How to Make Small Talk With American Clients & Colleagues While small talk is important in both US and Indian business cultures to build rapport and trust, the appraoch, dos and don'ts and acceptable topics differ. And while both cultures may define small talk differently, there are common aspects. The most common aspect or goal of small talk is to break the ice, not sound so robotic, and to be conversational. All it takes to improve this soft-skill is just a few small sentences, questions, observations, or interactions to get off on the right foot. Here are three things to keep in mind while attempting to make small talk with your American counterparts: 1. What can we say or ask?

Are you calling on a Monday? If so, ask, How was your weekend, did you do anything fun?

Are you calling after a vacation? If so, ask, Last time we talked, I remember you said youd be taking a trip to Florida for your vacation. How was it? What did you do?

Are you calling after an American holiday? If so, ask, Oh, it was the Fourth of July recently. Did you see fireworks or go on a picnic? How did you celebrate Independence day?

Are you calling on a Thursday or a Friday? If so, ask, Do you have anything interesting planned for the weekend? or Its Friday, anything fun in store this weekend?

Maybe you call everyday. If so, always open the conversation with any one of these conversation starters:

Hows it going?

Having a good day?

How are you today?

Is anything interesting happening today?

Hows things in the office?

Hows the weather?

"How did it go?" (Process related question)

Invariably, people love to ask about, and then complain about the weather! People may talk about how the weather prevented them from having fun or how in a miracle of miracles, the weather cooperated with them for their outdoor events. Always try to follow up on their answer by asking another open-ended question or make a statement, such as Wow, that sounds like fun! or You went to St. Louis. In which state is that? or You drove to yourvacation spot. How far is that from your home? Be creative in your follow up question. Feel free to ask one or two, but not very personal ones about relations. Stick to the facts or events that were already referred to and get clarification. 2. Think about the word choices American English uses different words and idioms than Indian English. Sometimes, some words used in India will befuddle or totally confuse an American. For instance, two good examples are using the word weekend and not holiday for Saturdays and Sundays (non-working days), and using the word vacation or days off instead of out-of-station. 3. Be aware of non-verbal behavior Always:

Sound interested.

Sound upbeat and happy. Talk with a smile!

Vary the sound of your voice. Do not sound monotonous or like a computer.

If you are unsure how you sound non-verbally, a good tip is to record yourself and listen to it later. While its true many of us shudder at the thought of hearing our voice through a recording device, its an important exercise. Doing this helps us hear how our voice sounds, and if dont sound as we want to be perceived, it may be time to work on enhancing our voice. 4. Listen for filler words and expressions. Though business conversations with Americans may sound task oriented, I challenge you to record a few conversations with your clients or customers to review their speech patterns. There are many kind of filler words, questions, or statements that are said. This banter is done to show compliance, express disagreement, express enthusiasm and motivate and team spirit, decide on the work flow, to clear confusion, review or refresh ones memory on the previous or present topics, among many other reasons for banter. To say banter is exclusive to American business conversations is also a fallacy. If one becomes aware of business conversations in ones own native language, surely banter exists there too. Is there a way to transfer this banter to your conversations with your American counterparts? Banter helps take the edge off of always serious

conversations, brings in feeling and helps us relate to each other better. If youre wondering how to find the right words to say to an American, the best solution to this problem is shadowing. Shadowing is a communication technique where we pay close attention to the others non-verbal and verbal choices and mimic or copy them. What words are they using? How are they using these words? Try using the same words and phrases with other Americans. To relate best to anyone, shadowing (also known as mirroring) works wonders. If there is any doubt about this, just remember back to your college days. How did you relate to your peers? Probably one way was by learning your peers slang or word choices and naturally mimicking them and using them in everyday conversation. This is mirroring, and you already know how to do it! Practice does make perfect. Always remember that you already follow these techniques in your native language. But, if you are not using English as a conversational language, you will have to practice voice modulation, getting the right flow, showing emotion while talking and, if necessary, even pronunciation adjustment. Thinking of English as only an academic or professional language is a big barrier here. Start trying to use English in more places where you have to express yourself, and put feeling into your words. Dont hesitate to be bold and ask for help. *Take note that the phrases and questions here in are written in a conversational style; which may or may not always be grammatically correct. These phrases are based on the authors experience living in northeastern parts of the United States. Though greetings across the country may be similar, word choices may differ. Pay attention to your colleagues, note their word choices, and mirror them as appropriate. Jennifer Kumar offers training programs to help Indians close the culture gap with Americans in office environments. Contact Jennifer for more information on the training Introductions, Small Talk and Conversation Tips with Americans.

