age of the people you will be dealing with as the younger generations are more in touch with Western ideas but the older generations tend to learn more towards the traditional style of business as they did not grow up in a capitalist environment, so be patient and try to appeal to their beliefs. As with any country, being able to understand how the systems work will be very useful because you will then know exactly what steps are needed to be taken in order to achieve your business goals. So, knowing the ins and outs of the bureaucracy will come in use. Finally, relationships are everything! Partners like to take time to get to know who they are dealing with, be prepared to be patient and to be communicating with groups of people before you’re able to discuss business with the main potential partner.
Some other, final notes to take in consideration when doing business in Russia are: when entering a home, be sure to remove your coat and shoes before going inside; when dining, rest your wrists on the table as it is believed that your hands should be seen at all times when sitting at a table; knowing about the history of Russia and their culture can greatly help with conversation and can further emphasise how much you value their partnership. If you are meeting new clients, do not forget your business cards as in Russia, they still play an important role. Ideally print a side of your business cards in Russian.
Overall, there are many rules to pay active attention to when doing business in Russia. Although a few may seem trivial to a Westerner, they are of great importance and should be a priority to those who wish to do business with the Russian people.
Last but not least, make sure to translate your marketing material into Russian. If your client do not speak English, also plan an interpreter in time. We, at TranslationsInLondon can assist you with this.