Ramadan/Eid & business productivity in Saudi Arabia

I cannot speak for other professions but if your role is sales oriented then be prepared to have an extensive 5 week break over the Ramadan 4 week religious period and then the 1 week Eid break.

In years prior to 2010 you could also add nearly 4 weeks of summer vacation to this "break" from business.

This year, maybe because business is harder to come by for businesses as a result of the global crisis, less people are taking summer vacations and the ones that are taking them are taking shorter breaks. It could also be that the proximity of Ramadan to summer this year has people taking a break that straddles both events.

The point I am trying to make is that when doing extensive "sales" type business in Saudi plan for approximately 7-8 months of productive activity, 2 months of activity which may or may not be of any use to you, and 2 months  (2 weeks of summer, plus Ramadan and Eid) when little will be achieved.

Those of us living here have an advantage because we can pick and choose who we see and when we see them and we  can do so because as a "local" we have our feet on the ground and are better qualified through experience and contacts to read a sales situation. For example, a person we want to sell to may be more open to talking to us during the Ramadan break (usually after break of the day's fasting) when he has less on his plate and is more open to listening and talking and enjoying some company over a coffee or meal.

In summary then, if you are based outside, buy a year planner and mark off all the religious holidays as well as the summer break. Typically it is not worth while travelling here to do business.

For us locals, do the same but try to take advantage of any opportunity that arises to meet people in the evening over a meal when they may be open to talking.

Surviving summer and Ramadan

It has been a while since I last wrote. To be truthful the reason is that I went through one of my regular "I hate this place" phases. It can be a great place to work and live (sort of) but it can really really get to you. Whereas in most countries simple tasks like paying a bill or opening up a bank account are considered commonplace, here they are designed to test your patience and ability to stay sane.

If like me you are one of the unfortunate ones who is not leaving the Kingdom for Summer/Ramadan vacation then we have a major challenge on our hands.

The place is quiet for the 2-4 weeks leading up to Ramadan because people are either physically or mentally on vacation. During Ramadan they are simply too "out of it" to be effective during 50C summer hell.

So no-one wants to meet you, talk to you, respond to your emails, etc, etc.

The trick is to find things to do outside of work that will stimulate your mind and body.

You can go to a shopping mall. You can go out for a meal (that is if you can tolerate the traffic which is mind boggling given everyone comes out of their houses at night), you can go to the gym at the compound, or you have have a BBQ with friend (assuming you can tolerate the 45C evening temperatures).

So enjoy my friends. Let me know how you go.

ed

Complexities of business - a real life example

I was celebrating last Wednesday (last day of our working week) because I had just been informed that an account i had been working on had been given the go ahead after 3 long years of effort on my part. I was summoned to the company's HQ the following Saturday (beginning of the working week here) to pick up the contracts.

Without going in to too many details suffice it to say that 45 minutes was spent by my contacts explaining to me that the pricing structure had not been explained by the designated person in their company to their CEO and CFO and as a result the "heavies" were questioning the price and reasoning behind our proposal and this might well delay the signing of the contracts (which were laying open, and unsigned, on the table besides me).

After much discussion (and scary heart palpitations on my part) the client eventually signed the contract.

Since I started my blog I have been writing that business here is not easy. I was certainly reminded of that yesterday.

Be prepared for anything. Be patient. Think. Do not become emotional and over-react. The deal is not done until it is done (and those goal posts are an ever moving target:-))

If you want to be successful in business in Saudi Arabia...

This is a short post. The title of the post is a bit presumptuous because there is no ONE thing that will ensure you business success in Saudi. But this is as close to #1 as you can get.

In any business discussion Saudis want to be able to see your face and watch your eyes. They are far better at body language than we will ever be. More importantly business is based on trust and trust is developed over time and in face to face situations.

Use emails to confirm meetings and send documents.

If you are not in the country use the phone. This is not as good as face to face but a Saudi will understand and allow for the fact that it is the next best thing. BUT ensure that you visit regularly because eventually they want to deal with a person not a voice.

The more face time you can have the more trust you can develop. Also more face time enable you to learn and hear and be told things that would never reveal themselves in an email or phone call.

