Russia: Appointment Alert!
From ExecutivePlanet.com
Making appointments
Obtaining an appointment can be a tremendous challenge, so persistence and patience are essential. Once your appointment is scheduled, do everything you can to avoid cancellation.
When making appointments, be sure to schedule them far in advance. It will also be in your best interests to confirm any appointment several times, as the scheduled date approaches.
Don't attempt to schedule your trip to Russia near the end of July or during the month of August, because this is the time of year many people take their vacations.
The Russian day begins early, but it can be difficult to foresee when all other daily activities will begin and end. Schedules are constantly subject to change, often at the last minute. Moreover, business meetings and social events both seem to be open-ended affairs. Any visitor should strive to be punctual, but at the same time flexible.
Always be punctual, but do not be surprised if your Russian contacts are not. It is not unusual for a Russian to be one or two hours late for an appointment. Generally, the more important the meeting is for your Russian counterparts, the more punctual they will be. In case you are kept waiting, it's a good idea to bring work or another diversion to fill the time. In other circles, however, being five minutes late is frowned upon. In any case, it will be in your best interests to arrive on time.
Allow plenty of time for each appointment. Not only may appointments start late, they may last far longer than originally planned.
Business hours are generally from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The most common times to find employees working are from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. In the provinces, work finishes earlier.
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