France

ESCUELA UNIVERSITARIA DE ESTUDIOS EMPRESARIALES EN ZARAGOZA

INGLES EMPRESARIALES

FRANCE

1. Specific habits in business

Making appointments

Generally, people should strive to be punctual but arriving for business

appointments 10-15 minutes after the scheduled time is not considered late and is

therefore acceptable in France. French employees get five weeks of vacation, and

take at least three in July or August. Moreover, France practically 'shuts down' in

August. With the mandatory reduction of the work week to 35 hours, executives are

getting additional vacation in lieu of shorter working weeks (14 to 16 extra days every

year). It results in a lot of offices being practically deserted during Christmas and

Easter school closings. One should take this into account when planning business

trips to France. Typical office hours are from 8:30 or 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 or 7:00 p.m.

Monday through Friday. In midday there is a break for lunch. In Paris, lunch begins at

1:00 p.m. In the provinces, lunch begins at noon or 12:30 p.m. Lunch may last for two

hours or more. So the best time to schedule meetings is usually 11:00 a.m. or 3:30

p.m. The French have a great respect for privacy. It is necessary to knock and wait

before entering into a room. Additionally, do not "drop in" unannounced.

Businesspeople should always give notice before their arrival.

Greetings

A business meeting should begin and end with a brisk handshake accompanied

by an appropriate greeting and the exchanging of business cards. In accordance with

French business protocol, use first names only when invited. Use of first names has

become common for colleagues at work. This is less frequent when the age or

position gap is very large. Outsiders, clients, suppliers are usually referred to as

“Monsieur” or “Madame” followed by surname. “Madame” is a basic title of courtesy

for all women, as is “Monsieur” for men. Today, the courtesy title “Mademoiselle” is

rarely, if ever, used and should be avoided. The French will sometimes introduce

themselves by first saying their surname, followed by their first name. If both sound

like first names, this can be especially confusing; i.e. if Maurice Francois introduces

himself as “Francois”, “Maurice”.

The French handshake is brief, and is accompanied by a short span of eye

contact. Kissing on the cheeks across genders is also common greeting amongst

colleagues at work. It is not extended to outsiders. Man should not attempt it until

female colleagues have made the initial move.

Despite the formality of French business culture, people tend to stand close

when speaking to each other. Moreover, touching a shoulder or patting an arm is also

commonplace and usually within the bounds of French business etiquette.

Maintaining eye contact is important, but don’t try to focus too intently on the other

person.

Communication

Perhaps no other culture so highly regards its language as a symbol of itself.

The French are extremely proud of their language. So it's strongly recommended to

learn basic French phrases and use them whenever possible. These efforts will be

well appreciated and remembered. While knowledge of French is a distinct

advantage