I can't agree more. As much as I prefer to work alone where possible, when it comes to negotiating, face-to-face at a coffee shop or restaurant always works better.
Good coffee IS magic!!!
The other advantage of meeting at a coffee shop/restaurant is that you will have 100% of the other person's attention. No phones/emails/texts to distract.
Back in 2010, I was working on upgrading a large software tool. The vendor and I met at a restaurant, discussed price, options, features and where we could each push or pull. At then end of a 1.5 hour lunch, we'd agree to drop the price of a $5M tool by 8% from the firm quote we had started with. That was one of the few days in my life where I wished I made some form of commission.
It's funny sometimes when I watch the news. They talk about some politician going out and having a lavash dinner with a vendor. The dinner, is paid by the taxpayer, sometimes comes to around $1k. But the media never has the other half of the equation. What if that $1K just saved the public $1M? But I digress.
Good coffee is good, bad coffee is bad.
I know, it's a wise quote I just came up with. You're welcome. 😂
The neutral ground aspect of the coffee shop for business is a big factor, the casual environment also, and yeah, the lack of other work distractions helps too.
Thanks for that point you make about the $1K lunch...I'd not thought of it that way. Of course, loads of those lunches are pointless I guess.
Good coffee is good, bad coffee is bad.
I know, it's a wise quote I just came up with. You're welcome. 😂
The neutral ground aspect of the coffee shop for business is a big factor, the casual environment also, and yeah, the lack of other work distractions helps too.
Thanks for that point you make about the $1K lunch...I'd not thought of it that way. Of course, loads of those lunches are pointless I guess.