If a female Australian visitor meets a female Swiss business contact for the first time in Switzerland?

Question

- would a handshake be ok as part of the initial greeting? Or would the air-borne cheek kisses be expected?

But my Begium work colleague expects the airborne cheek kisses (as per their culture) when she is over in Australia. Though granted, we are considered friends. So I was told by my Spanish work colleague that female Europeans expect the cheek kisses.

Answer 1

you never met the person..... how can you do a air-borne cheek kisses.
and business is business,,,,,handshake is the only way.

Answer 2

I have never kissed a work colleague. I kiss my inlaws and some friends/clubmates, generally those who are Swiss or have been here a long time, both male and female. (Two men kissing is only for very close family.)

It's a three-cheek kiss and it's a real kiss, not air-kissing. You kind of touch the side of your mouth to the other person's cheek, but you do touch. A lot of people take off their glasses to do so (but I don't, I really really need my glasses and usually one pair of glasses is ok, two is trouble).

Handshakes are very big here though!

Answer 3

Handshake is more likely to be at that point,, if the relation was stronger it would reach the cheek kisses.

Answer 4

that depends on the relationship and the feeling that you have established to the telephone or for email. I, often, to the arrival salute with one handshake, when we dismiss ourselves comes spontaneous to kiss us on the cheek.
In Switzerland are used 3 kisses

Answer 5

A handshake under these circumstances would be appropriate, like the guy said business is business.

Answer 6

a handshake is better. a kiss is a bit too much. maybe when (if) u become friends then a kiss is ok

Answer 7

Handshake is appropriate.

Answer 8

handshake would be a better way