Business Customs
Background: Vietnam is a markedly Confucian society and its business practices are often more similar to those of China, Japan and Korea than to those of its Southeast Asian neighbors. The social dynamics and world-view of Vietnam’s society are reflected in the business climate including such matters as: “face”, consensus building, and the zero-sum game assumption.
“Face” is extremely important to many Vietnamese. It is very important to try not to put your Vietnamese counterparts in an embarrassing situation or one that calls for public back tracking. You should be careful not to cause your Vietnamese contact embarrassment in front of superiors, peers, or subordinates. Fear of losing face often makes Vietnamese wary of spontaneous give-and-take, unscripted public comment, or off-the-cuff negotiation. Tact, sensitivity, and discretion are considered the most effective approach in dealing with disagreements or uncomfortable situations. Westerners often view the idea of face as quaint, but to many Vietnamese it matters a great deal, and the loss of face by your contact could very well mean the loss of your contact.
Consensual decision making is very deeply ingrained in Vietnamese social and political behavior. "Consensus" means different things in different societies. In Vietnam, it often means that all parties with a voice can wield a veto and must be brought on board. In building a consensus, it may prove impossible to "steamroller" the minority opinion, which must be wooed instead. To take the Central Government as an example, the lead ministry on a given issue may be unable to advance its positions if other ministries with seemingly minor involvement in the decision oppose it. Unless the latter can be won over, the result is a stalemate.
Western businesspeople sometimes become frustrated with the apparent inability of the person across the table from them to make a decision (even if the counterpart is quite senior), or the fact that decisions once made are inexplicably reversed. This is indicative, not of the person’s ability or willingness to work with foreign businesspeople, but of complexities behind the scenes and the fact that the apparent decision-maker does not always have the only say in negotiations.
American businesspeople typically assume that "win-win" deals are common and relatively easy to achieve. Few Vietnamese probably share that optimism. To most, business is a zero-sum game. There is a winner and a loser. This is important to keep in mind when dealing with a Vietnamese organization. It can define your relationship with your Vietnamese counterpart and your Vietnamese counterpart's relationship with the local market. Once a deal is struck in principle, Americans may want to get on with it, while Vietnamese may want to take more time to improve their terms (even if that means delaying the entire undertaking). Plan on taking more time than is expected and note that the larger the deal the longer and more complicated the process of negotiating.
Introductions: When initiating contact with a Vietnamese entity, it is often best to be introduced through a third party as people outside a person's known circle may be regarded with suspicion. An introduction from a mutual friend, acquaintance or known business associate before initial contact can help alleviate some of the problems that arise in initial correspondence or meetings.
If it is not possible to have a third party introduce you, self-introductions should start with an explanation of what led you to contact this particular organization. This will help the Vietnamese side understand how to relate to you.
Names: Vietnamese names begin with the family name, followed by the middle name and finally the given name. To distinguish individuals, Vietnamese address each other by their given names. Therefore, Mr. Nguyen Anh Quang would be addressed Mr. Quang. Pronouns are always used when addressing or speaking about someone. You should always address your contacts as Mr., Mrs., Ms. or Miss followed by the given name. Vietnamese often reciprocate this custom when addressing foreigners. Ms. Jane Doe would typically be addressed as Ms. Jane. If you are unsure how to address someone, just ask for advice.
Correspondence: Your first contact with a potential Vietnamese partner should be long on form and fairly short on substance. Effort should be spent on introducing yourself, your company and objectives in the Vietnamese market place. Relatively little emphasis should be placed on the specifics of your objectives. Your correspondence should end with pleasantries and an invitation to continue the dialogue.
If your business relationship continues through correspondence, you should continue to include introductory and closing pleasantries in your letters. Vietnamese are typically used to the formality of corresponding in Vietnamese and the abruptness of some Western business correspondence can make them uncomfortable.
Business Meetings: Establishing operations or making sales in Vietnam entails numerous business meetings, as face-to-face discussions are favored over telephone calls or letters. A first meeting tends to be formal and viewed as an introductory session. If you are unsure of exactly who in the organization you should be meeting with, you should address the request for a meeting to the top official/manager in the organization. It is helpful to submit a meeting agenda, issues to be discussed, marketing material, and/or technical information prior to the actual meeting. This will allow the Vietnamese side to share and review information within the organization in order to ensure the correct people participate in the meeting.
A meeting usually begins with the guest being led into a room where there may be a number of Vietnamese waiting. The Vietnamese principal is rarely in the room when the guests arrive and you will be left to make small talk with the other meeting participants until the principal makes his or her entrance. It is common for a third person (from either side) to introduce the two principals of the meeting. Once this is done and all participants have been introduced to each other and have exchanged name cards, participants can take a seat.
Seating for a meeting is generally 'us versus them' across a conference table with the principal interlocutors in the center and directly across from each other. Other participants are generally arranged in a hierarchy on the right and left. Generally, the farther one is from the center of the table, the less important one is. Sometimes the meeting will take place in a formal meeting room where there are chairs arranged in a 'U' pattern. The principals will take their seats in the two chairs at the base of the 'U' with other participants arranging themselves in rank order along the sides of the 'U'.
Meetings generally begin with the principal guest making introductory remarks. These remarks should include formal thanks for the hosts accepting the meeting, general objectives for the meeting, and an introduction of participants and pleasantries. This will be followed by formal remarks by the Vietnamese host. Once the formalities and pleasantries are dispensed with, substantive discussion can ensue. Even if the principal host is not heavily involved in the details of the conversation, guests should remember to address the principal in the conversation allowing him or her to delegate authority to answer.
A general business call lasts no more than one hour. Usually, the visitor is expected to initiate or signal the closure of the meeting.
