(This was first published in 2012 in Toggle, Polaris FT's internal magazine)
Once upon a time, meetings were
things that took place in offices, and bearers with white gloves would come in
and serve tea. Lunch was in a staff dining room, where everyone pretty much had
their designated place. Cut to present times, when meetings take place on
WebEx, and tea, coffee or hot chocolate comes out of a vending machine. Lunch
is a hurried affair with a sandwich, or for a lucky few, home cooked meals out
of a Tupperware container, while staring into individual laptop screens. So
what do you do when some quality time needs to be spent with a client or a
colleague without interruption? You take them to lunch, or dinner.
When your guests are colleagues
who work with you and you know each other’s habits well, this is a
no-brainer. In all other situations,
however, a business lunch or dinner requires a little planning. It is also
necessary to remember that a business meal is essentially a business meeting
which also includes food, and to use this time wisely and well.
The first step is fixing the date,
do this a week in advance if you are planning dinner, and at least three days
in advance in case you prefer lunch, to allow your guests enough time to plan
their day. Make sure of your own availability, last minute cancellations or
postponements can leave a very bad impression on your guests. It is also a good
idea to confirm the appointment the day before with your invitees.
The next step is choosing the
venue. Choose a location that is convenient and accessible to both you and your
invitee. Ask for dietary preferences or restrictions, if any. It is not
advisable to take a strict vegetarian to a steak place, and vice versa. Do keep
in mind that you want a certain degree of privacy, and this may not be
available in the most popular restaurant in town on a Friday evening. It is
also advisable to do important meetings in a restaurant which you have visited
before and where the staff knows you well. Ensure that the property has ample
parking space or valet parking.
If you are the host, you are in
charge. You make the bookings, you oversee the arrangements, and you pay. Make it clear at the time of booking that you
are planning a business meeting, and you would like a quiet spot. Reach the
venue at least ten minutes before the scheduled time, check the table arrangements,
and if possible, arrange for your credit card to be charged for the meal in
advance. Decide on the seating before your guests arrive. If you have one
guest, sit at a right angle from him or her instead of sitting across, if
possible; if you have two, sit beside
one and across the other. Sitting between them is not recommended. Do let your
guests have the seats with the most desirable view, and take the less appealing
ones yourself.
Don’t eat anything, even bread,
till your guests arrive. Class shows in small things, like maintaining a
pristine table for a business meeting till all guests are seated. Let your
guests order first. You could recommend a few dishes if asked, do remember that
this also indicates to them an acceptable price range. The rule of thumb is,
you should ideally begin and end the meal together. So order appetizers, main
course and dessert for yourself too if
your guests order them; even if you are not hungry, just nibble to keep them company.
Choose a dish that is easy to eat with knife and fork, this is not a time to
experiment with exotic dishes. Begin eating only when everyone is served. If
your guests’ meals arrive before yours, encourage them to eat before their food
gets cold.
You decide when the actual
business discussions start. When you don’t know your guests well, spend a
little time getting acquainted before talking shop. Use your judgment on when
to switch to business, too late and your guests will start wondering why they
were invited; too early will indicate that their money interests you more than
them.
Turn off your cell phone or put
it on silent mode, as you would normally do at important business meetings, a
meal does not make a meeting any less formal. Keep your purse, wallet keys and
any other belongings off the table. Do remember your table manners (make as
less noise as possible while chewing or drinking, and take small bites of food
to avoid talking with your mouth full), they go a long way in making a
favorable impression. Keep an eye on the time without obviously checking your
watch, a business dinner should not take more than a couple of hours at the
most. Limit the amount of alcohol you consume at a business meal, do not take
more than two drinks yourself, and discreetly ask the serving staff to hold back
on offering refills in case one of your guests starts to over indulge.
Even if you plan every little
detail carefully, there are chances that things can go wrong. In this
situation, step aside and resolve the issues with the restaurant staff, do not
get into a shouting match in front of your guests.
Your conduct over a business meal
goes a long way in establishing your professional success. The key is to make
your guests feel that if you could give them a pleasant experience over a meal,
you can do the same with their business.
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