Romania: Asinta Business Etiquette Insight

Looking to set up a new business in Romania?  Our business etiquette insights can help establish good relations with your Romanian colleagues:

• Romania is still governed by a great deal of bureaucracy which makes conducting local business a time consuming process requiring perseverance. Developing personal relationships is crucial if you want to cut through the red tape.  Romanians prefer to do business with people who are down-to-earth and do not brag about their achievements.
• Appointments should always be made 2 to 3 weeks in advance, preferably by letter. Try to avoid July, August, the two weeks before and after Christmas and the week before and after Easter.  Arrive on time but expect to be kept waiting.  Meetings are generally formal and follow old-world rules of courtesy.  Wait to be told where to sit as this follows a strict protocol.
• Romanians can be tough negotiators and are concerned by being taken advantage of by foreigners.  Most decisions require several layers of approval and it may take several visits to accomplish a simple task. Keep your presentations factual and easy to understand and include facts and figures to back up your conclusions.  Use an indirect negotiating style and avoid confrontational behavior or high-pressure sales tactics as this is considered bad manners.  Decisions can easily be reversed!

Are you interested in doing business in Romania? Get connected with Asinta Partner, MAI-CEE via their contact page to get your questions answered.