If you want to do business with Austrians, there are some unwritten rules you should observe so to avoid misunderstandings and unpleasant or even embarrassing situations.
The most important thing to know about Austrians is that they have rigid hierarchies. This contributes to the fact that academic and professional titles are very important in everyday life as well as in business. Especially when you have a professional relationship with Austrians, make sure you address them with the formal “Sie”, at least their highest academic or professional title, and their last name. Examples would be “Herr Doktor Gruber” or “Frau Universitätsprofessorin Steiner” when addressing people directly.
In the rare case that an Austrian offers you the informal “du”, you can call them by their first name and of course omit the title.
Punctuality is very important in Austria. For business meetings, make sure you are punctual, meaning you arrive 5-10 minutes before it starts. Should you be running late, call and explain your situation. If you have to cancel a meeting, do so well in advance.
Cancellation at short notice (on the same day) is frowned upon. Changing the date or time of an appointment or meeting is something Austrians do not like very much. They tend to plan well in advance and are sometimes a little inflexible when it comes to changing their agendas.
Dress code is very important as well and depends on the degree of formality that prevails in a company. In very formal environments, dressing matches European conventions: dark business suits for men, and conservative business suits or dresses for women. However, in some (younger) companies formality is not that important anymore and it might be OK to dress casually. If you get to know any of your colleagues before you start working there, ask them about dress code.