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R- E-S-P-E-C-T: Respecting Clients from Other Culturesfrom Other Cultures
Every consumer wants to be treated with respect, but multicultural custom- ers may expect the opposite because of the way they’ve been treated by culturally unaware salespeople. As a result, they can be even more sensitive to how you treat them or how they perceive you’re treating them. If they walk into your business and they don’t feel the love, they’re very likely to quickly walk out.
Every day, American retail and service companies that desperately want and need more business unwittingly turn away potential customers simply because they don’t know how to foster positive relationships with their multicultural clientele.
According to the 2005 Yankelovich MONITOR Multicultural Marketing Study, 68 percent of African Americans, compared with 46 percent of non-Hispanic Whites, say how a store treats customers based on race is extremely impor- tant in deciding where to shop. All ethnic groups tend to be sensitive to their treatment in stores, restaurants, offices, and other public places.
The media is somewhat responsible for the current state of affairs. Stories about discrimination, prejudice, and profiling can make anyone who doesn’t look and act like an average American (whatever that is) more than a little jumpy and defensive. Likewise, stories that portray certain ethnic groups as gangsters, drug dealers, and thieves can cause retailers to be hyper-vigilant when upstanding multicultural citizens enter their establishment.
In the following sections, we guide you in the process of developing a sense of respect for all of your customers.
Grasping your own sense of respect
Everyone wants to be treated with respect, including people in countries outside the U.S. We may have different names for it and slightly different
boils down to the same thing: being treated as an equal and with courtesy. Of course, every culture has its own subtle nuances, as the following examples illustrate:
European Americans tend to call it honor, while African Americans refer to it as respect (remember Aretha Franklin’s song “Respect”?).
In Asia, honor is known as face, and many there would rather die than lose face. In fact, ancient Samurai warriors were required to kill them- selves if they brought disgrace to the emperor. This would restore honor to their families.
In Latin America, honor is known as respecto. You first respect yourself and then your family. The Hispanic culture, however, believes that if you don’t respect your parents, you can’t respect yourself. This dif- ferentiates the Latino culture from the American culture, in which we tend to ignore and even disrespect our elders by making jokes about
“old-timer’s disease,” “senior moments,” and other stereotypical elderly ailments.
We tend to agree with the Latino culture’s view of respect, but we’d add that if you don’t understand what respect means to you, you’re going to have a much tougher time treating your customers with respect. Take a moment to reflect on how people must treat you in order for you to feel respected, and make this your starting point for how you treat them.
Taking a lesson in etiquette
The longer an immigrant family has been in the United States, the more accul- turated (adapted to the new culture) they become, and the less likely they are to exhibit traditional characteristics of people from their homeland. However, culture is deeply ingrained in the psyche, and even after four or five genera- tions in this country, people can still hold on to a few beliefs and other traits of their ancestors.
So what does this have to do with respect? And how do you go about treat- ing customers with respect? It all starts with going beyond the Golden Rule:
“Treat people the way you would like to be treated.” In today’s market- place, you must follow the Global Rule: “Treat people the way they want to be treated.” However, this assumes that you know how others want to be treated.
In the appendix, we provide detailed guidelines for treating people from other cultures respectfully, including Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, and even current Americans. We get even more detailed by
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splitting our coverage into subgroups; for example, different rules govern how you treat different groups of Hispanics, including Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, and Cubans. The guidelines we lay out in the appendix can get you up to speed on steps you can take to make customers from specific cultures feel respected. After you know what people expect, you’re better equipped to show people respect.
Acquiring Cross-Cultural Skills with a Dash of Fun
As an entrepreneurial salesperson or business owner, you probably already know that work doesn’t have to feel like work. It can be fun, and we believe that the effort required to develop cross-cultural sales skills is perhaps the most fun, fascinating, and rewarding endeavor a person can ever have the pleasure of doing. To assist you on your voyage of discovery, we present several suggestions in the following sections that you can use to gain more insight into other cultures. We start slow with easy stuff, like eating out at ethic restaurants, and then proceed to more challenging activities.
