A Guide to Entertaining Foreign Business Guests
As a business, your commitment to your clients is one of the biggest factors in building equitable growth. In-person networking and liaison was not possible during the coronavirus pandemic, but businesses and industries have been making up for lost time since pandemic restrictions receded.
Entertaining foreign business guests is crucial to securing long-term success, whether through bringing a product to a new market or facilitating expansion. But fielding such guests requires careful planning and consideration, to ensure their comfort and enjoyment during their stay. What can you do in order to create a positive and memorable experience for your international visitors?
Wining and Dining
With your guests in your care, they should never have to seek anything out for themselves – something which stretches, of course, to food. In entertaining foreign business guests, it is vital that they are shown the best possible time in your region, starting with an appropriate setting for dinner.
Any decisions made here will need to consider their culinary preferences and dietary requirements, to ensure an unproblematic and even memorable dining experience. Dinner is the best place to settle your guests into their stay, and also a good place from which to gently approach the reasons for their visit.
Providing Accommodation
It will also be incumbent on you to provide your guests with apt and adequate accommodation. When arranging accommodation for your guests, you should ensure that you select a location near the business hub or venue where you will be conducting meetings or events. For example, if you are based in London, choosing accommodation near the Excel Centre London can offer convenience and save travel time.
If there is no specific hub for business activity, they should be installed as close to transport links as possible for convenience. This allows them to travel the city at their leisure, and also make the return trip with ease.
The Art of Hospitality
A theme is developing here, of ‘hospitality’ as a core virtue. Hospitality plays a crucial role in engineering the success of a business visit, and extends from physical provisions to general demeanour. Everyone in your staff should be polite, friendly, and accommodating throughout your guests’ stay.
This, in some cases, requires a concerted effort to meet the guests half-way culturally. You should take the time to understand and respect their cultural norms and practices, ensuring they feel welcome and comfortable. Small gestures like offering assistance with transportation, providing local maps or guides, and being responsive to their needs can go a long way in creating a positive impression.
Mix Business and Pleasure
While the primary purpose of their visit may be business-related, this does not mean their visit has to be tied-down to business activities and discussions. Indeed, you should not hesitate to mix in some leisure activities if time permits.
Introducing your guests to top attractions or cultural experiences in your area can help them appreciate your local culture, and create a more relaxed and enjoyable environment for networking and building relationships.If again you are London based, you might combine some sight-seeing with trips to lesser-known areas and highly-regarded social venues.
