The differences in business cultures between the west and Poland

delphiandomine:

When you're asking someone a question about the availability of a book in Polish, you don't expect someone to stand there chewing gum in your face with an expression that says 'I'm not interested' - you expect them to give you their full undivided attention. It's simply not professional to stand there going 'chomp chomp chomp'.

delphiandomine:

I don't expect much, just some professionalism - answer my questions and be visible

delphiandomine:

Good morning, please and thank you is quite often missed here.

delphiandomine:

people that are honest and cheerful will always win my business

hmiserable fool who gets offended because you ask her for something that isn't normal according to their perceptions.

EmilykThreads: 1 Joined: Jun 10, 08	Jun 10, 08, 10:31 / #
Hi there! I was wondering if there are any western Ex-pats that could help me, who are currently working in Poland? I'm a British masters student and i'm researching the differences in business cultures between the west and Poland- I need to get in touch with people who can tell me about their experiences in moving to Poland, and the challenges they faced etc. I would really appreciate the help! Please let me know, you can contact me via email- anagisali@hotmail.com. Cheers, Emily

SeanBMThreads: 41 Posts: 8,647 Joined: Mar 10, 08	Jun 10, 08, 10:56 / #
Hello, I am just curious, the west and Poland does not sound well to me, if you said the east and west or England and Poland, I would understand better. I am from Ireland and work in Poland. I am sure you will get a lot of usefull info from here, but you know yourself, it is the internet. best of luck

WroclawThreads: 74 Posts: 7,276 Joined: Apr 1, 06 [Moderator]	Jun 10, 08, 11:42 / #
SeanBM has a point. Business in all European countries, including Poland, is different. Do you want the difference between the UK and Poland ?

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,160 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Edited by: Seanus May 24, 09, 13:17 / #
This could be an interesting one, very open. I've discussed this with publishing experts and there were some differences but not so gaping. It all depends on what you have encountered in life and what criteria you apply. The intense scrutiny of a business card isn't required in Poland and the West. In Japan, it's a must.

delphiandomineThreads: 40 Posts: 9,587 Joined: Nov 25, 08	May 25, 09, 13:27 / #
The one very notable difference is in customer service. I've lost count of the amount of people that will chew gum openly in front of you (such as in Empik!) - which to me is a complete no-no. There's other examples - quite a few places have lost my business through sheer sulkiness on the part of the people working there. Very often, there seems to be precious little in the way of common sense concerning 'how to keep your customer happy'. Of course, sometimes Poles absolutely excel - the ones that realise that a personal touch makes all the difference often go way beyond the call of duty.

McCoyThreads: 46 Posts: 1,755 Joined: Jul 3, 08	Edited by: McCoy May 25, 09, 13:49 / #
delphiandomine: I've lost count of the amount of people that will chew gum openly in front of you (such as in Empik!) - which to me is a complete no-no whats a problem? you go there to buy a newspaper, book, cd or whatever and leave. your contact with a salesman lasts less than a minute. why should anyone give a fcuk what the guy has in his mouth. delphiandomine: quite a few places have lost my business through sheer sulkiness on the part of the people working there. whats wrong with that? did they ignore you, insult you or offence you in any way? if not do your business and move forward. if you wanna friendly chit chats and smiles meet up with your pals in the evening. delphiandomine: 'how to keep your customer happy' if they say good morning, please, thank you and goodbye im happy. dont wanna fake smiles, following every my step in case of any bulshit questions, and pretending that im a queen lizzy. delphiandomine: personal touch makes all the difference oh, c'mon. hate people hidden behind the fasade of fake friendliness. i would rather hear that my steak will be ready in 30 minutes from a gloomy bastard than 6 times ' your meal will be ready in 5 minutes' from a quasi friendly cnut

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,160 Joined: Dec 25, 07	May 25, 09, 14:44 / #
A problem is something that is problematic, McCoy ;) I don't mind if they chew gum, it helps concentration. It depends also on what vibes you put out. I often get a friendly reception as I put out friendly vibes.

