Communication Etiquette
It’s quite important that you know the differences between communication in Brazil and in the Netherlands. Good communication is very important when you are doing business. Moreover the person you’re doing business with apricieeds it when you know the way of greeting and talking that is common in his country. It can make the meeting much more pleasant.
First meeting
When you meet someone for the first time you should shake hands. A common term to be used is "muito prazer" (my pleasure). Greet individuals in descending order of status starting from the most senior executive. Other times you meet the same person, you can say "Ola, como vai" (Hello, how are you?) or "Tudo bem?" (Is everything OK?). Men shake hands with men and woman "kiss" each other twice on alternating cheeks, that is, they touch their cheeks and kiss the air. Men and woman (even fairly casual acquatances) kiss each other in the same fashion, but not usually at the first meeting.
Titles
Unlike many countries, surnames are not the norm. In our country for instance, it is a norm to call people by their surname at the first meeting. The use of titles in Brazil however is tricky, even for Brazilians on occasions, as they depend on hierarchy, age and other factors. The safest option is to respond to your counterpart in the manner they address you, i.e. if you are called Mr, then call them Mr back.
Distance during conversation
Brazilians tend to get close to each other when a conversation is taking place, no matter what the relationship is between them. Between 30 and 40 cm is an average distance, and this is also true in other situations, such as standing in line, walking in a crowded place, or browsing in a shop.
In the Netherlands you would ...