Differences in mentality

Mental Differences between Canadians and Germans

At first glance, the Canadian mentality is not very different from German customs. But even in this country in North America there are some peculiarities to which the tenant of a vehicle should adjust.

An accurate, polite service

Whoever rents a hire car in Canada can expect very good service. The staff usually speaks English as well as French and will handle the rental of the vehicle with the utmost care. When greeting staff, a firm handshake is appropriate. The woman must be the first to extend her hand to the other person. Often the customer will hear the courtesy phrase “How are you?” to which no one expects an honest or detailed answer. The interlocutor should always respond to a “Thank you” with a “You’re welcome”. Furthermore, politeness dictates that you look the other person in the eye when speaking. If there are complications, the customer should note them in a very friendly manner. Criticism may be voiced, but care should be taken to maintain the tone. In return, the staff will carry out all comments about the hire car with the utmost friendliness. If the customer should have an accident with the rented car, the problem will also be taken care of with distinct politeness. However, this friendly manner should not hide the fact that the possible excess has to be paid. The customer should also not be surprised if he is suddenly addressed by his first name. However, this cannot be equated with a form of address. In Canada, there is just a less strict tone than in the German culture. Furthermore, physical contact should be avoided during conversation and an individual distance of approximately 60 cm should always be maintained. Regarding punctuality, Canadians do not differ from Germans. The office will be unlocked at the specified time and the same punctuality is expected from the renter of the vehicle.

Behaviour at the hire car office

When arriving at the hire car center, the customer should look around to see if there may be other people ahead of them in line. Thus, in Canada, a lot of emphasis is placed on the correct order, so the formation of queues in front of the service counter is something natural. Impatience or even crowding is not appreciated, so waiting for the question “Who is next?” for “Who is next?” is a good idea. Smoking is also not allowed in the hire car center. The handling of the rental of the vehicle will be done swiftly. Only in case of further inquiries or additional questions the conversation can drag on. The service staff will take care to answer the questions professionally. If you still get into a chat with the other person, you should avoid some topics of conversation. For example, equating people with the U.S. is just as inappropriate as talking about logging policies or the situation of Native Americans. “Political correctness” is taken very seriously and tolerance for other cultures is high.