delphiandomineThreads: 40 Posts: 9,587 Joined: Nov 25, 08	May 25, 09, 14:54 / #
McCoy: whats a problem? you go there to buy a newspaper, book, cd or whatever and leave. your contact with a salesman lasts less than a minute. why should anyone give a fcuk what the guy has in his mouth. When you're asking someone a question about the availability of a book in Polish, you don't expect someone to stand there chewing gum in your face with an expression that says 'I'm not interested' - you expect them to give you their full undivided attention. It's simply not professional to stand there going 'chomp chomp chomp'. McCoy: whats wrong with that? did they ignore you, insult you or offence you in any way? if not do your business and move forward. if you wanna friendly chit chats and smiles meet up with your pals in the evening. Being scowled at is a sure fire bet to irritate me. I don't expect much, just some professionalism - answer my questions and be visible. I don't ask for much more. McCoy: if they say good morning, please, thank you and goodbye im happy. dont wanna fake smiles, following every my step in case of any bulshit questions, and pretending that im a queen lizzy. Good morning, please and thank you is quite often missed here. If I walk in and you scowl, chew gum and look like something's bit you in a very uncomfortable place - then I don't want to do business with you. McCoy: oh, c'mon. hate people hidden behind the fasade of fake friendliness. i would rather hear that my steak will be ready in 30 minutes from a gloomy bastard than 6 times ' your meal will be ready in 5 minutes' from a quasi friendly cnut This is exactly where a personal touch comes in - people that are honest and cheerful will always win my business over the miserable fool who gets offended because you ask her for something that isn't normal according to their perceptions. You can be perfectly happy and genuine :)

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,160 Joined: Dec 25, 07	May 25, 09, 15:00 / #
If they are chomping and standing about, that's a different matter. I have to say that Scots are pretty genuine and tend to smile more in shops but many are getting happier here.

McCoyThreads: 46 Posts: 1,755 Joined: Jul 3, 08	Edited by: McCoy May 25, 09, 15:15 / #
delphiandomine: When you're asking someone a question about the availability of a book in Polish, you don't expect someone to stand there chewing gum in your face with an expression that says 'I'm not interested' - you expect them to give you their full undivided attention. It's simply not professional to stand there going 'chomp chomp chomp'. if i ask about something i just wanna simple and comprehensive answer. i dont care about expression on his face and gum in his mouth. delphiandomine: I don't expect much, just some professionalism - answer my questions and be visible thats what i expect too. delphiandomine: Good morning, please and thank you is quite often missed here. sometimes yeah, i say what i always say, pay, take, leave and dont think about the man. do exactly the same with people that remember about basic culture. delphiandomine: people that are honest and cheerful will always win my business honest of course. cheerful - if thats in their nature, its fine with me. i smile back. hmiserable fool who gets offended because you ask her for something that isn't normal according to their perceptions. he or she can be miserable and fool if only i get what i came and pay for. if he or she is in the sulks and tries to ingnore or offence me i get angry and say what i feel necessary to say.

SeanBMThreads: 41 Posts: 8,647 Joined: Mar 10, 08	Edited by: SeanBM May 25, 09, 15:31 / #
Emilyk: The differences in business cultures between the west and Poland Westerners come here and want it to be like the west, happy meals, have a nice day and are shocked when it's not. If all places become the same, you may as well stay at home. I have read reports on this forum of people coming here, drinking and eating McD's and bugger all else. Polish people smile with their eyes, eye contact here is much more important. Firm hand shakes with every single person you work with is also important, while looking them in the eye, but not over a door and you must take your gloves off (if applicable). The Polish, I have met, hate falseness. An example can be found in the greeting "how are you?". It is considered a joke here because it is not a real question and the answer is always "fine", even if your family got sent to Siberia. But react in the exact same way to true friendliness and honesty. You also have to understand the historical aspect, communists were not in fear of getting fired, they had a job for life, smiling or not. Perhaps the flip side of this is that in the class system in the west, you had to kiss arse to keep your job. People in shops here perhaps see, that they are no better or worse than the person they are serving. I am not saying that is the case in the West all the time but the customer is always right could be an example here?. And just for the record, I too like to see a smiling beaming face (Dollar signs in their eyes? ha ha ha) when I walk in to a shop, after all I am there to spend my money. Perhaps if people were given a commission instead of a wage things would be different, maybe maybe not. But most people here (I am talking about Malapolska) are grand. I have walked out of shops because of the lack of or bad service, sure. There is a noticeable difference between people who have worked abroad and people who have not. But to round it all off I hate the bureaucracy more than anything. It just slows down and sometimes stops business from getting anywhere. But this is changing, quite quickly, the world crisis is the perfect opportunity to make these adjustments.