I would hardly describe Hong Kong as a place that feels genteel, guided by politeness and etiquette – by Western standards, that is. Actions such as cutting in line, not getting out of the way as others try to pass, pushing your way into an elevator before others have gotten out, and practically yelling into your cell phone aren’t considered rude here. I largely attribute this to the fact that Hong Kong is a very crowded, fast-paced, and noisy place. If you don’t act in your own interest, you’ll be left behind.
Yet, there is one custom in Hong Kong (and Asia) that is extremely polite and makes Westerners seem downright boorish: handing someone a business card.
How can handing someone a business card, you wonder, be a big deal? It’s because that little card represents a lot more in this culture than just a 1.5”x 3” piece of paper with essential information on it.
Here, you don’t toss business cards around the table like you’re getting ready to play poker when you’re meeting with a group of people for the first time. A proper exchange of a business card requires that you present your card while standing, holding the card with both hands and positioned so that the card is right side up for the receiver. The receiver takes the card with both hands, actually reads it, and then puts it in a card holder or lays it on the table – not in a pocket, tossed in a purse, etc. Then you repeat this process with each person in the meeting. One etiquette book likens not following this process as tantamount to not shaking hands with someone at a Western business meeting – it sets the tone for the relationship.
Now, don’t be confused – I’m not going around exchanging business cards with people these days (Dave probably gets enough experience with it for both of us, anyway), but I have found that “card etiquette” is generally followed when dealing with other types of cards – like library cards, credit cards, frequent shopper cards, etc. It actually feels kind of bizarre when being pushed through the checkout line at the grocery store that the cashier slows down, receives your frequent shopper card (yes, they are here, too) with two hands, politely nods, runs it through the scanner, and returns it using both hands. For a brief moment, nothing is rushed and it seems very civilized. But that moment is very short lived; as soon as a receipt prints, there’s immense pressure to get out of the way for the next person – never mind that you haven’t put your card away, are juggling multiple bags, trying to get your keys, keep track of a child, etc.
While my experience with non-business cards isn’t the stuff of long-term business relationships, it feels respectful and good to follow this simple practice. And, I'm glad there's one custom that may seem weird, but won't cause anger or outrage if we use it in the US - accidentally defaulting to Hong Kong driving etiquette will get us in enough trouble!
Yet, there is one custom in Hong Kong (and Asia) that is extremely polite and makes Westerners seem downright boorish: handing someone a business card.
How can handing someone a business card, you wonder, be a big deal? It’s because that little card represents a lot more in this culture than just a 1.5”x 3” piece of paper with essential information on it.
Here, you don’t toss business cards around the table like you’re getting ready to play poker when you’re meeting with a group of people for the first time. A proper exchange of a business card requires that you present your card while standing, holding the card with both hands and positioned so that the card is right side up for the receiver. The receiver takes the card with both hands, actually reads it, and then puts it in a card holder or lays it on the table – not in a pocket, tossed in a purse, etc. Then you repeat this process with each person in the meeting. One etiquette book likens not following this process as tantamount to not shaking hands with someone at a Western business meeting – it sets the tone for the relationship.
Now, don’t be confused – I’m not going around exchanging business cards with people these days (Dave probably gets enough experience with it for both of us, anyway), but I have found that “card etiquette” is generally followed when dealing with other types of cards – like library cards, credit cards, frequent shopper cards, etc. It actually feels kind of bizarre when being pushed through the checkout line at the grocery store that the cashier slows down, receives your frequent shopper card (yes, they are here, too) with two hands, politely nods, runs it through the scanner, and returns it using both hands. For a brief moment, nothing is rushed and it seems very civilized. But that moment is very short lived; as soon as a receipt prints, there’s immense pressure to get out of the way for the next person – never mind that you haven’t put your card away, are juggling multiple bags, trying to get your keys, keep track of a child, etc.
While my experience with non-business cards isn’t the stuff of long-term business relationships, it feels respectful and good to follow this simple practice. And, I'm glad there's one custom that may seem weird, but won't cause anger or outrage if we use it in the US - accidentally defaulting to Hong Kong driving etiquette will get us in enough trouble!
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