Chris Sufi is a freelance editor who lives in Bangalore, India. Her personal

interest in language and communication inspires her to contribute through

proofreading and editing. She can be contacted here.

How to Impress American Customers The tips presented in this article will help in interacting with American customers. Many tips can be given as Americans have a particular mindset which can cause misunderstandings to those not familiar with the culture.

Here are a few random tips that can help to make an American customer happy: 1. Tell the customer about the features and benefits IN YOUR OWN WORDS An American often would get frustrated and impatient if he/she hears the customer service representative (henceforth, CSR) repeat something to him/her word for word from a product manual. If the CSR takes the time to listen to the customers problem, finds out the cause of the problem in real-time, and offers solutions based on practical experience from helping other customers with similar problems, most Americans will be impressed. However, as this is not possible in all situations, helping the customer to brainstorm solutions, offering to let him/her talk to supervisors or colleagues, and calling or sending e-mailsto the customer later with the solutions are ideal. If there is no solution, an American customer wants to know what can be done next, or if the product or components of the product can be replaced. 2. Treat the customer like an individual, not as one among the masses When a customer wants to buy a product and is confused about which model to buy, help the customer understand which one best suits his/her needs and not the needs of the thousands of other customers. Ask the customer questions to learn about what he/she will use the product for and why he/she really wants to buy it. While talking to one customer, if there are others waiting to talk to you, dont talk to them without letting the current customer know that he/she is not forgotten. Say Excuse me sir/madam, give me a moment, while I talk to these customers here. I will come back to you. Or, find other colleagues to help with the other customers while taking care of the current customer. This makes the customer feel good, and will be more inclined to come back as a customer to your facility. Otherwise, the customer may think that you are rude. 3. Make sure that the customer is really satisfied Dont just disconnect the phone or walk away from the customer to manage other customers without completing your conversation. Ask the customer if

he/she is satisfied, or if there is anything else you can help him/her with. Tell him/her See you again. Or It was a pleasure to talk to you. Hope we can help you again with your XXX needs. Please do not assume that the customer is done just because he/she has purchased your product or told you that that she/he is not interested in purchasing your product. Ask the customer questions, or maybe he/she has questions to ask you. Always end with Is there any further questions I can answer for you? or Is there anything else I can help you with today? before disconnecting the call or ending your conversation in the showroom and helping another customer. 4. Dont forget the pleasantries. Most of what is discussed here are simple cultural pleasantries that Americans take for granted while growing up in the American culture. Though they are habitual and may seem meaningless to some people, without these habits and behaviors, an American:

Will feel that something is wrong

Will think that the CSR is not well trained (which looks bad for the company)

May take it personally and if possible, may not return to do business with that establishment again.

Learning how to say thank you.

Responding to thank you.

Polite Ways to Interrupt in English

There are many reasons why a person may interrupt others while speaking. First and foremost, when interacting with US clients, Indian developers must learn about the conversational cues. These cues are different in American English than Indian English. If a lack of understanding of these cues creates a situation where the only way to interact is to interrupt, it could cause the US client to get a bad impression of you and your team. If the client is often interrupted or the team members on the Indian side often interrupt each other,

the American client will get the impression that the Indian team members are not effective communicators. This will not give a good impression of you, your team or your business. The phrases below showcase the polite and impolite ways to enter a conversation if interruptions are necessary. Use the polite interruption phrases both with your US counterparts AND with your Indian teammates when on group calls. How do we politely interrupt others in English? Below there are phrases to use and to avoid when interrupting others.

Phrases to Politely Interrupt Try to use these phrases: "I'm sorry to interrupt, but...."

"Before we move on to the next point, may I add...?"

"Sorry, I didn't catch that, is it possible to repeat the last point.."

"Excuse me (name), may I add to that...?"

"Do you mind if I jump in here?"

"Pardon me..."

"I don't mean to intrude..."

"While that is an important point, it's also important to add..."

