An alcohol filled lunch is still seen as the best way to seal a business deal by more than a quarter of respondents in an online survey by Corporate Traveller.
Thirty respondents or 27 percent of the business travellers that took part in the poll said the extended liquid lunch was the best style of luncheon date to woo new business. Following closely behind this group was the poll’s most frugal contingent including 26 percent of respondents that believed new business was more likely to be won over a $12 express lunch.
However, the bulk of respondents thought a more traditional approach to business would do the trick, with 47 percent of voters favouring a standard three course meal followed by a cappuccino to seal the deal.
Corporate Traveller’s online poll garnered a total of 112 votes and was conducted over a month long period between August and September 2010. Respondents were asked what style of lunch meeting they thought was best for winning new business – the $12 express business lunch, a standard three-course meal followed by a cappuccino to seal the deal or the extended liquid lunch.
Corporate Traveller marketing manager Chris Preston said the fact that over two thirds of respondents thought a standard three course menu or a liquid lunch provided the best opportunity to wheel and deal over a meal was an encouraging sign for the economy.
“A more positive attitude towards the state of the economy and a loosening of the purse strings for small to medium sized companies and mid to large clients, is seeing corporate expenditure on business travel and entertainment, start to rise again,” Chris said.
“Corporates are keen to get a solid start to the new financial year and in 2011 we expect they will be more likely to inject funds into any opportunities that will help to drive growth.”
