Business etiquette in Argentina

Modern Argentina is a large industrial country, one of the most economically developed countries in Latin America. Buenos Aires is one of the largest agglomerations in the world. Argentina has its own economic, cultural and social characteristics that should be considered when doing business in this country.

Here are some tips to help you do business in Argentina:

• The official language in the country — Spanish. English, Italian, German, French are also common. Quite a few Argentines are fluent in both English and Italian.
• The working day in the country is 8 hours. Outside of Buenos Aires, the siesta is ubiquitous, so the first part of the working day lasts from 8:30 to 12:30, and the second from 16:00 to 20:00. The working week is usually about 48 hours: Saturday is often a shortened day, Sunday — day off. 
• In Argentina, business is mostly done by men. It is customary to establish business contacts with the help of "enchufados"; — people with high-level connections in a particular area of business. They will be able to properly present your company to future partners. You can get acquainted with them at the country's embassy, local representative office or in a friendly company.
• Argentines don't care about time at all, either their own or someone else's. Half an hour late for them is almost the norm, but the punctuality of other people is respected. All things are done slowly. What is usually done in Russia in a couple of hours can take a couple of days in Argentina.
• It is customary to do business after lunch and until late in the evening. The sociability of the inhabitants of this country makes them negotiate for many hours, most often at the dinner table.
• In business communication at the first meeting, a form of greeting is a handshake and a slight nod of the head. When meeting, it is worth exchanging business cards, preferably in Spanish.
• Body language is an incredibly important aspect of communication, involving elements of eye contact, personal space and touch, as well as gestures. Establishing eye contact when talking — it's a sign of respect and means you're listening and paying attention.
• When communicating, Argentines are at arm's length from each other. Being as close as possible to the interlocutor is considered the norm of local etiquette, so if you move away from the interlocutor, this can be regarded as an unwillingness to communicate.
• Unfamiliar people should be addressed with "you". Forms of address — senor, senora and senorita. Argentines usually use either their first name alone or both their first and last names. For example: Signor Alberto.
• The speed of negotiations in Argentina is much slower than in Western countries, not only because of their mentality and lifestyle, but also because of the high level of bureaucracy in the country. Even if the contract is agreed by both parties, until the final version is signed, negotiations will continue.
• In business communication with an Argentine, it is worth considering that not a single significant step in this country is taken without the advice of a christor (or hestor, from «gestion» — management). Christor combines several roles at once — this is a lawyer, lawyer and business consultant, well versed in the law. Christors are trusted with almost all their affairs because of their unwillingness to delve into the necessary details.
• Goodwill, optimism and courtesy are ubiquitous in this country, as is attention to one's own image and fashion. Argentines wear very conservative clothing. The best choice for negotiations is mostly dark or neutral colors. Since the country is very passionate about football, red and white combinations (the colors of the River team) or yellow and blue (the colors of the Boca team) should be avoided when choosing clothes to avoid possible misunderstandings and conflicts.
• In Argentina people love and accept gifts with great pleasure. It is considered a beautiful gesture if you present a box of chocolates, good wine (but not locally produced) or a beautiful bouquet of flowers. You should not give: knives, any other sharp objects, leather goods (Argentina — the largest producer of livestock, leather).

At the moment, Argentina is of great interest to foreign companies. To run a successful business, you need to understand the business style, consumer habits and cultural characteristics of a given country.