Choosing a Caterer? Preparedness Saves Time, Brings Peace of Mind

Those working regularly with caterers in today’s business world know how frustrating choosing one can be. Often times, you find yourself scrambling to place an order for a last minute luncheon. Or for larger events, you might find yourself feeling overwhelmed choosing a caterer when juggling a multitude of other jobs for executives and managers.

Simply stated-your time is precious.

To avoid backing yourself into a corner time-and-time again, it’s crucial to get organized beforehand and familiarize yourself with a handful of caterers that can provide one-stop shopping-hence, peace of mind.

Here’s how to get all your ducks in a row when choosing a caterer that’s right for you.

Do Your Homework

Identifying several caterers on the front-end will alleviate a lot of stress on the back-end. Base your catering selections not only on the types of meals and prices offered but also on the ease of ordering, delivery and payment. Then tuck these catering menus away in an easy-to-access file for quick reference.

A caterer should project above all else, dependability and trustworthiness. You’ll feel even more confident about your selections if after placing your order the caterer includes an email or fax confirmation detailing your order and instructions.

Keep in mind, people who attend your meetings and business luncheons frequently tire of eating the same foods served regularly. So be sure to have a variety of catering choices on hand. Three or four is a good number. When choosing menus look for caterers that offer an assortment of foods including hot buffets, soups and sandwiches, salads and desserts.

Ordering Made Easy

When selecting a caterer, keep in mind what methods caterers offer for ordering. Ordering should be made simple for you. It should be convenient and on your time frame.

Hours of operations can be an after thought, but it shouldn’t. Convenient 24-hours-a-day caterers eliminate the rush. When a caterer is open only nine to five, the pressure is on to squeeze in the order.

If your caterer offers an online ordering service-even better. Place your order late at night after the kids have gone to bed or first thing in the morning before the chaos begins.

If you are not able to order online, is there a toll-free number you can call? Are there multiple locations or one base of operation? All things to consider if you end up on hold for a long duration or if you are working under a tight turnaround.

Which raises the next question, what’s the lead time for placing an order? Will the caterer take last minute orders or do they need advanced notice and how much? If caterers are able to accommodate quick turnarounds, and if they have multiple locations to make getting the food easier, it eases time constraints.

Lastly, time is still ticking each time you have to repeat all of your information for an order. A great convenience caterers can offer is having the capability to save your information in a central system for future orders.

Taking the Burdensome Heavy Lifting Off of You

Working with a caterer that offers inclusive delivery and set-up services can be an additional weight off of your shoulders. You have enough responsibilities on your plate with organizing the event and reserving the room and buffet tables, not to mention the actual work piling up at your desk. You don’t need to be worrying about lugging food into the building and up to a conference room.

Nor do you want to worry about having to stop at the local party-supply store to pick up items such as tablecloths, napkins, serving utensils and disposable heating kits.

Consider the time it takes to set up the buffet tables and food or run these errands-your time is money. A caterer that includes these services goes the extra mile to create that one-stop shopping for you.

Directions are another significant part of delivery services. Having a driver get lost on a delivery can sabotage an event. It’s imperative that your caterer receives detailed instructions on how to get to your building or office complex. Especially if there are security measures in place that they should know about.

Often times, a caterer will conduct a site visit the first time, depending on the size of the event. At the least, the caterer’s driver can conduct a drive-by in advance of the event to familiarize himself with the location. If your company is exceptionally hard to find, create a map with detailed instructions and have it on file to include with each order. This saves time on the back-end.

Paying the Tab

The last thing you want to be doing at the eleventh hour is running around trying to gather up petty cash or get a corporate check signed. Make sure you discuss with the caterer up front your options for paying the bill. Ideally, it makes sense to set up a house account with the caterer prior to the event. If a caterer is able to bill you at a later date, you have just checked another potential headache off of your list.

Customer Service Comes First

For a caterer to be top of mind when ordering food, it all boils down to customer service. If the caterers you choose hold customer service at the highest regard, you’ll be able to build long-term relationships with reliable people who value your time, lending peace of mind to the entire process.