- Listening to clients needs: Most clients have preconceived ideas regarding their event. And you should consider them. You can add your suggestions and advice but pay heed to what they want. After all its their event, not yours.
- Start early : There are many things to look after in a catering business. So leaving everything got the last minute will only be detrimental for your business and deter you from offering your service on time.
- Be cool as cucumber : The bottom line to proper execution of your business is to maintain cool in your work area. You should be able to handle stress and do not appear flustered. If you have a team to manage, should motivate them with positivism and not frustration and anger.
- Find your niche : There are many categories of catering. Establish you own areas of excellence and interest. The staff you select should be in par with the niche.
- Create a realistic menu and schedule : Often the biggest problem of a caterer is that sometimes a clients demands are unrealistic and difficult to work with. If this happens with you, you have to negotiate with them to change a dish, substitute an ingredient or alter a menu. This may initially seem to be a poor customer service but setting an unrealistic menu would only create disappointment in the long run. If you are not comfortable with any of the clients expectation, convey it to them as early as you can so that the client knows what he is about to get.
- Be realistic : Catering is not a fancy job. It requires hard work, dedication and long hours of job. You should accept all these before you invest money in the business.
- Have the right equipments : Having the right catering equipments is cardinal for any catering business. Make a list of all that you will need and buy from good and reputed dealers. If you are looking for catering equipments in Sydney, there are many good stores that sell high quality, durable equipments. Get to know more than details click here.
- Ability to meet deadlines : Time is precious and unforgiving in the catering business. Half an hour late is not acceptable, unless the client has pushed back the time. You should have the ability to deliver on time.
- Offer a wide range of services : Besides preparing and serving food, you can also offer other services, like cover decoration, table arrangements, setting up and cleaning. Offering a full package will only act as your bonus and bring in more customers.
- Consider special needs : Religious beliefs, food allergies, personal preferences can all have an impact on the ingredients and methods used to prepare food. Meeting these needs can be difficult but a good catering business should be able to adapt to unusual needs with flair and creativity.
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