In Saudi a business deal is the result of a business relationship. And this relationship is the result of many face to face meetings, dinners, talks over coffee and tea.

The most difficult thing about living in Saudi

Every country has its challenges for expats.

In Saudi the greatest challenge is the lack of interesting things to do outside of work.

If you are based in Riyadh there is so little to do outside of work other than visit the malls. Your time is spent working & sleeping.

In Jeddah (on the West Coast) & Dammam/Al Khobar (East Coast) you have the sea where you can fish, walk by, take photos of, or simply sit by and wonder what prompted you to move to Saudi in the 1st place.

So what do I recommend?

• go to as many Embassy parties /events as possible
• get cable tv
• listen to music
• renew your love of reading
• surf the net
• take up photography
• start a blog
• get to know your neighbours
• join expat clubs of ANY sort (just to meet people)

Most important is to mentally set yourself an arbitrary date in the future at which time you will decide whether or not to extend your stay or move to a more "normal" location. I set increments of 2 years. This is important because it means that mentally I am more committed if I know that I have "allowed" myself the opportunity to review my saudi expat status at a defined future point in time.

This country is not an easy one in which expats can live and work. Do not fall into the work & sleep only trap. Try everything you can to meet people. Take up hobbies. And set yourself an exit strategy.

With all this in place you might make it without the need to pop any Xanax.

The Art of Negotiation

If you want to do business in Saudi Arabia you must be an expert negotiator.

Saudis come from Bedouin, trading stock. They are awesome negotiators.

Observation 1: they will wear you down with time. They will simply continue to take their time as if they have all the time in the world. They assume you do not and eventually you will crack and give them what they want (usually a discount).

Answer: Play along. There is no way to circumvent this process. Once you crack or show even the slightest desperation you are gone.

Observation 2: everything is negotiable. And it is negotiable up to and including the day the contracts are being signed.

Answer: decide right up front what strategy you are going to adopt. Now that does not mean giving discounts round 1, 2, or even 3. The sooner you give money away the more discount they will demand. Decide what is negotiable and what is not and do not waver. If you are unsure of your strategy they will sense it and you are gone.

Observation 3: all prices are always too high.

Answer: accept the above and be prepared to fight for every cent.

Observation 3: Value added services (which we regard as essential) have no meaning here. They are buying a product. They will pay for the product. They do not want to pay for implementation, consulting, support.

Answer: Build these into your product cost or brush up on your negotiation skills. I would recommend the first.

Observation 4: once you have said it (especially if it works in their favor) it is considered a valid concession and you are expected to stick to your word.

Answer: be frugal with your words. Consider and choose them carefully.

Accept the fact that in most cases your opposite number is a better negotiator than you (and he probably is). Prepare accordingly, have a strategy, and do not try to make things go faster. If you do all of the above you "may" make a small profit.

some more thoughts about personal & business communication idiosyncrasies in saudi arabia

The cornerstone for human progress and advancement is communication. It is essential for human society to operate. However communication means different things in different cultures.

In this article I want to share just a few of my ideas about personal & business communication in Saudi Arabia.

Everything about the Middle East is complex to us foreigners, and that is especially true in Saudi Arabia.

Just like the rest of the world Saudi Arabia has eagerly embraced sms, email, Bluetooth and other means of mobile electronic communication. And in a personal environment these are used extensively.

So, within the context of this particular article, please allow me to identify the first complexity: in a business environment there is no differentiation between business and personal communication, where the spoken word is counts for everything. And this spoken word carries most weight when delivered face to face.

A business proposal is meaningless unless it is the end result of long periods of discussion and ongoing and regular verbal agreement. The proposal is simply a reflection of the spoken word. In fact it exists more for our own, Western or Asian, benefit than for the Saudi businessman who will more often than not will do a deal on a handshake. 

Deals, business agreements, are done on trust and verbal agreement - not on the professionalism, look and feel, and size of a proposal. Yes emails are used. Yes phone calls are made (better). But in order to do business and make money in the Kingdom first  requires the gaining of trust.

A senior Saudi executive pointed out to me recently that we Westerners  had literally thousands of years to develop a “modern” culture of business process and interaction.

