Hamilton Rouse PR & Marketing
The Middle East can be a potentially lucrative market for many companies. But forget the guidebooks to etiquette. Doing business in the region has little to do with theory. Too many publications make the average Arab sound as if they are from another planet, whilst the sweeping generalisations that treat the Middle East as if it were one homogenous unit present a distorted image of the region, fostering western attitudes to its inhabitants that range from the patronising to the deeply mistrustful.
The word “Arabs” is a convenient shorthand term rather than an accurate description of people as diverse as the Kuwaitis, the Lebanese, the Egyptians and the Iranians (who don’t even speak Arabic)
You have to learn to respect Islam, but you don’t need to be frightened or intimidated by it. Use your common sense and judgement with people, just as you would in any other part of the world. Politics and religion are not taboo subjects, as long as you know what you are talking about, and most people in the Middle East will be delighted that you are showing a genuine interest
Personal contact, face-to-face meetings and mutual respect are paramount. Getting through to an important client on the telephone for the first time can be like trying to gain an audience with the Pope. But once you have met them in person, you are in. From then on, respect their seniority (and the trust they have placed in you) by not delegating key tasks to a junior member of staff: at best you will get nowhere, at worst, you will risk offending them.
Put everything in writing. This is not just a standard safeguard, but a way of ensuring that there are no misunderstandings caused by dealing with someone who may speak English better than they perhaps understand it. Don’t expect telephone messages to be passed on. Always call back if you need to talk to a client. And forget those ‘guides to business hours.’ Many Middle Eastern concerns (especially government offices) operate their own versions of flexitime, especially during weekends and holiday periods.
Women, contrary to the received wisdom, are highly respected in most parts of the Arab world, and western female business travellers should face no major problems. They are certainly safer in places like Dubai and Bahrain than they ever would be in London or New York, and need not cover up from head to toe: even these days in Saudi Arabia. But be sensible: dress in something that will not make you or an Arab man feel uncomfortable, and which is appropriate for a conservative business meeting.
The Middle East can be daunting. But it is also fascinating, vibrant, rewarding and enormous fun.
If you’re doing business in the Middle East, find out more from our website www.hamiltonrouse.com or email us on [email protected]
