Switzerland: Let's Make a Deal! - Part 2
From ExecutivePlanet.com
Further advice on negotiating
Organisation, procedure and planning lie at the heart of Swiss business success. Clear systems are all-important. Meetings always have a detailed agenda that is followed to the letter. Discussions are open but not aimless. Everyone is expected to contribute with the goal of arriving at a consensus, solving a problem and formulating an action-plan. Agreements and contracts are rigid and you can trust your Swiss colleagues to perform their allotted tasks without any need to chase them up.
Presentations should be clear and concise and it is advisable to have a printed summary available in the local language.
There is a general preference for written rather than oral communication and it is strongly recommended that you keep your own accurate written records of all negotiations because the Swiss certainly will.
Generally speaking, the German and French Swiss are conceptual, analytical thinkers; the Italian Swiss tend to think associatively. The German and French Swiss often have a tendency to use universal rules to solve problems, while the Italian Swiss usually prefer to become personally involved in each situation.
In general, German and French Swiss rely on empirical evidence and other objective facts for evidence, while Italian Swiss depend more on subjective feelings. In both cases, nationalism and utopian ideals may influence perceptions of the truth. Swiss culture remains ethnocentric and maintains a cautious attitude towards all outside influences.
The Swiss have a reputation for getting the best possible deal from opponents without ever appearing aggressive or demanding. Their quiet self-confidence, combined with the exceptional quality and value of their goods and services, allows them to sidestep the 'hard-sell' and other high-pressure tactics in the knowledge that they enjoy a strong bargaining position. Nor, since they will refuse to rush a decision, will they succumb to high-pressure tactics themselves. Any attempt to bulldoze through a proposal will meet with stern disapproval.
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