Imagine this: You’re about to embark on a journey to foreign and exotic lands. You’ll treat your taste buds to new cuisines and your olfactory organs to exotic aromas; expose your ears to new music, voices, and sounds; open your mind to new ideas and beliefs; behold a rainbow of colors; and discover wonders you may never have otherwise imagined.
Dining out at ethnic restaurants
Need an excuse to eat out? Then consider doing a little cultural research at a local ethnic restaurant. If you live in or near a big city, you should have plenty of ethnic restaurants from which to choose — Chinese, Thai, Ethiopian, Mexican, Japanese, Cuban, Korean, Indian, Middle Eastern, African American soul food, or you name it. Ever since the beginning of time, food has bridged the gap between cultures and convinced people of the value of sitting down together at the same table.
Just be sure you choose an eatery that’s at least somewhat authentic. Dining out at the Super-Duper China Buffet in the local strip mall or at any of the many Mexican franchise restaurants is not likely to put you in touch with traditional foods and customs.
One of the easiest and most delicious ways to acquire cross-cultural skills is to dine at various ethnic restaurants a couple of times a month. And don’t forget to bring a stack of business cards with you. You never know where you’re going to meet your next customer.
Admittedly, you have to do a little more than stuff your face with ethnic food.
Use your dinner date as a catalyst for discovering more about the culture and cuisine. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Before you go to a Mexican restaurant, research the differences between Mexican, Spanish, Cuban, South American, Central American, and Puerto Rican foods. You can find plenty of information on the Web.
Prior to visiting an Asian restaurant, look up foods from China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines, and research the rules of dinner etiquette for the different countries. Most eat with chopsticks, but the Chinese pick up the rice bowl and scoop food into their mouths, while the Japanese, being more formal, leave the bowl on the table and use chopsticks to bring the food to their mouths.
Before heading out to an African American restaurant, research the ori- gins of the cuisine. You may be surprised to find that soul food has roots in Africa as well as the southern United States.
In advance of dining at an Indian or Pakistani restaurant, explore the dif- ferences between the two cuisines. The meat selections and spices are quite varied.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the foods. People who own ethnic res- taurants want you to be familiar with their culture and their foods. If they’re proud enough of their culture to open a restaurant, they’re probably proud enough to share their customs and beliefs as well.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Don’t, for example, step into a tradi- tional Ethiopian restaurant and demand a knife and fork. Food is served on a platter in the center of the table, and patrons are expected to eat with their fingers. Don’t worry; your server will usually provide your table with an ample supply of hot, damp towels to wash your hands. Follow the customs of the land — even if that land is located in the middle of the United States.
Attending ethnic fairs and celebrations
When you can’t get away to a foreign country, the next best thing is to attend a local ethnic fair or celebration. Most big cities are proud to sponsor a host of annual cultural celebrations, including Cinco de Mayo, Chinese New Year, the Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival, African American History Month and
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Kwanzaa celebrations, Asian Indian Diwali observances, Greek festivals, German Oktoberfest, Italian or Polish heritage celebrations, and other occasions.
At most of these events, you’ll surely find plenty of food stands, but check out the cultural exhibits as well. Watch or join in the ethnic dances, view the artwork, check out the culture’s history and beliefs, and talk to the people (ask lots of questions; see the upcoming section, “Asking the Experts,” for some suggestions). Mingle with the folks you meet, and make a few friends who can introduce you to the culture. Take a sincere interest in discovering more about other people, and you’ll soon find that they’re happy to educate you.
Visiting different houses of worship
Most people who hold deep, sincere religious beliefs are more than willing to share those views and their ceremonies with visitors. Although you may be intimidated when first visiting an unfamiliar house of worship, it’s a great way to meet people on their own turf. Whether it’s a rousing African American Baptist service or a more subdued Buddhist service, you get to experience cultural and language differences firsthand.