Hiring a reliable interpreter is essential, as most business and official meetings are conducted in Vietnamese. Even with the increasing use of English, non-native English speakers will need interpretation to understand the subtleties of the conversation. When working with an interpreter, one should speak slowly and clearly in simple sentences and pause often for interpretation (generally at the end of a paragraph). One should brief the interpreter on each meeting in advance.
Business Attire: Normal business attire consists of a suit and tie for men and suit or dress for women. During the hotter months, formal dress for men is a shirt and tie. Open collar shirts and slacks may be worn to more informal meetings depending on the situation. The trend in the South is to be more casual; suit jackets are worn only on very formal occasions and first meetings.
Travel Advisory
Petty crime, such as pick pocketing and purse snatching, has become increasingly prevalent in Hanoi and HCMC, particularly in major tourist areas and hotels. A good rule is to carry with you only what you can afford to lose, and leave the rest in the hotel safe deposit box or in-room safe.
Vietnamese internal security personnel may place foreign visitors under surveillance. The Vietnamese Government has seized passports and blocked the departure of foreigners involved in commercial and legal disputes in Vietnam. As these issues are rapidly changing, specific questions may be directed to the Embassy of Vietnam, Washington D.C., or to the Office of American Citizens Services and Crisis Management, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520.
Visa Requirements
U.S. passports are valid for travel to Vietnam. Visas are required and relevant information may be obtained from the Embassy of Vietnam, 1233 20th Street, Suite 501, N.W., Washington, DC 20036 (telephone 202-861-0737, fax 202-861-0917) or the Vietnamese Consulate General, 1700 California Ave., Suite 475, San Francisco, CA 94109 (telephone 415-922-1577, fax: 415-922-1848). Vietnamese embassies in other countries or travel agents that organize travel to Vietnam can also issue or facilitate the issuance of a visa.
U.S. Companies that require travel of foreign businesspersons to the United States should allow sufficient time for visa issuance if required. Visa applicants should go to the following links:
State Department Visa Website.
Consular section U.S. Embassy, Hanoi
Consular Section U.S. Consulate General, Ho Chi Minh City
Telecommunications
International Direct Dial (IDD) and fax services are available at post offices and most business standard hotels. Communication costs in Vietnam have declined significantly in recent years.
Internet services can be accessed through hotel business centers or from a growing number of Internet cafes. Internet services continue to experience cost reductions and quality improvements, although the reliability of the connections can vary depending upon location.
International Roaming for mobile telecommunications is available in Vietnam for users from many countries (usually those that share Vietnam's GSM standard).
Transportation
Travel within Vietnam is becoming easier with more domestic flights to the major cities. Air travel has also become cheaper as a result of the Government decision to eliminate the dual fare structure on Vietnam Airlines and other common carriers which charged higher fares to foreigners than to Vietnamese citizens. A round trip ticket between HCMC and Hanoi is currently about $190 for economy class and $260 for business class. International departure tax is $12.00. Vietnam Airlines (fax: 84-4-976-0220) and Pacific Airlines (fax: 84-4-733-2158) are the only carriers allowed to fly domestic routes.
Trains and buses in Vietnam have extensive routes and offer a cheap way to travel. However, you get what you pay for. Traveling by train or bus is recommended only to the most seasoned and hardy of travelers, as it is uncomfortable and (due to infrastructure and maintenance problems) dangerous.
In major cities, metered taxis are plentiful and relatively inexpensive, especially in HCMC where numerous taxi companies compete for passengers. A car with a driver is also an option in major cities and can be rented for between $25 and $100 per day. For destinations outside major cities a car and driver is the recommended means of transport. Cars can be booked through most major hotels or tour companies.
Language
Vietnamese is the official language. Use of English is becoming more common, especially in the larger cities and in the rapidly expanding tourism sector.
Health
Most local medical facilities do not meet western hygienic standards and may not have the full range of medicines and supplies available in typical U.S. facilities. However, there are several small foreign-owned and operated clinics in Hanoi and HCMC that are exceptions to this rule.
Local Time, Business Hours, and Holidays
Vietnam is twelve hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time and 11 hours ahead of Eastern Daylight Time. Vietnam consists of a single time zone.
During the weekdays, business hours are typically 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with a one-hour lunch break. On Saturdays, work hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Vietnamese Government offices have recently moved to a 5-day workweek and are no longer open on Saturdays.
During the lunar new year, falling in January or February, business and government active in Vietnam comes to a virtual standstill for the week-long Tet holidays. Business travel at this time is not advised.
Temporary Entry of Materials and Personal Belongings
Vietnam does not subscribe to the ATA Carnet system. There are no known regulations governing the temporary entry of laptop computers into Vietnam. That said, the authorities are always sensitive to the import and export of information, such as that on a hard disk. Visitors are strongly advised not to have any information on their computers that the authorities of Vietnam might deem pornographic or politically sensitive.
If a computer is equipped with a modem (as most laptops are), it technically requires an import license as a telecommunications device from the Ministry of Trade. However, this regulation (which also should apply to mobile phones) is rarely, if ever, enforced. Encryption software must be licensed for import.
Exhibit materials and related items have generally been allowed to enter Vietnam temporarily without duty or restriction. However, recently some foreign exhibitors have encountered difficulties bringing high-tech equipment to Vietnam for trade shows. Technically, items brought into Vietnam temporarily for exhibition at trade shows require a special license from the Ministry of Trade. Exhibition organizers typically assist exhibitors in obtaining these licenses, so U.S. exhibitors should contact show organizers regarding this matter well in advance.
A related issue is that of bringing samples into Vietnam for display (but not sale) in a company's offices. A license offering duty exemption for such items may be obtained but only if the items in question are listed specifically in the firm's investment license.
Web Resources
Please check the list of useful web links.