What is it like working with Turkish people?

Hello everyone! A couple of weeks ago, our CEO Özer Aydemir published a new series called ‘Country of the Month’, and the first country on the list was Germany. In the interview, we read Özer Aydemir’s personal experiences while working with German people. So, with Melike Su Uzun from IOTIQ team, we did a fun interview about my personal experiences while working with Turkish people!

Enjoy…

“Hello Mr.Noack, I would like to thank you first for doing this interview with me. I will be asking you questions that require 3-step answers just like we did with Mr. Aydemir.

1.In your opinion, what are the best 3 aspects of working with Turkish people?

First of all, Turkish people will always find a way to make a deal that helps everyone. Also, they are good bargainers, Germans are really not! For the third one, I can say that they can be very hard-working while being able to see that there is a life going on besides work. I do like that balance.

2. And may I ask, what are the 3 most challenging ones?

I have the feeling that sometimes in business, Turkish people might not see the relevant points for Germans, because they think that they can always adjust the product / offer so it will fit. But sometimes there is no second chance with a German customer.

It is rather the Turkish business culture that is challenging. I mean, the speed of change within business is sometimes too fast. You hire four people, then two of them leave because they got a better offer from somewhere else. All that happens within two weeks … That’s crazy!

They insist that they invented the “Döner” (meat in pita bread) whereas everybody knows that it was invented in Berlin.

3. Well, I feel attacked about Döner, hahaha! Can you wrap up the way you see Turkish culture in 3 points?

• Very metropolitan and international mindset.
• Patriotic people with interesting and very long history of their country.
• Also very religious everyday life with traditional habits.

4. What are the things you are not familiar with about Turkish people or culture? Let’s say, you think that is strange? Can you list 3 of them?

• Public transportation is not very well developed in some bigger cities, you are depended on a car, that is new to me.
• In Germany we have the prejudice that Turkey is a male-dominated society but every personal experience that I made would not support that prejudice. So it is quite balanced from what I had seen.
• I slept in a hotel next to a mosque, the early singing of the Muezzin was quite a surprise every morning

5. What are the 3 things or memories that are unforgettable for you while getting to know the Turkish culture or people?

• You cannot say “no” while bargaining ;)
• Turkish people can be so persistent, that they even beat German bureaucracy.
• Life is very food and drink orientated (nice cafes, great places to eat everywhere), I really enjoy that.

6. What 3 reasons would you count as reasons to choose to work with Turkish people?

I can only say the folllowing about my colleagues but I bet it counts for most of the turkish people :)

• Polite and always professional.
• Very punctual (even as a German, I have to admit that).
• It seems that they are never really stressed out.

7. Have you ever tasted Turkish food?

Of course, I mean besides the Italian food I guess Germans eat mostly Turkish food. Especially “Döner” is the most consumed fast food in Germany.

8. Cool! Then may I ask what 3 of them are your favorites?

• Mantı
• Iskender Kebab
• Kokoreç

And for dessert I like Künefe

9. These are very good choices. Very good taste of yours! Have you ever been to Turkey?

Yes — when I was a kid, I have been to Bodrum for holiday. And recently, Istanbul in 2015 and 2018, and Ankara in 2019.

10. So nice! What are your 3 favorite places?

The place between Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, very beautiful view there.

In Ankara, I like the campus where our office is (Bilkent University). But I haven’t had some much time for sight-seeing yet.

And Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, of course.

11. As a ‘Bilkenter’, I am glad that you like Bilkent University. What are 3 ways you think Turkish people differ from your own country’s people?

• Turkish people are more ‘physical’ than Germans (i.e. kisses for welcome).
• The average dress code is a bit better in Turkey than in Germany.
• Car driving is much more dangerous in Turkey than in Germany. *laughs*

12. As my final question, besides the people and the culture in general, can you list 3 differences between doing business in Germany and Turkey?

• Generally, the price is the most important thing in Turkey.
• There is almost no bargaining in Germany.
• I think that’s basically it :)

Thank you, Mr. Noack, for doing this fun interview which I really enjoyed.”

I also would like to thank Melike Su for doing this with me and you, our readers, for reading it. Hope that you enjoyed reading as much as we enjoyed doing it.

Please stay safe and take care!

About Sven Noack

Director of Business Development at IOTIQ GmbH, developing cutting edge technologies in IoT and customized IT.