Switzerland business travel information

Doing business in Switserland

Switzerland is one of the countries with the highest contribution of the foreign trade to the gross domestic product, GDP. In 2003, over 77% of the exported goods were shipped to, and 89% of the imported goods came from those countries. In particular, over 60% of the goods were shipped to and 82% of the imported goods came from countries which belong to the European Union. The most important trade partners are Germany, Italy, France and the Netherlands.

Switzerland is a prosperous, and stable modern market economy with a low unemployment rate, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP which is among the highest in the world.

Switzerland’s economy profits from a highly developed service sector led by especially the financial services and a manufacturing industry that specializes in high-technology based on knowledge-based production. The Swiss government in recent years has brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU’s to enhance their international competitiveness, but some level of trade protectionism still remains, particularly for its small agricultural sector. Switzerland remains a safehaven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc’s long-term external value, although the Swiss attitude towards this is changing under pressure of their surrounding countries.

The global financial crisis and resulting economic downturn could, however, put Switzerland in a recession in 2009, particularly as global export demand stalls. Switzerland’s largest banks suffered enormous losses over 2008 and the country’s largest bank accepted a government rescue deal in late 2008. The Swiss National Bank, beginning in October 2008, cut interest rates on several consecutive occasions, effectively instituting a zero-rate policy in a bid to boost the economy.

Product tip: Keep an eye on the size of your trolley Many luggage stores sell suitcases described as ’carry-on’, but these suitcases are sometimes larger than the size most airlines will accept. The safe maximum size is 114 cm, in the form of a 55 x 40 x 20 cm bag. Some airlines allow up to as much as 140 cm, but most do not. Not only do luggage stores and manufacturers seldom tell you if their bag is legally sized or not, but they also frequently mis-measure their bag. Their measurements generally are for the inside of the main compartment, and assume that any external pockets are of zero thickness, rather than stuffed full of things (which can easily add another inch or more) and ignore any external framing such as wheels and carry handle (which can also add another couple of inches).

In case of emergencies

Before you go on your business trip to , Switzerland you should always get a travel insurance with a complete coverage.

Make sure your health care insurance is sufficiently covered.
Maybe this is already covered in your regular health care insurance but often you will need to cover this with the travel insurance. Also a good travel insurance should cover the costs of travel for a relative in case of seriously illness or an accident.

The business trip travel insurance should also cover the costs of search, rescue and repatriation.
When you go on business trips on a regular basis, the easiest way to get insured is with an annual multi-trip insurance.

Keep in mind that you can also use this insurance for your pleasure trips so don`t forget to include to insure your leisure activities.

When you are in need of urgent medical help you can turn to any medical centre in your vicinity. Most of the staff speaks English.

Business Etiquette and Protocol

If your are planning a business trip to Switzerland it is a good idea to know at least a little about the culture and etiquette in Switzerland. Use these business etiquette tips as a guideline only. There are too many social, personal and business nuances in Switzerland to be considered. There is no uniform approach possible for all occasions.
For more in-depth information I suggest you buy and read the "Global Business Etiquettes" book.

• Communication:
  Use formal names, professional and academic titles.
  The Swiss are direct, do not confuse this with rudeness.
  Never interrupt somebody.
  Dress formal and conservative.
  


• Meetings and negotiations:
  When making appointments use the 24-hour clock time format to avoid misunderstandings.
  Be very punctual, if you suspect you will late, call and explain the situation.
  Never cancel a meeting at the last minute.
  Shake hands with everyone upon arriving at the meeting and leaving.
  Remain standing until invited to sit down or others do so.
  Only limited time is spent to getting to know you before the business conversation begins.
  Agenda’s are strictly followed.
  Keep your presentation as short as possible, to the point, accurate and precise, do not exaggerate.
  Follow up a meeting with a letter or an e-mail with all agreements outlined.
  


• Table manners:
  If unsure on how to behave, mimic the behavior of others.
  Wait until you are appointed a seat.
  Avoid alcohol if possible, otherwise drink little.
  If making a toast, stand up.
  Put a napkin on your lap, eat not too much but finish your plate.
  Keep your hands above the table when eating.
  After finishing your plate lay your knife and fork parallel on your plate with the handles to the right.
  Thank your host at the end of the meal.
  

Some phrases in German, French and Italian

The four national languages of Switzerland are German, French, Italian, and Romansh. About 64 percent of the Swiss population has German as their native language, 20 percent speaks French, 6.5 percent Italian and less than 0.5 percent speaks Romansh.

Only three of these languages, however, have the status as official languages at the national level within the Federal Administration of the Swiss Confederation: German, French, and Italian.

Although in business everyone speaks English, it can always be useful to speak some phrases in a local language.

English	German	French	Italian
How are you?	Wie geht es Ihnen?	Comment ça va?	Come sta?
I’m fine, thanks. And you?	Mir geht es gut, danke, und Ihnen?	Ça va bien, merci. Et vous?	Bene grazie. E lei?
My name is ...	Ich heiße ...	Je m’appelle ...	Mi chiamo ...
Pleased to meet you	Ich freue mich	Je suis enchanté(e)	Piacere di conoscerla
Good day	Guten Tag	Bonjour	Buongiorno
Good morning	Guten Morgen	Bonjour	Buongiorno
Good evening	Guten Abend	Bonsoir	Buona sera
Good night	Gute Nacht	Bonne nuit	Buonanotte
Goodbye	Auf wiedersehen	Au revoir	Ciao Ci vediamo
Have a nice day	Schönen Tag noch!	Bonne journée !	Buona giornata!
Bon appetit	Guten Appetit!	Bon appétit !	Buon appetito!
Cheers/Good health!	Prost!	À votre santé !	Salute!
I don’t understand	Ich verstehe nicht	Je ne comprends pas	Non ho capito
Please write it down	Können Sie das bitte aufschreiben?	Pourriez-vous me l’écrire ?	Può scriverlo, per favore?
Excuse me	Entschuldigen Sie!	Excusez-moi !	Mi scusi!
How do you say ... in ?	Wie sagt man ... auf Deutsch?	Comment dit-on ... en français ?	Come si dice ... in italiano?
How much is this?	Wieviel kostet das?	C’est combien ?	Quanto costa?
Thank you	Danke schön	Merci beaucoup	Molte grazie
You’re welcome	Nichts zu danken	Je vous en prie	Prego
Yes / No	Ja / Nein	Oui / Non	Sì / No