Today, more and more companies are switching to “virtual offices” mode. And increasingly, business meetings take place on neutral territory - in cafes and restaurants. The director of the “Completing School” etiquette school told “Special Dish” about the intricacies of etiquette for a business lunch meeting.
Of course, if there is a need for " round table» or holding a presentation, for these purposes you can rent a room in a coworking center. But business lunches are popular because sharing a meal adds a touch of informality and promotes more trusting partnerships.
What are the rules for scheduling and holding meetings on neutral territory?
First of all, you need to agree on a time and place that is convenient for all meeting participants. And the more you, as the organizer, are interested in the meeting, the more convenient the proposed conditions should be for your partners.
It is the responsibility of the inviter to reserve a table. He must also pay if, during the invitation, the partner did not agree to pay for his own lunch. Don’t get into arguments, but agree, the person has the right to do this and is not obliged to explain to you the reasons for his actions. The same rules apply to inviting women, because this is a business meeting; in a business setting, people are not divided into men and women.
If during the invitation the partner did not agree to pay independently, then it is too late to do this when submitting the bill: neither you nor the waiter are ready for this. Never do this yourself and try to stop your partner by offering to decide money matters outside the establishment. As a last resort, if the partner persists in order not to attract attention by bickering, allow the partner to pay half, saving the waiter from an unpleasant scene. And, of course, do not make comments to your partner: his ideas about etiquette are his own business.
There are a few phrases that can help make it clear in advance who will pay for what.
.“Let me invite you” - the entire bill is paid by the inviter
. “Let’s go” - split the bill equally
You can also ask the waiter in advance to write down the dishes on separate accounts.
As a rule, the bill is brought to the person who voiced the order. Therefore, the general list of dishes is announced to the waiter by the one who pays.
If you may still need any documents for a business meeting, take them with you, but never look at them while eating. Do this either before serving or after. In addition to avoiding the danger of getting them dirty, you will show yourself as a responsible person who understands the importance of his work and does not combine it with less important activities or pleasures.
During lunch, beware of:
. Showing that you don't know how to handle food properly will undermine your prestige. (Order familiar dishes that you can easily eat)
. Talk too much to your interlocutor about the details of your personal life- it will destroy your professional image. (Even though the meal brings you closer together)
. Drink too much alcohol - they may think that you have problems with this; In addition, someone who drinks immoderately causes problems for those around them: he is annoying, poorly controlled, and does not control his words and actions. (Alcohol and business do not mix)
A business lunch assumes that business issues will be resolved during it. A business breakfast is especially not conducive to drinking alcohol: you still have to work all day. Perhaps at the end of a business dinner, when matters have already been discussed, you can allow yourself to relax a little.
How do your business meetings go in a restaurant?
The most common times for business meetings are breakfast and lunch. For special occasions or visiting guests, lunchtime is more suitable. Breakfast meetings are great if you're short on time, but remember that not everyone is an early riser. Lunch is a generally accepted time for business meetings, lacking the intimacy of breakfast and the formality of lunch.
Business people, especially visitors and hotel guests, sometimes consider drinking tea in the lobby as an excellent combination of business and leisure. A business tea party allows you to relax and chat in a calm atmosphere.
Unlike tea, a coffee meeting is more dynamic and informal. Some people prefer to meet after work for a little drink, but just a little.
The more formal the meeting, the more connected it is to the strategic aspects of your relationship. At informal meetings, the details of a joint business are usually discussed, and at formal receptions, personal relationships are built.
How to organize a business lunch? Follow our instructions.
Never ask your guest where she or he would like to go. You must choose the place. Choose two restaurants that your guest would like and offer him a choice. If you don't know your partner's tastes well, consult his secretary. Find out if the client is free at the time the lunch is scheduled. Offer two options: noon and 1 p.m. A restaurant should be convenient first of all for the client, not for you.
Point 2: Meeting confirmation
The day before the meeting, contact your guest and remind him again of the date, time and location of the meeting.
Point 3: Pay in advance
On the day of the meeting, arrive at the restaurant a little early and pay immediately to avoid any delays later. Ask for the bill, add an 18-20% tip and, if necessary, ask that the bill be forwarded to you; for this, leave an envelope with your address on it for the head waiter. You can ask to open an account at this restaurant. In any case, the bill should not appear on the table, so that the guest does not think that he should pay.
Point 4: Keep it casual
Arrive at the restaurant before the guest. Do not take off your coat, do not drink or eat anything. When the guest arrives, you should look as if you just walked in. Greet the guest by calling them by name and shake their hand.
