Doing business in India? Then it is essential to immerse yourself in the culture and local customs. To get you started, we asked four entrepreneurs for their top tips to make working in India as smooth as possible.
1. Communicate widely, transparently and clearly
"We organise very regular sessions with the staff to communicate our approach and goals. That is necessary to get everyone on the same page. In addition, my office is very accessible, anyone can walk in. I am transparent and honest, but my approach differs from person to person: different strokes for different folks. The fact that Indians speak English of course helps enormously. Quite a difference from China. There, if you make a joke, they don't understand you. With Indians, you can laugh."
Michel Koopman - Leela Palace Hotel
2. Use an interpreter
"Of course, many Indians speak English very well, but even if you speak the same language, that doesn't mean that you always understand each other. An interpreter who knows both cultures can build a bridge between Dutch people doing business in India and their Indian managers, partners and/or employees."
Jos van Haaren - Philips
3. Take your time
"Many foreigners who have been to India on business are dead tired when they get back on the plane to Europe. This is often because they do not take enough time in India. If you have an important meeting on Monday, fly the Friday before. That way you can acclimatise and appear fresh and sharp at your appointment."
Gosse Wielinga - Suzlon Energy
4. Enjoy the game
"To make a good deal, you have to play the game Indian style. That means sometimes you have to say you have no time or not answer the phone. Then you play the difficult European, while your staff massage the other party in the meantime. This way of doing business can be frustrating in the beginning, but after a while you learn to enjoy the game. Then you become half an Indian."
Gandert Roosen - Roosen Industries
5. Recognise that Indians do not like to say 'No
Someone said to me the other day, "Mr Koopman, we don't lie, we just don't always tell the truth."
Michel Koopman - Leela Palace Hotel
6. Be flexible
"In India, it is often not quite clear how things work. If that bothers you, working in India takes a lot of energy. But if you learn to deal with it, it's actually a lot of fun."
Jos van Haaren - Philips
7. Deal cleverly with the hierarchy
"Never publicly attack a manager. This is fatal because Indian organisations are usually very hierarchical. If you want to share critical ideas, do it in private. That is often appreciated and they usually do something with it. The hierarchy is also strongly determined by age. In India, people respect older people. Grey hair therefore also helps to command respect from Indian staff.
Gosse Wielinga - Suzlon Energy
8. Take young employees by the hand
"Indians are very ambitious, they fight to get ahead. You can see that at the baggage belt at the airport: everyone is in the lead. You can see it on the work floor as well. There are a lot of young people who are very driven. The trick is to take them by the hand and tap into their potential. That gives a lot of satisfaction.
Gosse Wielinga - Suzlon Energy