Mexican Business Etiquette

If you want to work with Mexicans, you will need to be familiar with their business etiquettes. This is very important to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings. Oftentimes, if you don’t understand their customs, it can lead to missed business opportunities.

Among the important things to note are working time, dates, and their manners of conducting meetings.

The Mexican Business Etiquette

There is a standard being followed when running or managing a business. This is called business etiquette and oftentimes, it may vary from one place to another. For instance, if you own a business at Mexico, you should be familiar with the Mexican business etiquette. Cultural differences can affect the way businesses conduct their operations but you can avoid missed opportunities if you know how to deal with different kinds of people. Experience and professional competence don’t matter much because most Mexicans tend to perform at highest levels when it comes to business concerns.

Here is some of the common business etiquette of Mexicans, especially executives. Most of them want to take time in discussing general topics. During the start of a meeting, businessmen exhibit gentle behaviors to warm up. Later on, the purpose and topics of the meeting will be discussed. There is a disadvantage in the work environment because top executives have a gap with other levels of the organization or business. The gap results to great downshift process which makes it hard to execute new plans or regulations. If you’re from another country, you might find it hard to deal with Mexicans and besides, you should be fluent in Spanish just in case you plan to call someone. Most secretaries speak Spanish and you will be directed to several lines before you can reach the person you’re calling.

Time of Work and Dates

Mexicans view money as a way to enjoy life and it’s different from Americans because the latter live to work. Mexicans go to work at nine in the morning and will end at seven at night. Lunch time in Mexico is quite long and will usually start at 2pm to 4pm. This is already part of their custom and it would be impossible to change.

Another important thing to note is dealing with dates. In Mexico, 9/8/10 will mean that the meeting will be held on the 9th of August. The day comes first whereas in the US, the month comes first. This is very important especially when you’re setting an appointment with a Mexican. One mistake can cost you missed business opportunities and the possibility of a misunderstanding. If you want to schedule for a dinner meeting, be sure to set it around 9pm because this is the time when Mexicans have their dinner, and not at 6pm-7pm. These are some of the things that you need to know when dealing with Mexican executives and businesspersons. It pays to know a great deal about them.

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