Impolite Phrases for Interruptions Do not use these phrases: Wait a minute!!

What was that?

Hold on/Hold up while I say...

Be quiet...

It's my turn to talk...

What are you talking about?

But, I already said....

You're not listening to me... I said....

What did you say?

*Take note the tone of voice is important as the words used.

Making Small Talk Easy

Today, I have stumbled across a video that helps you to learn how to make small talk with any American with an easy formula. After you are asked a question, answer it like this:

1. Yes or No

2. One or two sentences to back up your answer

3. A question to turn it back to your conversational partner

For instance: You are asked, Do you like your job? You can answer, Yes, my job is challenging. As I work at TCS, I get to interact with a lot of foreign clients. Sometimes, I even am able to travel abroad to meet them in person. How about you? Typically, in any American greetings or small talk, one can answer with the same question that was asked or a variant of that question. For example: "How are you?" "Good. How are you?"

Or "How are you?" "Good, and you?" One more example: Have a great weekend! You, too, have a good one! In this case, one refers to weekend, and is used in response to other saluations like: Have a great holiday. You, too, have a good one! Have fun on your vacation! Same here have a good one!" (Do not say you, too here unless you and your colleague have the same vacation days off.)

Two important considerations:

1. In the above video, she suggests to ask small talk questions about

one's family. I'd suggest to only ask such questions if the person you're

speaking with talks about their family first. Otherwise, Americans may

feel uncomfortable to talk about family or relationships. It's always better

to stick tosmall talk topics that deal with the person him or herself.

2. The question she suggests to use to return the conversation is

"How about you?" Notice how she pronounces this. This is not said word

by word - "How --- about --- you?" It's said somewhat fast and sounds

like, "Howboucha". This is because in American English when one word

ends with a T and the next word starts with a Y sound, the T and Y are

dropped and a new sound 'CH' is created. Understanding these formulas

will help you understand when Americans talk fast. More on these

combined sounds by clicking here.

How did it go? A Simple Question

With Multiple Meanings! Asking How did it go? is a common question used in American English, and at work. This kind of question could be in relation to work related tasks or small talk.

Task-Based Examples: So team, how did the product launch go? How did the meeting with the client go? How did your presentation go? Small-Talk Examples: How did your vacation go? How did the Christmas party go? How did your new car buying experience go? Events asked in questions like this often have taken considerable planning or forethought to carry out. Asking for the outcome in this way also has a subtle meaning of encouragement or empathy that you just completed something challenging or taxing and we, as the asker, want to know how the final outcome was. (Typically with the hope that it is a positive outcome.) Contrary to the belief that this is a direct question for Americans, for those not familiar with American English expressions, this question is idiomatic in my opinion. This kind of question is not direct, its not easy to translate into another language, and it requires context, hindsight, and answering to the point. Here is an example of a task-based question and example answers: How did your client call go? What this question really means: The asker wants to know what was the outcome of the call after putting a lot of time into planning the call due to its critical nature. A bad answer: The call went as we discussed it. I talked about all the points we planned for. A good answer: The call went well. I was able to apply all the points we discussed. I was able to convince the client to go with our solution.

Best answer: The preparation paid off! The client has been convinced. We have scheduled a meeting for next Tuesday, September 5 at 8am to sign the contract. Here is an example of a small talk-based question and example answers: How did your vacation go? What this question really means: I know that your vacation to this new place was something that you have been planning for many months, that took a lot of coordination as well as it was expensive. Was the time, money and effort put into it worth the effort? Did you have fun? What did you do? (Yes, that simple question can mean all of that!) A bad answer: The vacation was good. A bad answer: The plans went as we discussed earlier. It was good. A better answer: The plans went as we discussed and everyone had a good time. Id do it again. The best answer: Yes, remember we spoke about some of the coordination of the travel arrangements. Although we were worried about completing all the activities, everything went off fine. In fact, it was better than fine! We really enjoyed our vacation and were able to take part in all of the activities you helped me identify like Zorbing, going on a ZipLine and seeing the main viewpoints in the Smoky Mountains, including Cades Cove. We also visited Cades Cove early in the morning as you suggested so I could take some nice sunrise photos. Overall, it was a great trip, well planned and really want to do it again! (It also depends on the tone these messages are given. Put some excitement into it!) Tips on answering How did it go? questions Remember that the answer is based on past conversations and context with the speaker. The speaker essentially wants to know the outcome. Its perfectly fine to give details. A How did it go? question can include all of the below questions: Based on our previous conversations about this, I know you were nervous about it how do you feel about it now? (Feelings or thoughts can be expressed directly or by the tone of voice.)

