Chile: Appointment Alert!

From ExecutivePlanet.com

Making appointments

Third party introductions, through institutions such as banks and consulting firms, are often a necessary prelude to conducting business in Chile.

January and February are popular vacation times. This is the height of the summer in Chile. Trying to conduct business during these months is probably futile.

If you want to get to a decision-maker, it's always necessary to go through the secretary first. Secretaries largely determine who gets access to their manager[s], so it will be in your best interests to remain polite and gracious when dealing with them.

Appointments should be scheduled at least two or three weeks in advance. Also, make a point of confirming the appointment before your visit to Chile and upon your arrival.

In most cases, the best times to schedule appointments with your Chilean contacts are from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sometimes, people will meet from approximately 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., combining their appointment with a business lunch.

Remember that many Europeans and South Americans write the day first, then the month, then the year [i.e., March 12, 2005 is written 12.3.05]. This is the case in Chile.

Generally, business hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. There is a two-hour lunch break at 2:00 p.m.

Government offices are open 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For all business-related occasions, punctuality is appreciated and expected from visitors to Chile. Nevertheless, you should still expect your Chilean counterparts to be approximately 15 to 30 minutes late.

When invited to someone's home, guests are expected to show up around 15 minutes late. For a dinner party, guests can arrive at least 30 minutes late.

Generally, Chilean businesspeople are conservative thinkers and take business ethics seriously. In all likelihood, business will move at a relatively slow pace. Moreover, it may be necessary to take several trips before the transaction concludes.

Submit a Comment on this Article