Greeting

The handshake is the most popular form of greeting in Vietnam, but only between men. If a woman is introduced to you, wait until she extends her hand to shake hands when greeting you. If not, politely tilt your head toward the woman to greet her.

Women who come to the country on business should remember that when greeting their Vietnamese male partners, they are not ready to initiate a handshake as it is not cultural practice.

If you do not meet one person but a small group of Vietnamese partners, start with the one with the highest authority in the greeting. This shows respect and knowledge of local rituals at the same time.

The person's status, which is primarily based on position, standing or age, is a very important category in Vietnamese business culture. For example, status determines the order of greeting people in a group or determines who should enter the meeting room first for a business meeting.

In a handshake, a Vietnamese businessman may place his left hand over his interlocutor's right hand, shaking it slightly. In this way he shows that he appreciates the opportunity to work or just get to know the person.

As closer or even friendly relations develop, Vietnamese colleagues may move to warmer forms of greeting - hugs or air kisses (cheek to cheek without touching the face).

Introduction

Vietnamese surnames consist of several parts, for example, Nguyen Thi Yen Thu. In this case, the surname itself comes first - in this case Nguyen. Thi is quite commonly used middle name, indicating a female gender. Yen Thu - two names of a person, although sometimes there can be only one. It is the latter name that is usually used when referring to a person.

The male equivalent of Thi is Van, for example Vu Van Viet Hung. In this case Hung is the name that is used when referring to a person. This is not always the case, though. Sometimes the Vietnamese themselves insist on being addressed using both names. This is especially important if the name is common, such as the name Anh, which can be both feminine and masculine.

In Vietnamese business culture, it is common to use professional titles, positions and titles, if any, or English forms of address such as Mr, Mrs, Miss during communication, adding the first name (usually the latter) rather than the last, such as Mr Hung or Mrs Thu. If Mr Hung is a manager, he should be addressed as: Mr Director Hung.

Women retain their maiden name after marriage. For example, if a woman named Nguyen Thi Minh Khai married a man named Ngo Van Hung, her name would remain the same, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai. The formal address to her will be: Mrs. Khai.

Exchange of Business Cards

The exchange of business cards in Vietnamese business practice is an important element of introductions and introductions to each other. In addition to your name, title, company name and contact information, it is customary to include your educational degree, academic rank and professional title, if any.

It is a good idea to have business cards with text in two languages, such as your own language (or English) and Vietnamese in advance. This way, you can show respect to your Vietnamese colleague and at the same time avoid misunderstandings, which often occur when e.g. positions or other positions are mentioned.

Hold the business card with both hands when passing it to your partner, and keep the text in Vietnamese on the front side. When you receive your business card, hold it with both hands for a moment, look carefully at the text, then place it in front of you on the table or in your business card holder.

Small Talk: Overview

Huge importance in the business culture of Vietnam is given to developing and maintaining relationships. This is especially important in contacts with foreign partners. Therefore, pay special attention to small talk with the Vietnamese side.

Vietnamese generally do not distinguish between family and work life as is common in other cultures, especially in the United States and a number of European countries. So personal questions about, for example, the health and well-being of your coworkers and their families will be treated as a sign of respect and interest."

No offense should be taken if your Vietnamese partner asks you where you were yesterday or how old you are. Or even make some remark which you will take as personal business.

The Vietnamese use sign and body language very restrictedly during a conversation and are a bit suspicious of those who gesticulate too much emotionally. Showing emotion during conversations is not welcome.

In Vietnamese conversations, the use of body language is very limited.

Preferred Topics

Family, and that means extended family, including relatives and even close friends.

Any acquaintances, if any.

Hobbies, hobbies, personal interests, travel.

National cuisine.

Current events and news of the day.

Taboo Topics

Politics are the first dangerous topic.

Injury and negative (albeit veiled) remarks about other people.

Do not criticize the government or the Communist Party in the presence of Vietnamese partners, it will be badly received.

Do not criticize the government or the Communist Party of the country in front of the Vietnamese partners.

Personal Space

When speaking, the interlocutors (equally male and female) stand at arm's length from each other.

In general, physical contact and any touching, except for a handshake, is not welcome.

Communication Specifics

In Vietnamese culture, an important concept is "face" and the related "loss of face" and "saving face. It refers to a person's reputation, outward impression, image. Loss of face occurs when a person is criticized, opposed or humiliated in front of other people.

For Vietnamese, especially those from the North, saving one's own face and preventing others from losing face is a very important element of communication. They may go to great lengths to avoid or avoid conflict if possible. In this case, they prefer to speak very cautiously, not calling things by their proper names, trying to stick to the formal side and generally talk "around" the topic and not about it. South Vietnamese tend to be more straightforward.

In communicating with Vietnamese partners, it is important to pay attention to various verbal and nonverbal signals. One of these signals is the word "Yes," which in other cultures is an indication of an affirmative response, for example, in response to a request or question. For the Vietnamese, "Yes" means "I understand" or "I listen" rather than "I agree" or "I will do". For loss of face he will refrain from a direct negative answer.

Building a business relationship with Vietnamese partners, it is important to always keep in mind the peculiarities of their communication (above all the notion of face). In tricky situations it is better to return to the topic under discussion under different excuses, and ask the question several times, but as if from a different angle.

Not only individuals but also companies can have a face (which also can be lost due to negative information about the company). When communicating with colleagues from Vietnam it is important to make sure that nobody's (even a competitor's) reputation is damaged in the speech.

Praise, praise, respectful feedback all contribute to a positive image, and thus preserve face.

North Vietnamese are more oriented towards establishing close, cooperative relationships than South Vietnamese. The latter are more pragmatic and straightforward in communication, although the relationship with the partner is important for them too.