Did it happen as planned? Was it better than expected?

"What was the outcome?"

"How did it impact others?

Would you do this again? Why? What went well?

Would you suggest me to do this, too?

What was the summary or highlight of the event being asked about?

Feel free to provide examples of How did it go? questions below in the comments section along with sample answers.

When Should I Apologize to an American?

Once when coaching an Indian in the U.S., I asked, Did you get good customer service at the car dealership? My coachee responded by saying, In my opinion, yes. But, since I do not really know the proper customer service etiquette, I cannot give you an accurate answer. I found this answer extremely insightful. It also humbled me. It is very true, as cultures and communication styles differ, also would the expectations in customer service. In day to day interactions between those of different cultures, we not only want to know what is the ideal of the other culture, but we want to know what we should avoid doing so that we dont offend anyone. Typically, these are the dos and donts of cross-cultural interactions. As there is no way to cover all of these dos and dontshere, I would like to start by sharing three scenarios that if they happen to you, its best resolved by a simple apology. Action: Bumping Into Someone In India, the idea of personal space is very different than in the U.S. Another very insightful trainee of mine once said, Even in the U.S., I have noticed that in bigger cities people are more comfortable in close spaces than in smaller towns or villages. When I considered these words, I realized how true it is. However, on the whole, even in crowded cities in the U.S., if

we accidentally touch, hit, or bump into someone in a crowded place, we look at the person in the face or eyes and say Excuse me. How to Apologize: When bumping into someone, making eye contact and then saying 'sorry' or excuse me is the correct way of resolving or apologizing for this social mistake. Action: Sneezing / Burping / Body Noises Americans really dont like to hear body noises, especially while eating. Any way we can avoid such noises, the better. Of course, it is impossible to avoid these noises in every situation, so we apologize for ourselves or others in these cases. When someone sneezes, typically the person who sneezes says excuse me and the others nearby say bless you, or God bless you. If it is not said by someone in the room, the person who sneezes may think others nearby him are rude or inconsiderate. To get a comical view of this situation, see this clip from Seinfeld.

However, if we are eating with others, and we burp or make some body noise, we apologize for ourselves by saying excuse me. If the person him herself does not say this, the others will think the person making the noises is being rude or inconsiderate. How to Apologize: When sneezing, expect others to say God Bless You or Bless You. Return these words to an American when they sneeze. When burping or making noises while eating apologize by saying Excuse me or Im sorry. Action: Arriving or Responding Late One of the biggest offenses to many Americans, inside or outside of work is to be late. Its better in most areas of the country to be ready for business meetings at least five minutes before the scheduled time. For those who come even a few minutes or more later without a previous message regarding this (heads up), those in the meeting will think the latecomer is not responsible, not taking initiative, disorganized and wasting their time. As Americans often think of time as money, especially at work, its one of the biggest offenses to an American to be late. If one is unable to inform the meeting chair in advance about lateness, and shows up late, upon entering the room, one should say Sorry, I am late. How to Apologize: For Being Late to a Meeting: Sorry I am late. For E-mail Responses More than 2 Business Days:* Sorry that I am responding late. Or Sorry for the delay. A way to avoid having to use this apology is upon getting a phone call or e-mail respond quickly by saying, I

have received your e-mail (phone call), and I will get back to you in a few days. If anything urgent is required, let me know, and I will adjust accordingly. *Lateness is typically within 1-2 business days, but could be less depending on the urgency of the matter. Check with your manager on the correct protocol.

How to Avoid Meetings that Run Overtime (Get Extended) How an American May Respond to These Apologies:

After saying, God Bless You, the typical response is Thank you.

After saying, Excuse me. Or Sorry, Im late or related apologies, an American may respond by saying, No problem.

Some may misinterpret this response, No problem. to mean that an apology is

not necessary. This is not true. An apology is always required. Saying No

Problem is a way of acknowledging your apology and making you feel better

for having made a mistake. If the apology is not said, then it can cause more

problems later on.