However before oil was discovered in Saudi 70 years ago the Saudis were essentially traders. They understood extremely well the nature of buying and selling, and they were masters of the art of verbal communication. Written contracts were nonexistent and a man’s word was his bond.

So the “modern” way of doing business has been in place in Saudi Arabia for a little over half a century only.

Another complexity is that Saudis find it difficult to say NO. They will find all sorts of "nice" ways to avoid such a direct "confrontational" position. We Westerners are used to being told no. We want to know where we stand. Tell me yes or no and I can move on or stay. Well, it is not so clear cut in Saudi Arabia.
The successful Westerners in Saudi take time to get to know the people they want to work with and they learn to read between the lines. Rarely is there a straightforward "yes" or "no". Verbal interpretation and an understanding of body language can be as important as the spoken word.

Be patient. Talk to everyone. Ask lots and lots of questions. Regardless of whether you do everything right you may still fail, because you cannot force the issue. Meetings will happen when they happen. Decisions will be made when it is time for them to be made. Agreements (verbal & written) will be broken, changed, amended, and broken again.

Very importantly, if you have something to say then be prepared to back it up with proof. Saudis are not gullible and are cautious by nature. They do not like to be first adopters.

Business entertainment in the West and in Asia is really either a celebration (closure of a deal) or a mini-bribe, although few would rarely acknowledge it as such.

In Saudi Arabia however entertainment between people wishing to do business together is an essential and crucial component of the business deal. It is during this time that trust is built. Most entertainment time though is spent talking over coffee or tea in or outside the office environment. The occasional business dinner goes down well but only because it enable the parties to spend more time getting to know each other.

So let’s raise the complexity bar one more level now. Frustratingly for us foreigners, business meetings (formal or otherwise) in Saudi are often interrupted by people or phone calls. Although we would consider this rude it is par for the course in Saudi Arabia. The concept of courtesy is so strong that it is considered rude to not acknowledge a person interrupting the meeting or calling your host on his mobile, and expecting him to answer. This works both ways of course because it enables you to have more access to, and talk with, the person with whom you wish to conduct your business.

I had to go to Saudi Airlines cargo at Riyadh airport a month or so ago to pick up boxes of cargo my wife had sent from the Philippines before moving here and the experience reminded me of the skills one needs to employ to get things done in Saudi Arabia.

I learned that it was important to be patient, look lost, say thank you to everyone, seek help, ask for advice, look helpless, say thank you to everyone. Knowing some basic Arabic goes a very long way.

Business relationships with women are a very complex issue. It would be fair to say that in cities in the Eastern Province (Dammam, Dhahran, Al Khobar) it is ok for a Western man to meet with a Saudi woman in an open environment. The same would apply to Jeddah in the Western Province. It is most definitely not the case anywhere else except for Riyadh in the Central Region. There it depends on the woman and the “open” environment in which you would meet. Unlike the Eastern and Western Regions it is unwise to meet with a woman for business anywhere other than in an office environment.

Regardless of where the meeting with a Saudi woman takes place shaking hands is only acceptable if instigated by the woman. No other form of touching is acceptable.
It is fair to say that a Saudi man can have a “normal” relationship with a Saudi woman. A non Saudi Muslim has a more complex and rule based relationship with a Saudi woman. A non Muslim Westerner or Asian is not allowed to have a personal relationship with a Saudi woman.

The other issue of note is religion and politics. Unless you know your friend or business contact very well they will be quite hesitant to discuss religion, and, most certainly, politics with you. Religious discussions are slowly becoming more common as Saudis return from their education experience overseas. However politics is very complex and best left alone in any discussions.

Expect your personal interactions with your Saudi male friends to take place outside your home or their own. The home environment is for family interaction. The presence of women at home means that your Saudi “buddies” will want to meet at restaurants, coffee shops, etc.

Almost without exception everyone from middle management level and above speaks relatively good to excellent English. I have found that Saudi women usually have a better command of English than the men.
Saudis love to go out and eat, and usually very late at nite. So expect to spend a lot of time eating & conversing with your hosts late into the nite. The only proviso is that women will usually not be present at these outings. We may not be used to such arrangements but it is their country and we choose freely to live and work there, so is seems fair that we do so under their terms.

