Doing business in Italy

Italy is an important trading partner for the UK. And although the country is not on the other side of the world, the business culture might as well be. By learning more about that culture, you can make things easier for yourself and ensure that doing business is more successful. We provide you with a few tips.

Getting to know each other

In Italy, people wanting to do business generally get to know each other on a personal level first. People don’t just start talking about business after a telephone call or a few emails. Italian companies are also often quite hierarchical. That means that it can take some time before you get to talk to the decision-makers. It is also always important to treat the people you talk to with equal respect. It generally takes Italians a long time to drop the formal ‘you’ (cf. the French vous/tu) so take your lead from your conversational partner.

Social occasions

Eating, and lunch in particular, is very important for Italians. The dinner table is therefore the place to establish a good rapport. Italian people attach a lot of importance to personal contact between business partners. A lot of time is spent on mealtimes, and cooking and dining can be elaborate. You won’t be expected to bring a gift, but don’t forget to be effusive with your compliments about the meal.