Losing face happens everyday with Hispanics and people do not know that they make them lose face. On a plane ride from New York City I was riding with Fist Generation Hispanics that were clearly from Mexico. The family was separated but wanted to be together for the flight. My wife and I noticed this and offered to trade seats so the family can do so.

Turns out one of the seats were double booked and they need to tell the Hispanic woman to get up until the problem was handled. The airline attendant was trying to communicate but couldn’t. She started to become frustrated and even raised her voice at the woman. The woman had done nothing wrong but be Mexican and speak only spanish. This to stay the Mexican woman was nervous and humiliated in front of everyone on the plane. It was not the Mexican womans fault that her seat was overbooked, it was an airline glitch and the Mexican woman took the heat. They thought she didn’t know what she was doing and had just sat down in someone elses seat.

The Mexican woman lost face and i’m sure Continental Airlines lost a customer for life. Why? They didn’t know the basic Hispanic culture that you do not yell at Hispanics in public. When you make Hispanics lose face, you lose more from them, you lose all future connections with that individual. When you help them save face, you gain respect and sometimes a friend for life or customer. Always reach your hand out to Hispanics and they’ll repay two fold for being generous and helpful.

Hispanics just have a natural inclination to connect more warmly and personably with customers and prospects than the broader range of people. This is why it is crucial for companies to hire Hispanics to be on staff. Hispanics will give certain cultural ideas that will flow naturally. That is why the trend is that Hispanics treat their customers like family.  Businesses need to gain some insight on how Hispanics relate to customers and in return boost sales.  

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