Saudi is complex yet not complex. This may sound contradictory but it is complex in the sense that it is very different and difficult to understand however it is not complex because once understood the rules of personal interaction are clearly defined and easy to follow.

Almost without exception I have found Saudi people to be warm, friendly, engaging, curious, hospitable, understanding and accepting of other cultures. Understanding them and adapting your communication style will greatly reward your business and personal encounters.

Are our expectation simply too high?

To put things into perspective Saudi Arabia only really entered the "modern" world when oil was discovered 80 odd years ago.

Since then they have been forced to transform from basically a tribal, bedouin way of life to one that conforms with our own. This is probably a lot to expect. We have had a couple of thousand years to get to this stage of doing business and interacting with peoples of other lands (for better or worse). Maybe at the core of our frustrations with Saudi is the fact that our expectations are simply too high. And unrightly so!

This does not diminish from the fact that doing business here is challenging to say the least. But then we do have the option to go do business elsewhere don't we? Maybe it is simply a case of "grin and bear it".

This post is not meant to be construed in any way negative. It is simply an acknowledgement that as outsiders we have to understand and adapt in the same way we expect Saudi's to do.

Sometimes doing business can drive you nuts

When settling in a new country the first thing I always do is to immerse myself in the "norms" of personal and business life. It's a new country so things are going to be different.

However Saudi Arabia really is different!!

To get a deal signed typically takes forever. There is no reason - it is just the way it is.

Even before the signature getting a decision is like going to the dentist - painfull and unpleasant. Who's the real decision maker? Why won't the recommenders recommend? If everyone agrees on the proposition on the table then why are we still talking (or not) months later?

Why are appointments cancelled at the last minute? Why is the guy not there when you show up to the appointment (not even the courtesy of a cancellation).

OK, it's signature time - oh, just one thing, we forgot to budget for the project. Aaaarrrhhh!!!!

After 18 months of talking suddenly no-one is available to talk anymore (emails, phone calls, sms's) - they have just dropped off the face of the map. No reason, just happens.

It will happen tomorrow (which actually means anytime bewteen now and...).

I wrote in an earlier post that patience is essential. That and stress medication!!

Reporting the news

Suprisingly for the Middle East news reporting in Saudi Arabia is quite frank and factual.

The dominant print & online newspaper is the Arab News. For the last 5 years or so it has reported on and discussed isssues that as a foreigner one would expect to be handled with kid gloves or simply not reported on or discussed at all.

The media in every part of the world induldges in its share of biased reporting (special interests, ignorance, fear, etc).

However the country, under the guidance of the current King, is making an effort to encourage open and factual reporting.

As one would expect there are areas of sensitivity. But rather than avoid them all together efforts are being made to discuss sensitive isssues in the press, online, and in the visual media.

There are female radio announcers. We even have talk shows hosted by women.

Now for the average foreigner unused to the Middle East the question might well be "so what?" The answer is that an understanding of the background of the cultures here will help answer that scepticism and replace it with a healthy respect for the efforts underway to encourage the media to follow the path of more "open" reporting as well as embrace the input and perspective women bring to the reporting table.

Institutions such as the Arab News are encouraging accurate, factual reporting and a healthy interchange of ideas. No country is totally free but Saudi Arabia deserves praise for its efforts in this area.

So what's the downside?

Well i guess the first place to start is alcohol. There isn't any. If you need your fix you can go to Bahrain, which is a 30 minute flight from Riyadh.

Depending on which part of the country you are based it can be warm, hot, or so hot your blood can boil.

Again depending on which part of the country you are located you may have a lot of outside activities available (East & West Provinces) or quite little if it is Riyadh (in the middle of the desert with just sand dunes and not so friendly camels for company).

I find the food in Riyadh less exciting than in the 2 seaside provinces which have many more expats from a wider area of the world.

Riyadh is the capital so from a business perspective that is where the action is. However most of us expats would easily and with little encouragement move to either Jeddah or Al Khobar (fun, exciting, bustling, by the sea).

I guess I am trying to say the upsides far outweigh the downsides.

