Business Meeting Etiquette

Appointments are required, and they should be scheduled as soon as feasible. Usually, it takes 6 weeks or more to schedule a meeting with a government official. When you get there and again a day or two before the meeting, confirm it. It is better to skip the first week of May because of the numerous public holidays.

You should arrive timely for meetings. Be prepared to wait because typical Russian schedules are unpredictable and everything takes longer than anticipated. Short notice cancellations of meetings are possible. The initial meeting frequently serves as a test to see if you and the business you represent are respectable and deserving of consideration in the event of future commercial interactions. Make good use of the time to highlight how your business stands out from the competitors.

Before business is discussed, expect a lengthy period of chatting and getting to know one another. Have both English and Russian versions of all printed materials available. Russians anticipate lengthy, in-depth presentations that go into the topic's history and a study of relevant precedents. Meetings are often broken apart. During meetings, it's typical for a number of side discussions to take place that have nothing to do with the main topic. Expect to sign a "protokol," which is a summary of the conversation, after the meeting.