People can be very protective of their beliefs, so tread carefully. Just as taking communion in a Catholic church when you’re not a member is a big no-no, other traditions have their own rules that you need to be careful to honor.
One of the best ways to prepare for an enlightening visit is to ask someone who’s familiar with or perhaps even already attends the house of worship to accompany you — perhaps a customer or colleague or a leader in the local community. Have the person explain the significance of the service and mean- ings behind various ceremonies before you go; you never want to carry on a conversation during the service.
Visiting ethnic districts in your area
If you’re fortunate enough to live in or near a major metropolitan area, you probably have quick access to some of the best cultural research centers in the United States — ethnic districts and neighborhoods.
Probably one of the oldest and best known examples is San Francisco’s Chinatown. Although you can certainly find plenty of shops specially designed to attract tourists, Chinatown is also the place where local Chinese people buy their fruits, vegetables, meats, and groceries. During a brief walk
down Grant Avenue you’ll notice many cultural differences, such as the way people greet each other, how close they stand to one another while shop- ping, and the haggling with shop owners that seems to go on incessantly.
Just a few blocks away, you can visit the Italian neighborhood of North Beach with fresh-cooked pasta for sale, as well as round-the-clock boccie ball games. Not far from there is Japantown. On the other side of town, you can discover Russian and Irish communities. In the Fillmore District, you find many Black businesses and restaurants, and the Mission District is home to Latino food and stores.
If you sit on a bench in any ethnic district and try to notice the differences without being judgmental, your eyes are opened to a whole new world. Look closely and you’re likely to notice differences and similarities.
Strike up a conversation with one or more shop owners and try to get them talking about their customers. Chances are pretty good that they’re dealing with many of the same challenges that you face in your business. Ask ques- tions about differences in how their customers shop and make purchase deci- sions and the products and services that are in highest demand. What you discover should help increase your success with customers of all cultures.
Joining ethnic chambers of commerce
In most major cities, you can find chambers of commerce for different groups, including Black, Hispanic, Asian, Indian, or Native American business communities. Try searching the Internet or contact your local chamber of commerce to see if someone there can give you any leads. Some cities are home to so many different groups that they have a multiethnic chamber alliance or similar group that periodically brings them all together. You may also discover regional chambers of commerce in some areas.
After you locate an ethnic chamber in your area, get involved in its business and social activities. You can host an event at your store or office, which can provide an opportunity to promote your business as well as meet people.
One of the fastest ways to get recognized in any organization is to chair a committee or serve as an officer. This essentially sets you on stage, where you become highly visible to the group’s members. Find out what volunteer assistance is needed, and offer your time and expertise. As soon as you find out how they run a fund-raising auction or golf tournament, you’re likely to be appointed chairperson of the event. After gaining visibility in this position, you may consider running for office — maybe serving as a member of the board of directors or as secretary, treasurer, vice president, or even
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president. Being of a different ethnic background is bound to get you noticed, but you have to show commitment to the group over time if you want the members to do business with you.
Reading ethnic newspapers and magazines
Do you want to know what people from other cultures are thinking, what grabs their interest, and how ethnic businesses are already pitching their products and services to this market? Then pick up a few ethnic newspapers and magazines and flip through them when you have some time. You may need some assistance from a friend or staff member who speaks the language to help you figure out what the headlines say, but the first thing you’re likely to notice is that the audience views world events very differently than do mainstream Americans. You can instantly gain insight to the other culture’s perspective.
You can usually pick up ethnic newspapers (often for free) in ethnic neigh- borhoods or business establishments or by visiting your public library. You can also read many of these publications online.
Also, look carefully at the ads in these publications. On close examination, you’re likely to notice that the words in these ads convey an entirely different message than similar ads targeting Anglo American consumers and that the ads probably focus on different features of a product or service than you may expect. You’re likely to see that trust is often more important than low price and that relationships are crucial in making the sale.