Yes it is not what we are "normally" used to. But every place in the world can be great to live in if you make it so.

There are lots of expats societies, groups, and events.

Come over. It is not what you think, it's much better.

Communication: Personal & Business

Just like the rest of the world Saudi Arabia has eagerly embraced sms, email, bluetooth and other means of electronic communication. And in a personal environment these are used extensively.

However in business verbal communication is everything! An email can be used to ask a quick question, pass on some product or reference information, or set an appointment.

Exchanges of information of any real substance though take place face to face. In this manner Saudi Arabia differs a great deal from the Western world.

A proposal is meaningless unless it is the end result (summary) of long periods of discussion and verbal agreeement. It is a reflection of the words. In fact it is more for our own benefit than for the Saudi businessman who will more often than not do a deal on a handshake.Deals are done on trust and verbal agreement - not on the professionalism, look and feel, and size of a proposal.

Finally, if you have something to say then be prepared to back it up with proof. Saudis are not gullible and are cautious by nature.

In private day to day activities life here is basically the same as at home. However, when it comes to business, realationships count for everything. And relationships are built on trust. And trust comes from many, many, many face to face conversations.

Patience, patience, patience

The title says it all, so this post will be short.


In Saudi Arabia everything associated with doing business takes time. There are a million reasons for this but in the end none of them really matter. They are what they are and there is nothing we Westerners can do about it.


Trying to "go-around" people does not work. You only upset your contact and probably doom your proposal.


If I have one bit of advice it is to aim as high up the organizational food chain as possible. Even if you get pushed down to the "make it happen" people you now always will have your top guy to go to if things go off the rails (and they will!!! PROMISE!!!). he may not be able to help but he has better coffee than the make it happen people.


You cannot force the issue. Meetings will happen when they happen. Decisions will be made when it is time for them to be made. Agreements (verbal & written) will be broken, changed, ammended, and broken again.


Eventually, inshallah, all the pieces fall into place and you have a deal. 


Unless of course something changes...

Ignore the media - come over

Before I came to the Middle East my opinion of the place was not all that flattering. To be perfectly honest I thought it was full of strife, violence, and fanatics.

I guess the media on both sides of the fence wants to portray their side of the fence as better, nicer, friendlier.

I actually think it is all a sophisticated version of fear of the unknown.

Anyway, when I moved over 6 years ago the truth was far from my preconceptions.

I learned that the best way to understand a region and its peoples and cultures is to visit or, at the very least, talk to people who have visited or lived there.

The media focuses on shock and awe. Why show the life of the " average Joe" or "average Abdullah" when you can show bullets flying around? Prety sad actually.

I am gladdened to see the Saudi authorities making giant efforts to increase tourism in the Kingdom. Their efforts will pay off handsomely for the Kingdom as well as the visitors.

Come to the Middle East. Come to Saudi. The other side of the fence is fascinating, safe, and provides an insight into a lifestyle a lot of us would otherwise never have to opportunity to experience.

Weather

Actually for 9 months of the year the weather is pretty good. 6 months of the year Europeans will love it. The 2 months leading up to summer and the month after can only be loved by Australians.

Then there is summer!! To be fair Saudis must have dome something very bad in their past and summer is God's way to punish them. 50C is common. 50C-55C occurs quite a bit during the worst of the summer months of July & August.

Everyone tries to avoid going outside in the day during summer. The night time is when everyone comes out to eat, shop, mingle, and drive (yup, there is that ugly word again!). Driving at night in major cities during summer necessitates adding 1-2 hours in commute time (regardless of how far you have to go). A popular 1 km street filled with cafes can take 10 minutes to cover most of the time, most of the year and up to 1-2 hours between 8pm and 2am during summer.

To finish a word about winter. In the last few years they have been quite mild (southern European in nature). However we have had winters where the temperature at night has dropped to below zero. Out in the desert winter temperatures can be quite cold whilst summer is brutal.

It is truly a land of contrasts!! I love it.

Balancing personal & business time in Saudi

Saudis work very hard. Their hours may not be consistent throughout the day but when added together they work very long hours, sometimes well into the night.