Point 5: take the most important convenient place
Follow the guest to the table. Let him take the most comfortable place. Never sit a guest in front of a mirror or the kitchen door.
Point 6: Place your order carefully
Wait until the guest is settled. While looking through the menu, hint to the guest about the boundaries of your hospitality. You can say, “I think I'll order a cocktail,” or “I think I'll stick with the iced tea.” You can help the guest by offering certain dishes. For example, you might say, “This restaurant's baked shrimp and chili corn soup are especially good.”
These suggestions will allow the guest to determine the amount you expect to spend. But don't be greedy! Offer one of the most expensive dishes. If the guest orders an aperitif, do the same. Here are some tips.
Always order the same number of dishes as the guest. This will prevent an awkward situation where one eats while the other sits and watches.
If the guest eats little, then you should not overeat. You won't die of hunger.
Don't start discussing business until you've finished eating. Of course, if necessary, you can proceed to business conversation before the end of the meal, but with the consent of both parties: you and your guest(s). True, today, when business has become very dynamic, this rule is violated so often that it has ceased to be a rule. However, there are people who do not like to mix business and food. Therefore, first find out whether your partner will object to getting down to business right away.
While eating, you can look at your diary and business papers. But don't use it mobile phone, laptop or pager: a restaurant is not an office. If you need all these items for negotiations, organize lunch in the conference room.
Here are some more tips.
Don't forget that you are not alone in the restaurant, there are other people. Don't bother them with your business. Book a table somewhere on the edge.
Speak quietly and calmly.
Do not place sunglasses, keys, or electronic devices on the table. Put it all in a bag, and place the bag on the floor or on an empty chair. If you have a pager, set it to vibrate mode.
Every detail is important! This article is about where is the best place to hold a business meeting and how to choose a place for a business meeting to achieve maximum results at negotiations. Plus, you'll learn the most common mistake you make when scheduling appointments, the one that's costing you tons of clients.
Well, at the end you will find a cool trick in scheduling meetings, which will solve the problem of no-shows for scheduled meetings of new potential clients!
What is our goal in a business meeting?! Whatever the wording, its essence is always the same - to achieve the most beneficial result for yourself. This is what we will proceed from when considering the issue of the location of the meeting.
There are three basic options:
Your office
Client's office
Neutral territory
Houses and walls help.
We all think so and therefore we make the main mistake - we try to drag all our partners and clients into our office, and especially new ones. It is clear that it is easier this way. Besides, it seems to us that no one can refuse us within our own walls. But there’s just one problem: many of them don’t really agree, and of those who agree, a good half don’t come, citing various circumstances. So is it worth inviting everyone to your office? Maybe it would be much more convenient to meet new partners at their place or on neutral territory? Practice has repeatedly proven that this approach allows you to schedule many more meetings.
It is worth inviting regular partners to your office, as well as those who are interested in receiving detailed information about your company and products from various specialists. For them, it is often even more convenient to hold a meeting with you, especially since I am sure that you will give them the warmest welcome, treating them to hot coffee and delicious baked goods. Of course, you also cannot refuse new partners who are categorically ready to meet only in your office.
Remember the golden rule: when scheduling a meeting, you need to take into account the convenience for the other party as much as possible!
So what does the Turkish coast mean to us?
With a new potential client, I recommend scheduling a meeting in his office for several reasons. Firstly, in most cases it is clearly more convenient for him. Secondly, when scheduling a meeting on their territory, the future interlocutor takes on additional responsibility, because he becomes the receiving party. This means that the likelihood of an appointment being canceled drops dramatically. And thirdly, you have the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the activities of a potential client on the spot, get to know the employees, and show your interest in their products.
Neither ours nor yours.
Depending on the purpose of the meeting, there is now good choice venues for business meetings on neutral territory.
To create a relaxed and respectable atmosphere, restaurants are best suited, most of which now offer business lunches during the day at a very affordable price.
If your office is not very presentable, but you need to make a solid impression, then you can rent meeting rooms in office centers, hotels and banks.
Well, if you need to exchange a few words in a short time, then there are many coffee shops at your service, where you will always be welcome, and delicate aroma coffee will perfectly complement your business conversation.
Always choose a place for a business meeting based on two criteria: the purpose and the convenience of the partner. Feel free to schedule business negotiations on neutral territory, it is now fashionable and modern.
And here’s the promised trick: try to make an appointment with a new potential client in his office, this imposes double responsibility on him, which does not allow him to cancel the meeting without a good reason. Moreover, within his own walls, he will behave more relaxed and open, which will allow you to get to know him better and establish personal contact.
