Corporates Wining & Dining Clients Help?

by Barry Artiste | May 29, 2008 at 07:13 am

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Opinion
Barry Artiste, Now Public Contributor

Pretty much a No Brainer! A time honoured tradition where Small and Large Corporates Wining & Dining a Client is just another form of Bribery in order to sway and influence someone in authourity's decision to get their business.

Does it work? In most cases yes, but then doesn't that speak volumes of "Your Morals and Integrity and that of the Recipient?" You both know why your doing this, to scratch each others back. Pretty much Corporate Prostitution. But when does it stop? Free Vacations to Fiji?

The same goes in passing off concert or sports tickets, to buying your clients kid's block of Little League Tickets for a fundraiser.

If you want to schmooze, go out and play golf, dinner and both pay your own way! If one party reneges on the offer to hang out, then you pretty well know where you stand outside the business friendship, now knowing you really don't have that business relation friendship you thought you had.

Business is Business, Your client is not your Friend and your Supplier is not your bestest pal.

Business & Client relationships should be all business, a business relationship based on mutual respect and providing an "Excellent Service". A "Service" I find in Vancouver is "Sorely Lacking", but most likely allowed to continue if "Bribing a Client" to overlook the obvious "The Customer", You!

Corporations often wine and dine potential customers as well as existing clients to build and strengthen business relationships and give an impression of a more personal touch. But typically, there are limits to what they can achieve with expensive gifts and corporate dinners at swanky restaurants or formal events.

"You see it at Christmas time especially, when people are sending gifts willy-nilly," says Jason Safar, a partner in PricewaterhouseCoopers' Tax Services practice. "Some people don't even know what they received from whom. Nothing personal about it."

As for the wining and dining, depending on the individual, what might be appreciated as an opportunity to enjoy some fine food and a night out by one person might be viewed by another as yet another business obligation that takes them away from their family or a relaxing evening with friends. And with potential clients, there can be the underlying impression that you are simply trying to butter them up to get their business.