Our weekend here is Thursday and Friday. Even though some businesses work on Thursdays for half a day, and most executives will work some or all of the morning of Thursday, the remainder of that day and all of Friday are sacrosanct and devoted to home and family (near and extended).

Somehow saudi family ties have kept the ever creeping impact of technology enslaving us to work 24 hours a day at bay for the moment. My feelings are though that this will change and Saudi Arabia will infortunately join the rest of the world in blurring the line between work and play.

I therefore wanted to include here some words of wisdom from the comedian George Carlin whose thoughts on the subject of what is and isn't important in life is more apt than ever now. My thanks to Mr. Carlin.


The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints.

We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time.

We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.



We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.


We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.

We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.


We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbour.

We conquered outer space but not inner space.

We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.

We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice.

We write more, but learn less.

We plan more, but accomplish less.

We've learned to rush, but not to wait.

We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.


These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships.

These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.

These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.

It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.

A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...


Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.


Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.


Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.


AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

George Carlin

Flickr: Your Photostream

Flickr: Your Photostream

The hardest thing about living in Saudi Arabia

The driving!!

These guys are nuts. 100km/hr plus down the main street of Riyadh, 3 lanes converted in real-time to 6, left hand u-turns when from the far right hand side of the road, maintaining a steady 1cm between their front bumper and your rear one at any speed...you name it and it happens here.

It is also officially the most dangerous country in the world to drive. There are 17 road related fatalaties per day (who knows how many are injured).

So, what to do?

Never relax whilst driving. Treat driving like a chess game...plan 6 moves in advance. Always try to anticipate what the drivers around you are capable of possibly doing, and try to imagine the craziest things you can (eventually they WILL happen). Look everywhere. Never, ever try to use your mobile whilst driving. never try to change radio stations. Do nothing that can in any shape, way, or form distract you from your driving. Pray. Keep your anger in check. Breath deeply. Pray.

Good luck out there! :-)

Dealing with people...or, how to get things done

I had to go to Saudi Airlines cargo at Riyadh airport this morning to pick up boxes of stuff my wife had sent from the Philippines before moving here and the experience reminded me of the skills one needs to employ to get things done in Saudi Arabia.

First of all, Saudi is very, very, very beurocratic. There is lots and lots of paperwork to be filled out, signed, passed from one person to another, authenticated, checked, generally moved about. And lots and lots of people are often involved in the simplest of tasks.

So patience is most definitely a virtue.

My advice: be patient, look lost, say thank you to everyone, seek help, ask for advice, look helpless, say thank you to everyone. Knowing some basic Arabic goes a VERY long way.

Saudis are incredibly hospitable, friendly and helpful. Things can and will get done, perhaps longer than you would initially like, as long as you do not get upset but accept that you are a visitor and with the right attitude will be seen as one and helped accordingly.

Be patient. Be friendly, Ask for help. Say thank you. And things do get done.

Safety

Life in the Middle East for us expats is based on the premise that things can change in a heartbeat.

Having said that the Saudi authorities have done an awesome job in putting a lid on the terrorist threat over the past 4 years. It would be safe to say that, for now, the average expatriate in Saudi faces a greater threat from crime in his home country than from terrorist attacks within the Kingdom.

As far as "normal" crime is concerned the Kingdom has to be one of the safest places in the world. As long as one does not go wandering down dark, narrow streets in the middle of the night the chances of being mugged or robbed are negligible. Murder, rape, and other major crimes are rare, not tolerated by the authorities, and punished severely.

When I first arrived I was startled and alarmed at the severity with which the Saudi authorities dealt with crime. I know that this registers fairly early on with most expats arriving in the Kingdom. However, there are two important points I would like to make about this: 1) we are visitors and it is not up to us to judge; and 2) as disturbing it may be for us to hear about the manner and harshness with which perpetrators of crime are dealt with, it may well be that these methods contribute positively to the creation of a relatively crime free environment.

The Kingdom offers levels of safety that many of us are unused to. The authorities are working hard to create a safe environment for their people and us visitors. Nothing is ever set in concrete but as far as safety, crime and terrorism, is concerned, the Saudi authorities have created an environment that is far from the image created by the external media.

