I came across this book by Mary Mitchell and John Corr and it talks about the important details one has to take note of when organising a business meal as it spotlights one's social skills, one's ability to plan and organize and one's level of sophistication. Listed below are in my opinion some of the more useful and interesting points regarding planning of a business meal which some of us might encounter in the future. Enjoy!
1) Don’t experiment.Frequent a couple of good restaurants and become known as a ‘regular’. Become familiar with the menu and house specialties. Get to know the manager. Reserve a good position in the restaurant a few days before the meeting. Let the manager know what your price range is and ask for recommendations. Emphasize that the event is a business meal and make it quite clear that this meeting is important and you are willing to pay for (expect) top service.
2) Arrival and Seating. Go to the restaurant about 15 mins early and tip the manager, usually $10 or $20 before the guests arrive. The host always stands when someone new joins the table and remains standing until he/she is seated. If someone leaves the table, the host does not need to stand.
3) Ordering. Give your guests clues about your intentions by mentioning specialties and encouraging them to order appetizers. Be decisive when ordering! Steer clear of user-unfriendly items such as spaghetti, large sandwiches or anything that will be messy or difficult to eat. If you dislike alcoholic drinks, you can remove any tinge of judgement about alcohol by using the convenient ‘today’ tactic: ‘I’m not having wine today, but please do have some if you like.’
4) Don’t be a big spender. Except for celebrations, extravagance shows bad manners and bad strategy in the business arena. Don’t show off by consistently ordering the most expensive choices in food and wine. Your guests might feel that they have to reciprocate and they are likely to conclude that you are reckless with money - and therefore apt to be reckless in other areas.
5) Paying up. Settle the bill quietly with a credit card or with a large bill if you are paying cash. Nothing damages the effect of a smooth business meal as much as haggling over who should pay. If the subject arises, depersonalize it: ‘I invited you, and besides XYZ Company would like to take you to lunch/dinner.’ Another tactic would be to arrange beforehand a credit card imprint and for the addition of 18 to 20percent for tip. This strategy avoids the presentation of a bill at the table.
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Hi Cass,
ReplyDeleteThat was an interesting post which brought up another aspect in which effective communication can be enhanced by nonverbal channels.
Business meals are important as they not only reflect a host’s character but also an organization’s culture as well since the host would be representative of the organization. As such, prudent planning will be required to organize a successful business meal. There are some suggestions which I would like to share.
You mentioned a good point about allowing guests to order dishes which they might prefer when at the restaurant. It may also be good to offer them a choice of establishments in the invitation, prior to making any reservations, as they may have a strong personal or dietary preference. If they know that their comfort is important to the host and that their needs have been taken into consideration, relationship between the guest and the host will be stronger from the outset. Following that, like you mentioned, it would be wise to dine at a restaurant of choice prior to inviting the guest to survey if the food and ambience of the dining place is appropriate for hosting a business meal. Moreover, the host can provide the guest with detailed directions to the restaurant in order to prevent any confusion.
As you pointed out, etiquettes at the dining table should be observed as well. The host should turn his/her mobile phone off or to vibrate mode before being seated at the table as the guest should have the undivided attention of the host during the meal. Also, if the host leaves the table while the meal is still in progress, the napkin is placed on the chair instead of the table. These are basic dining etiquettes which are essential for a successful business meal as well.
Overall, though it seems that much effort is required in hosting a business meal, the results of a successful business meal would be rewarding. As students learning more about professional communication, we should be aware that effective communication in the business environment involves many elements, and the prudent planning of business meals is one example.
Cheers,
Bryan
Hi Cass,
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed common practice amongst businessman to talk over business deals, during which positive impressions formed may very well contribute to a successful deal being clinched or the client having second thoughts.
Some aspects that you brought up serve to reflect upon an individual's personality. For instance, picking a pleasant restaurant conveys sincerity towards the prospective client; bringing a client haphazardly to a restaurant with unpalatable food and poor service may very well depict the interest of the host or his sense of accountability.
Being punctual and showing up earlier than the client will save the trouble of performing damage-control by the host if he is late. Punctuality is considered by many businessmen to be an indispensable trait, as a sense of urgency reflects upon the level of commitment shown by the individual.
A helpful synopsis to future business people!
Cheers,
Desmond
Hi Cassandra!
ReplyDeleteI think this book really gives great tips especially for the first timers who are planning business meals. I liked the first point “ Don’t experiment” , it is true that one should not go to a restaurant which he/she has never tried out any food from there or without any good reviews and then comment to future clients and bosses “ Bad food they have here, don’t they?” and it would definitely be a dinner disaster. To me, the way how the hosts organize the business meals shows how important the future clients are to them.
I am surprised at the fourth point regarding the showing off part through expensive food and wine. I thought it would just show how generous the hosts are and how much they value their future clients and that is the reason why they are willing to spend some amount of money on business meals. Pardon me for my ignorance. =)
These tips would definitely be useful to us in the future and this shows we must do our homework before hand if we are dining with our future bosses or clients. =)
Love,
Huiwen
Hi Cass,
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting post which highlights the importance of business etiquette.
With regard to planning business meals, you have shared with us that even the smallest of things should be attended to. For instance, you've mentioned about arriving earlier at the restaurant to tip the manager so that the meal (and of course the business deal) would run smoothly. Thus, doing the nitty gritty stuff goes a long way.
However, in my opinion, point 4 may not be applicable in some cultures such as Singapore. For example, it is common practice in US that one should give at least 18-20% tip as the service tax is not reflected on the bill. Unlike Singapore, they have a strong culture of tipping. Their bill has two parts - the cost of your meal and an empty space to fill in how much you want to tip if you're paying by credit card. Even if you buy a cup of coffee over a counter, you'd see a big "tipping" bowl! Therefore, I guess the good old "slide the money in the hands" to tip the manager or waiter would be more apt.
Thanks for sharing with us on the machination of business meals. The points you posted are definitely useful and may make or break a business deal.
Cheers,
Mario
Hey Cassandra,
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post. I certainly did not know that there was so much to having a lunch date for a business deal. However, i am totally for what you have written in your blog. I run my own company and i do meet my clients over coffee or tea. Next time i will definitely keep your suggestions i mind.
cheerz
Jay
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi Cassandra,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing these interesting and useful tips on organizing business meals!
It is enlightening to learn that one should pay attention to the appropriate food to order and the gracious way of settling the bill. While dining etiquette is important, the right way to kick-start a good business meal starts with careful planning and selection of restaurants with great ambience. Adding on to the point on ordering, we can allow the guests to order first to show respect for their choices. By creating a pleasant experience for the clients, one is able to leave them with a good impression and increase chances of sealing a business deal.
Cheers,
Jie Li