Dealing with clients from other cultures is becoming an inevitable part of doing business in Canada. If any of your clients or prospects are among the 200,000 immigrants Canada welcomes each year, you may be dealing with people who are accustomed to an entirely different system of etiquette.

There are differences among cultures when it comes to the manner and speed in which people conduct business meetings and business meals, for example. Some cultures find the use of first names presumptuous. Eye contact, dress code and tone of voice are regarded differently in various parts of the world.

Understanding the cultural traditions of your clients can not only prevent inadvertent social blunders, but it also can deepen your relationships with those clients.

> Do Your Homework. Spending some time in advance to investigate a client’s country, culture and social customs, or even learning a simple, one-word greeting in the client’s language, can earn goodwill. But make sure you know the region from which your client hails.

For instance, when learning a greeting for your meeting with a prospective Chinese client, it’s important to know if your prospect comes from mainland China, Taiwan or Hong Kong, says Carla Kearns, managing director of TLI: The Mandarin School in Toronto, which offers classes in the Mandarin Chinese language and Chinese business culture.

China and Taiwan are home to Mandarin speakers, Kearns says, while Cantonese is spoken mostly in Hong Kong.

“Learn how to speak a few phrases,” she adds, “but make sure you’re speaking the right language.”

China, the world’s largest country by population, is a good example of a country with a wide spectrum of cultures.

> Don’t Generalize. Similarly, it’s important to understand that not all Muslim countries in the Middle East share the same traditions, says Tina Tehranchian, a branch manager with Assante Capital Management Ltd. in Richmond Hill, Ont., who is of Iranian origin and has many clients from Iran.

Although Iran is home to Muslims, Tehranchian says, it’s important to note that Iranians are not Arabs, and they speak a Persian language called Farsi.

And, certainly, taking time to get to know a client and letting a client get to know you is an almost universal custom. However, there is an exception to even that rule: in some extremely traditional Arab circles, such as those from Saudi Arabia, it would be considered rude, Tehranchian says, for a man to inquire about another man’s wife.

“When it comes to a lot of things, you have to play it by ear,” she adds. “You have to follow your clients’ cues. Be very sensitive to the non-verbal cues you get from your client.”

> Earning Trust. If you can make a special effort to earn a client’s trust, the payoff can be tremendous.

Once a client feels you are trustworthy, word can spread quickly through a community, says Georges Brotman, a native of France and president of TTI Transculture Training International Consulting in Toronto. TTI offers diversity and business etiquette training covering 60 countries.

When dealing with clients from other cultures, Brotman says, “you should be prepared for clients with different decision-making styles, different attitudes toward time and different ways of expressing themselves.

For example, some Asians like to consult with their extended families before making major financial decisions.

Similarly, someone from South America may expect an advisor to make a investment recommendation or even a decision for them, Brotman says, rather than be presented with a range of investment options, as is customary in North America.

In many cultures, business is built on relationships, and the only way to build rapport is with face time, says Kearns. For example, in mainland China, business is not seen just as an anonymous exchange of services. The Chinese find it appropriate, for example, to spend time talking about the client’s region, favourite travel destinations, sports and Chinese horoscopes.

But not all topics are acceptable. It’s best to avoid matters of politics and religion, says Tehranchian, not just because they may be touchy subjects but because they can also lead to conversations that can drag on for hours.

Above all else, says Kearns, it’s important not to appear condescending or patronizing in any way. Although your prospect may not have a solid grasp of English, that does not mean he or she is not highly educated or intelligent.

@page_break@And if your client has a professional designation or title, such as doctor, by all means use it. Many Canadians are not big on titles, but they are important in many Asian and Caribbean countries.

> Make House Calls. If the client is coming to your office, you’ll have fewer etiquette concerns than if you’re heading to a client’s home. While a home visit could put you at greater risk of making a cultural faux pas, being inside the client’s home will give you a chance to learn more about what interests the client and what makes him or her tick, based on the home decor and surroundings.

Before visiting a home, do some research. For example, when visiting the home of an Asian family, you will remove your shoes at the door, and don’t be surprised if someone brings you slippers, Kearns says.

And accept any food or drink that’s offered, even if it seems unusual.

“You should try it,” she says, “and say it’s great. Food is a great social lubricant.”

Tehranchian recalls visiting a client’s home and arriving at the end of the family’s dinnertime. “They really insisted I share the last bites with them,” she says.

While researching cultures is helpful, Brotman says, to increase your chances of success, you might consider teaming up with a second advisor from the same cultural background as your client.

“If you can’t establish a rapport, it’ll be difficult for you to sell product,” Brotman adds. “Once your client or prospect feels comfortable with you, you can get a lot of referrals.” IE