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Lunch in a warm friendly company or with family is one thing, a business meeting is dining table- completely different. Business lunches are quite common, as it is generally accepted that the environment at the dinner table is conducive to trust, but this does not mean that you should behave with colleagues in the same way as with friends or family members.
business meeting etiquette in a restaurant
There are rules of etiquette that generations of corporate warriors have suffered through: these rules help to combine business communication with a rather intimate process like eating and get away with it. The main thing to remember is that the purpose of a business lunch is not the lunch itself, but communication and interaction, so this is where your focus should be.
Introduce yourself and shake hands with everyone at the dinner before you sit down at the table
Business etiquette has long ceased to differentiate between men and women, and shaking hands is customary regardless of gender. However, this rule is not universal: be guided by the circumstances; in some cultures, women do not shake hands. You need to introduce yourself before everyone takes their seats, and your task is to remember the name of the interlocutor to your right and left (unless, of course, you have never met them before).
You can sit down at the table only after an invitation from the lunch organizer. While the guests are gathering, the participants socialize with each other on their feet (with a drink if aperitifs are offered).
You can only take a napkin from the plate after the dinner organizer has done so.
Business etiquette stipulates that the rhythm of the dinner is set by its organizer (the one who chose the place and gathered those present at the table). Until the organizer sits down at the table himself and picks up his napkin to arrange it for its intended purpose, the participants do not touch anything on the table and simply communicate with their neighbors.
The same rule applies to the menu: follow the dinner organizer. Asking the waiter about each dish, thinking about the order for 10 minutes, or ordering more dishes than the rest of the dinner party is a sign of lack of upbringing. It is ethical to ask the dinner host for recommendations on menu items, this will create an environment of trust.
Choose foods that are “easy” to eat
Save spaghetti, burgers and crab for family dinners. Choose dishes that you can easily handle without embarrassing yourself or your neighbors.
Don't order the most expensive dish, and don't order unfamiliar dishes - culinary experiments are not for business lunches.
Control your alcohol consumption
Alcohol during a business lunch is supposed to be an addition to the menu, not a way to unwind. It is customary to limit yourself to a glass of wine or beer (when ordering alcohol, rely on the organizer of the dinner and the choice of the majority).
Cutlery
A business lunch is the perfect place to remember all the good manners your mother taught you. Use all cutlery for its intended purpose; if there are several forks and knives next to the plate, then you should always start with the outer pair, and take the next one closest to the plate when changing dishes.
According to international rules etiquette, a plate with bread is always placed on the left, a glass of water or juice - on the right of the plate. Cut all food into small pieces that you can immediately put into your mouth. Don't bite into it, and don't forget to chew with your mouth closed.
It is customary to hold the fork and knife with the thumb, middle and index fingers, index finger should lie on the edge cutlery. At the end of dinner, the fork and knife should be placed in the center of the plate, the fork with the teeth up, the knife blade away from you (the cutlery is placed as “arrows at 4 hours 20 minutes”).
Sauces and shared plates
If some dishes are served on common plates, then such a plate should always be passed counterclockwise to the neighbor on the left. Food is taken from shared plates only with special serving utensils; you should not pull out a piece of meat with your own fork. The sauce in a common bowl is also served on your own plate using a special spoon; for obvious reasons, you cannot dip your food into a common sauce bowl.
Communication
During lunch, be sure to carry on a conversation with your neighbors. Be careful not to swing your arms while holding the equipment. If you want to tell or explain something, and you cannot do without gestures, then place the cutlery on the plate, and not next to the plate. Mom’s “don’t talk with your mouth full” at a business dinner has been elevated to the rank of commandment No. 1.
In society strangers and potential colleagues or partners, it is not customary to discuss politics or religion unless they are the topic of dinner.
Listen more than you talk. Do not go into personal details, even if the interlocutor asked you the question “do you have children”, this does not mean that you need to immediately tell him what the youngest has been ill with and what progress the elder is making in the chess section. “Mirror”: return your interlocutor’s questions (within reasonable limits, otherwise he will think that you are mocking him).
"Thank you" and "please"
Don't forget about the magic words. Your interlocutors had no chance to know the full depth of your personality before this meeting, so you will be judged by your manners (and draw conclusions about your professionalism as well).
Payment and invoice
Let the dinner host decide how it will be paid for and how much to tip. If this has not been agreed in advance, have the necessary amount with you (just in case).
