Immigrating to Spain to understand Spanish lifestyle etiquette: Spaniards are very friendly and usually like to express this warmth when meeting each other.
1. Meeting
Spaniards typically greet guests with a handshake in formal social settings. Among acquaintances, male friends often embrace tightly.
Greetings among relatives often involve hugs and kisses, and when meeting elders, they may receive several warm kisses. For strangers meeting for the first time, a handshake is common; among men, there may be a few pats on the arm or shoulder, while among women, a gentle hug and two kisses on the cheeks are customary.
2. Business Etiquette
According to the business customs and etiquette of Spanish merchants, it is advisable to wear a conservative suit, a white shirt, and a conservative tie at all times.
In Spain, it is also not customary to appear in formal attire for evening dinners or theater visits. Spaniards place great importance on reputation and always strive to fulfill signed contracts; even if they later find unfavorable terms in the contract, they are reluctant to publicly admit their mistakes. In such cases, if the other party can kindly assist them, they will earn the respect and friendship of Spaniards.
In Spain, business and physical goods are inseparable; whenever possible, guests should present product samples or service items to the host. Business visitors to Spain should wear black leather shoes during office hours and avoid brown shoes, especially after sunset, when black shoes are a must, as Spaniards have always favored black. They appreciate lions, eagles, flowers, and pomegranates, but do not favor landscapes, pavilions, or buildings. Spaniards are of Latin descent, characterized by an open and simple personality, with distinctions between the north and south; the Basques in the north are straightforward and steady, while the people of the south, the Carthaginians, are mostly genuine merchants due to their long-standing commercial activities. Spain still retains a class system, where only the upper class can attend university, and senior positions in top companies are often occupied by these upper-class individuals. Therefore, in lower-tier companies, their leaders are typically middle-class individuals who graduated from vocational schools. However, most of them are trained through practical work experience. Thus, they have a very proactive attitude in business operations. During negotiations, the representatives present have absolute decision-making power, so our side must also send appropriate personnel to negotiate; otherwise, they may be disregarded. When visiting a company, it is essential to make an appointment in advance. It is best to carry business cards with Spanish and Chinese translations, as this will facilitate meetings and negotiations. The business style of Spanish merchants in the capital Madrid and the largest commercial port and industrial center, Barcelona, is quite aristocratic and conservative.