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We’ve all heard our mothers tell us not to talk with our mouth full of food and to chew with our mouth closed. Apart from these two basic rules of dining etiquette, there are numerous others that are not as obvious to many people.

Take the following test to rate your knowledge of table etiquette.

1. F | 2. F | 3. T | 4. T | 5. T | 6. F | 7. T | 8. F | 9. F | 10. T

0 – 4 correct answers: You need to learn about table etiquette before you give out the wrong impression.

5 – 7 correct answers: You’re on the right path but you need to polish your table etiquette.

9 – 10 correct answers: Congratulations! You are already making a good impression during your dining activities.

Learn more by reading my new e-book
Essential Guide to Table Etiquette

The following scenario actually happened to me several years ago. I was at a business lunch with my boss, our sales representative and an important potential client. The conversation was going well and signs that we would get this new account were abundant… that is, until the food was served. Our sales representative proceeded to slurp his soup with his head so close to the plate that we could actually see the top of his head, chew with his mouth opened, leave greasy food marks on his glass and, as if this wasn’t charming enough, burp loudly as we were waiting for our coffees. The client – a lady with obvious better table manners than our guy – watched in utter disgust while we witnessed our chances of ever working with this client dissipate in thin air. All of our attempts to redeem this embarrassing situation were met with polite smiles and body language cues that were quite clear – we were not number 1 anymore.

What had happened here? Simply put, our sales rep had created a negative experience of our company through his lack of table manners. One might say: “Well, what does that have to do with the service/product that you are selling?” In essence, nothing, but the perception created was that we were not refined people and that our company was going to deliver a below standard service. The experience was not a positive one for our potential client and she had second thoughts about our credibility and our ability to deliver a quality service after witnessing the behaviour of our sales rep. After all, employees are the ambassadors of their companies and by failing at representing their company in a positive light, they are casting a negative impression on everything that their employer stands for.

Even if your clients do not adhere to basic table etiquette, the fact that you do will subconsciously create a positive experience in their minds and influence their perception of you, your company, your products and your services.

The way you behave in public speaks very loudly about who you are and what you represent. Learning about basic table manners is just one of the ways you can ensure quality interactions with your clients and potential clients.

One CEO for whom I worked systematically invited all managerial and sales candidates to a lunch meeting for their third and final interview. No matter how great the candidate’s credentials and two prior interviews had been, if the table manners were not perfect, that person was not hired. He strongly believed that soft skills were much more important when you were face to face with clients than your diplomas.

Table etiquette is easy to learn and will help you, and your staff, build a positive business relationship with your clients. It’s really not worth ignoring.