Some shameless suggestions to my next customers

I already provide some suggestions on my professional web site on matters of best interaction between clients and business interpreters. Let me recap only a few tiny points that are all the more important that I have seen them lacking many times.

Most of my clients are visitors to Japan, sometimes for the first time, more often with some previous experience in the country. However, I have not noticed much differences with the two categories, although the newcomers are keen to come more unprepared than the rather more veteran.

- Know something and a more about the firms you are going to visit. Read web sites and whatever information you can grab. If nothing is available in English, get a report by a competent agent. She could be a translator, or your interpreter. Don't rely on the single English page of many SMEs (many big Japanese corporations still fit the SME approach though) web sites where it is clear that the Japanese content comes by dozens of pages.

- For a first time meeting, don't assume they have not done their homework and search about your activities more than you may believe. The reverse, that they have done no homework, can also be true.

- Don't bring gifts albeit very small corporate goods might be OK, but not necessary. Gifts are welcome to warm up an already warmed relationship.

- Listen.

- Never ever show emotion, especially looks that express surprise, delusion, scorn or whatever negative feelings you may have.

- Don't be arrogant, even yours being world top class is true.

- At the opposite, don't be sheepish and expose real of false incompetence. You have heard about humility and modesty, usually faked but part of the formal communication ballet to be an essential feature of Japanese interaction. You are not ready to play that game.

- If you are unclear about how much time is OK for the meeting, ask right away and adapt to perfectly fit the duration for presentations and the likes, leaving ample time for questions from their side, and to talk about the weather. End your meeting 5 minutes before the end rather than 5 minutes after.

- If you business interpreter didn't check with you about the time offered by the other side, and do not ask - with your permission - at the beginning of the show, fire her.