Selling in Saudi Arabia

The question is: what is the secret?

The answer is: TIME!

Business takes time in Saudi. Nothing happens quickly. Decisions take a long time to make.

Is there a shortcut? NO!

The biggest challenge for us Westerners is identifying the decision makers, even the influential recommenders. Often the people that matter are buried deep in the infrastructure and their titles give us no indication of the important role they may play in the business decisions that affect us. Their influence could be a simple word in the ear of a key person to either "go" or "no go" with our proposal. We may never be able to identify or be able to meet them.

Doing business in Saudi is complex and time consuming.

If there is a "trick", it is to talk to as many people in a company as possible regardless of their titles and whether or not you think they may or may not play any role in the particular business you are conducting with their company. The more people you interact with the more you learn about who is who in the company as well as how things work. You may still get it wrong but you certainly minimize you chances of failure by extending your network within the company as much as possible.

Finally, in general and for cultural reasons alien to Westerners, recommendations are not passed up but rather, decisions are passed down.

Be patient. Talk to everyone. Ask lots and lots of questions. Be patient. Regardless of whether you do everything right you may still fail. Be patient!!

Interacting with Women in Business

Saudi Arabia is a conservative society.

However it is changing. Even in the 5 years I have spent here I have seen women play a greater and more influential role in the business world. No it is not what we are used to in the West, but it IS changing.

Unsurprisingly the situation is different in different parts of the country. Jeddah in the Western Region and Dammam, Dhahran, and Al Khobar in the Eastern Region would be considered more progressive than Riyadh in the Central Region. The areas outside of these major cities are still quite conservative.

Some do's and do not's:

• Do not meet a woman for a business meeting in a private environment
• In Jeddah, Dammam, Al Khobar, and Dhahran it is ok to meet a woman for a meeting outside the office as long as it is in a public location
• In Riyadh it is preferable that you meet your woman business contact in an office environment
• Only shake hands if the woman offers to do so first
• It is wise not to invite a woman for a business dinner or lunch

The role of women in Saudi Arabia is changing. Understand that there are things that are acceptable and other things that are not when dealing with women in a business environment in Saudi. Accepting and following a few simple rules will make your efforts to do business in Saudi Arabia pleasant and hopefully rewarding.

Practicalities to do with time management

If you discount summer, school, and religious holidays one is only really left with 7-8 months of practical "doing business" time in Saudi Arabia. So it is important to check the Internet and, on your BIG annual wall calendar, block out the non (or less) productive times.

As always there are exceptions. The biggest of these is that during the heat of summer, and during Eid and Ramadan breaks, if the people you want to see are in town then they will more often than not be able to accomodate you during late evening/night, from 2100 to even 0100 the next morning. This is especially true during the fasting month of Ramadan. During Ramadan Saudis do not eat or drink from sunup to sunset so even if they are around it would be unwise of us to expect them to be as productive as ourselves who are not undergoing such physical and mental rigors.

If your contact cannot see you in Saudi it is usually either because he is away, or is on vacation and in town but wants to spend time with his family during the day (Saudis are very family oriented), or is simply tired because he is fasting.

So plan your time well or be prepared to meet during the night.

Finally, more business will get done over a meal in a social environement than in an office so factor this into the above.

Doing business in Saudi Arabia

This is such a big topic that I am going to cover this over a lot of posts.

Business in Saudi Arabia is personal. What i mean by that is personal, face to face contact and interface counts for everything. It counts for even more when conducted in a social environment, out of the office.

Yes emails are used. Yes phone calls are made (better). But in order to do business and make money here requires trust.

Saudis take time to evaluate and get to know the people they plan to work with. There are no shortcuts. Coming to Saudi and expecting to "do a deal this trip" rarely happens - time is everything.

Business is based on trust. A Saudi's word is his bond and he will only give it once he knows and trusts you.

Saudis find it difficult to say NO. They will find all sorts of "nice" ways to avoid such a direct "confrontational" position. We Westerners are used to this and in fact expect it. We want to know where we stand. Tell me yes or no and I can move on or stay. Well, it is not so clear cut here.

