Q: I often take clients out for meals on the company. What are some of the dos and don'ts of entertaining for business?

摘要

A: Wining and dining clients was status quo before the recession hit and companies started tightening their purse strings. There is value in entertaining clients, as long as the experience is both fun and productive, says Frank Auddino, a business consultant and president of Ajax, Ont.-based Vitaliz Inc. (a company that coaches clients on management and relationship building). "In today's world of texting and emailing, customer relationship building via lunch or dinner is a lost art, but breaking bread is a great way to nurture personal business relationships," Auddino says. "Technology is impersonal and, while it's a necessity, it will never replace the face time provided by talking with clients in a more informal environment."