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| Author | Subject | Akamaka
Unregistered User
(1/13/01 11:47:50 am)
Reply | Edit | Del All | How to avoid the dreaded 'lunch'
How about some of those great real rates catch phrases to help answer the invitation
"We reallly need to do lunch so we can discuss what is going on"
with a polite but firm no.
| IT Whore
Registered User
(1/13/01 12:01:58 pm)
Reply | Edit | Del | Here's what I would do
If you are working, then just say that you don't have a big enough lunch time to go drive somewhere, and that you like to brown bag it to save money. (Now, if the borque can come to a restaurant near your site and pay for it, what is there to complain?)
If you are not working, and your borque wants you to drive any distance, then say that it's really far away and you don't anticipate being around there anytime soon (but offer to meet at some restaurant close to where you live).
If you don't have to drive far, I don't see what the big deal is - you're going to get a free lunch somewhere (make sure to order the expensive stuff with dessert  ). And if it is a big drive, just make the borque drive to you.
| Akamaka
Unregistered User
(1/13/01 2:35:21 pm)
Reply | Edit | Del | Problem is...
All they ever want to do is pump you for information, bitch about how they are not making any money off of you, and 'nice guy' personal information out of you to later use aginst you in negotiations..
e.g. "How about I take you and your wife out to dinner?" (instead of that $5/hr)
| TRexx 
Registered User
(1/13/01 3:46:24 pm)
Reply | Edit | Del | Try this
"I'd love to. Just tell me who I should invoice for my time"
Edited by: TRexx at: 1/13/01 3:46:24 pm
| Dinosaur
Registered User
(1/13/01 6:26:32 pm)
Reply | Edit | Del | Re: Problem is...
It's OK to give your pimp some information. Business information that will help both of you make more money. Personal tidbits (vanilla only) to put him at ease with you, that you are an OK guy/gal.
Org chart of the client. Phone directory (if the client gave it to you without restriction). Possible new contractor requirements. Anything that would help him do more business with the client.
It's OK to talk about your humdrum existence - family (how your kid is doing in school/little league), little problems (car needs new rubber and the tranny is leaking a bit), leisure activities (golf, fishing, etc.) You don't need to discuss your or your family's medical problems, kinky hobbies or weird girlfriend.
And of course the usual water cooler stuff (local gossip, sports, headline news, weather).
Akamaka, of course you're right, they will try to get information they can use at negotiation time, but if you're prepared, you'll be able to deflect this kind of probing with grace, charm and finesse.
And don't forget - you can ask Borque about their business (now many people on contract, who their clients are, square footage of their offices (@$2/ft, how much is their rent?), number of overhead employees (how many unproductive mouths are being fed off your billing?).
Having said all that, I agree you should settle for lunch at a location convenient to you, not Borque. And don't let it cut into billable time.
Over what hill? I don't remember any hill!
| David Cressey
Registered User
(1/14/01 5:38:07 am)
Reply | Edit | Del | TANSTAAFL
Here we go with the "free lunch" discussion again! We seem to repeat this one on a regular basis.
Here's what I've said before: The free food is almost never worth the time. If you're figuring the value of the food, and if those numbers work for you, then you must be working for peanuts.
What IS worth the time? The discussion is worth the time, if you are talking to the right person. In all my years of dealing with brokers, I found two people that made it worth my while to do lunch with. I would do lunch with either of those two people again, if the opportunity arose. And I wouldn't mind picking up the tab every other time, if that's what it took.
I "do dinner" with my colleagues about once a month at local ICCA chapter meetings. Is it worth the price? You bet! It's also worth the time, including driving time, and that my point! It's the time, not the money!
BTW, when I referred to this practice by the quaint phrase of "breaking bread" , I provoked a storm of controversy. So let's see where this leads: on one of these lunches, the person I was talking to referred to this as his "Hannukah meal", whatever that means.
Regards,
David Cressey
Not all those who wander are lost.
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