Doing business in Albania

Doing business across borders is not always easy. It is therefore important to properly prepare if you are going to do business with a company from a different country. There are, for example, differences between Albanian and British customs and culture. These differences will certainly come to the fore when you do business with Albanian companies. Are you planning on doing business in Albania shortly? If so, this article will help you on your way. This presents you with a number of tips that are useful to remember if you want to do business in Albania.

Follow the leader

An important tip is always to allow your business partner to make the first move. For example, never buy alcohol as a corporate gift and don’t order alcohol until you have observed whether or not the person you are talking to does. The same goes for eating certain types of meat, or with your dress code.

Non-verbal communication

Non-verbal communication can be very tricky in this country. Sometimes, people move their heads or hands in such a way that has a completely different meaning to us from the one that Albanians wish to convey. It is therefore best to try and keep non-verbal communication to a minimum and to try not to jump to conclusions too quickly. Also, make sure that you are very clear in your use of language in order to avoid being misconstrued. It could be advisable to take an interpreter with you or to hire one locally.