The successful Westerners in Saudi take time to get to know the people they want to work with and they learn to read between the lines. rarely is there a straightforward "yes" or "no".

Finally, because Saudis find it difficlut to say no and inherently want to be respectful to everyone, do not get upset if you find your host accepting phone calls during your visit or even allowing people to come in to the room to have a discussion about something that has absolutely nothing to do with you.

At first this may be frustrating but on the other hand it is interesting and allows us to hone our skills at reading people rather than being dependant on words alone.

Even we Westerners acknowledge that actions speak louder than words.

Happiness - Living in Saudi Arabia

This particular article doesn't at first seem to fit exactly into the main theme of my Blog but actually it is a natural fit and should have been written a long time ago.

Unless we've given up on life we all strive for some form of happiness. Unfortunately for the great majority of us happiness is staring us in the face and we do not know it is there.

I moved to Saudi Arabia 5 years ago. For nearly 3 years I moaned and groaned about what a lousy place it was - I mean there was nothing to do, nowhere to go, and you always ran the risk of being shot by a terrorist, right?

How stupid I was!!! I wasted 3 years of my life!

I was finally prompted to write this article because to this day I still have close friends of mine who think I have crossed over to the "dark side" because I tell them I like living here.

The people are warm, generous, understanding, gracious, and incredibly hospitable.

The food is excellent. It is an amazingly safe place to live. Except for 3 months in summer the weather is great. The schools are very good. The quality of health care is better than I have experienced anywhere in the world. And finally the cost of living is very low. Oh, and we pay no taxes:-)

So there I was, staring happiness in the face for 3 years and I did not know it was there to be savored and enjoyed - all I had to do was open up my heart and mind and look.

The challenge for all of us in this century is that whilst there is no lack of choice available to us we continue to want for peace and contentment. We do not lack for choice unfortunately, we lack for vision.

My personal thoughts on the people of Saudi

Let me start by saying that these thoughts are based on my 5 years of living, travelling, and working here in Saudi Arabia.

Almost without exception I have found Saudi people to be warm, friendly, engaging, curious, hospitable, understanding and accepting of other cultures.

This is a very conservative country. It is changing slowly (history will judge if it is for better or worse). The conservatism of the country underlies a lot of the interaction that takes place between individuals.

It is also important to point out that Saudi only "really" started interacting with what we would call the "real" outside world 60 years ago when oil was discovered. This is an important point because they have only had 60 years to adapt to and interact with the modus operandi, norms, and cultures of other countries.

Almost without exception everyone from middle management level and above speaks relatively good to excellent English. I have found that Saudi women usually have a better command of English than the men.

They are not terrorists!! Unfortunately a very small handful of crazies has given an entire country a bad name.

The people place children on a pedestal and so it is very safe for women and children to walk around anywhere, anytime, and be left alone.

They are a night time people, something I have never fully adapted to. I think it is because the weather is so harsh here that social interaction really gets into full swing at night time when it is cooler. It is one of those rare countries where traffic gets worse as the night goes on. In fact many people only consider having dinner at 9pm, 10pm, 11pm, or even later.

Saudis love to go out and eat. They also love to entertain their international friends. The only proviso is that women will more often than not be present at these outings. We may not be used to such arrangements but it is their country and we choose freely to live there, so is seems fair that we do so under their terms.

Their driving is dreadful. I am sorry but it is true. More peole die on the roads here than anywhere else in the world. Something for the authorities to fix asap!!!

In other posts I will discuss doing business in Saudi, making contacts, what to do and not do socially and in business, the role of women in social and business contexts, as well as how we expats live and amuse ourselves.

It is easy to judge a country and its people via the media. It is wiser to meet them and judge for yourself.

The purpose of this Blog

Saudi Arabia is, to all intents and purposes, unknown to Westerners.

I have lived and worked here for 5 years and my goal is to help people who are considering working here or simply want to know more about the country.

Write and ask me whatever you feel you would like to know about living and working in saudi Arabia and i will endeavor to answer you as quickly and succinctly as possible.

I can also share with you my photos of the country. These are available for both personal and business purposes.

I hope I can be of help and look forward to hearing from all of you around the world.