Mexico: Appointment Alert!
From ExecutivePlanet.com
Making appointments
Mexicans place considerable reliance on personal relationships. Indeed, good personal relationships are the basis of business success in Mexico. Don't confuse these with "contacts", the superficial address-book entries with no established substance that drive so much sales activity at home.
This means that homework for the visiting North American businessperson includes securing credible personal introductions to appropriate Mexicans in the organization where he or she wants to do business. These introductions are suitable when arranged by a mutual friend or an appropriate professional. Few activities are more crucial for the North American businessperson.
Mexican business hours in the cities are 9:00 a.m. until perhaps 6:00 p.m. Governement offices may be open much later, until 9:00 p.m. or more. Lunch is often a key business venue that extends from about 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Senior government people can begin lunch as late as 4:30 p.m.
Mexicans seldom work on Saturdays or Sundays. The latter is reserved for family activities.
Many Mexicans treat appointments with foreigners as tentative until they know their person is actually in Mexico. Veteran foreign businesspeople call from their hotels on arrival to confirm appointments or send confirming faxes. Either way, they ensure that the secretary knows that they are in Mexico and how to reach them.
Punctuality is not always as much of a priority in Mexican business culture. Nonetheless, Mexicans are accustomed to North Americans arriving on time, and most Mexicans in business, if not government, will try to be return the favor.
Many business meetings in Mexico have an important social component and meetings may take place at breakfast, lunch or dinner. Allow your Mexican counterpart to select the time, but remember that you are at 7,300 feet. Don't schedule breakfast too early.
Punctuality is not expected at social events such as parties and dinners. When invited to a party in a Mexican home, arrive at least 30 minutes late.
An important word for the foreigner to understand is “mañana”, which literally means "morning" or "tomorrow" or in many cases, simply "later." When one hears that something will happen “mañana”, he might expect it to be accomplished sometime in the near future. One should understand also that a Mexican, not wanting to be unkind, may substitute "mañana" for "no."
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