I have been in communication with a business in India and considering purchasing some products from them. It is interesting to experience different business customs in emails and on the phone. A good example of this is an email I received from this supplier yesterday. It was a reminder to consider their products. However, before they got down to business they had a Mother’s day message:
A man stopped at a flower shop to order some flowers, to be wired to his mother who lived 200 miles away. As he got out of his car, he noticed a young girl sitting on the curb sobbing. He asked her what was wrong and she replied , I wanted to buy a red rose for my mother. But I only have 75 cents and a rose costs 2 dollars. The man smiled and said, bœcome in with me, I’ll buy you a rose.
He bought the little girl her rose and ordered his own mother flowers. As they were leaving , he offered her ride home. She said, yes please, you can take me to my mother.â€Â She directed him to a cemetery, where she placed the rose on a freshly dug grave.
The man returned to the flower shop, canceled the wire order, picked up a bouquet and drove the 200 miles to his mother’s house.
There is a sensitivity in how business is conducted in some countries which makes me pause some days. Sure, I’ve been sent similar emails to the one copied above, but not by someone I am discussing business with…