Don't forget to thank the lunch organizer for your time and compliment the menu and location. According to the rules of etiquette, if it is appropriate, then a little later you can also send the organizer a letter of gratitude for the invitation or an SMS message, if this form of communication is accepted between you.
Every entrepreneur understands how significant a successful result is. But not everyone realizes the impact such seemingly frivolous details as right choice places for business meetings. The purpose of a business meeting is to successfully solve a specific problem, so the environment should be as comfortable as possible, without creating additional tension. In this article we will analyze the main points necessary to select the optimal zone for business communication.
Time to get ready
Of course, we will arrange a meeting in advance. If the partner is in the same region, then the meeting must be agreed upon 2-3 days before the expected date. You can negotiate through or.
If you are planning a meeting, you need to carefully consider a number of important points:
- Where and how to meet them.
- Is a welcoming speech necessary, and if so, what should be said.
- What will be the composition of the receiving delegation?
- Will media representatives be present?
- Which hotel to book rooms for partners.
- How will the official part of the meeting take place, will there be an informal part.
- How will the send-off go?
All organizational issues with partner representatives must be settled at least a week before the meeting. And serious negotiations, the expected result of which is the conclusion of multimillion-dollar contracts, are planned several months in advance. They are organized by professionals.
All organizational issues with partner representatives must be settled at least a week before the meeting.
Where to meet
Most entrepreneurs prefer to conduct negotiations on their territory: as a rule, this is an office or other premises owned by the organizer. But we note that out of respect for the partner, it makes sense to organize a meeting on neutral territory or even remotely. Modern technologies allow.
Let's consider this issue in more detail.
- Meeting on your territory. Pros - comfort and convenient placement of a group of participants in the “meeting room”, the opportunity to influence the process through breaks, it becomes possible to organize a cultural program. As they say, “the master is the master.” On top of that, you don’t waste time and effort on traveling or assessing the premises. Internet, fax, secretary, etc. are at hand if necessary. But do not forget that in this situation your office is your “face”, so pay attention to cleanliness and order, lighting and air temperature in the meeting room. If the office is not good enough for meeting partners, you should prefer an external location.
- Meeting at the partner's premises. Negotiations on the territory of the opposing party confirm the seriousness of your intentions and emphasize your respect for your partner, in addition, you are given the opportunity to receive additional information both about the partner himself and about his company.
- Neutral territory. The territory is called neutral because it practically does not provide advantages to either party; it is especially popular when resolving controversial issues and conflict situations, but these must be properly selected premises. As a rule, these are business clubs, country vacation spots with a conference room. Another common practice that came from abroad is negotiations in a restaurant.
- Remotely. Scientific and technological progress has provided us with many ways for remote communication, moreover, with the transmission of pictures and sound in real time. In this situation, the most important thing is to choose the right time and date for the negotiations; it is necessary to take into account time zones, the free time of the opposing party, and the hours of maximum work capacity of the partner.
If the office is not good enough for meeting partners, you should prefer an external location.
Example procedure
So, if you decide to hold a meeting on neutral territory, you need to choose the right meeting place. If this is a restaurant, you should visit it first to familiarize yourself with the menu, evaluate the surroundings, and explain your requirements to the administrator.
Please note the following:
- The service and food must be impeccable.
- Lack of noisy music and unnecessary crowds (preference is given to expensive restaurants not only for the sake of status, it’s quieter here).
- Specific types of cuisine (exotic, national) are unacceptable; give preference to the classics.
- There should be enough at the table free space for dishes and business papers.
- It is believed that an inconspicuous table against the wall is more appropriate than a table past which waiters and visitors flash every minute.
If you already know your partner, you can schedule a meeting in person over the phone. If the partner is potential, you should start with a polite invitation and an indication of the subject of discussion.
Meeting time
The time of the meeting is undoubtedly related to its purpose, it could be:
- Business breakfast. As a rule, it is held at 7-9 am and lasts no more than an hour, making it possible to combine business with pleasure without wasting extra time.
- A business lunch takes about one and a half hours and is held during the daytime. Having lunch together is a signal of your partner’s positive attitude.
- A business dinner is scheduled no earlier than 19:00, taking into account travel time and the possible desire to change clothes after a working day. It lasts from two hours, but according to the rules of etiquette it ends no later than 22:00.
No matter where or how the meeting takes place, always be polite and follow the rules of etiquette!
Results
Business negotiations can be classified as official duties Therefore, it is important to approach the meeting with maximum responsibility and know the basics of conducting such meetings. Avoid excessive pomp, treat them rationally. It is the semi-official environment that provides important information about the parties and can influence subsequent decision-making about the deal being concluded.