Essential Features of a Great Catering Company

 

Essential Features of a Great Catering Company
As all of those who are involved in the catering industry in Perth are fully aware, to achieve the status of a "great" caterer requires a mixture of training, experience, application and a will to succeed in the trade. Caterers need to possess a whole raft of skills over and above the production of food. They need to be able to manage commercial and business responsibilities such as accounts marketing and customer care. In this article we look at some of the attributes that most of our top quality caterers possess, which enable them to rightly claim to be among the best catering companies around.

Key Components of a Great Caterer

  • Food Quality

At the core of a catering business is the quality of the food that is served. It is likely to matter very little to your customers that every aspect of your service is flawless is the food is substandard. In addition to the preparation of the food, the quality caterer will need the imagination to set attractive menus, plan recipes and ensure that the food is safely transported to the venue.
  • Food Safety

The dangers of serving food that is hazardous cannot be overstated. It is essential that all food safety measures are closely followed if an incident such as widescale food poisoning is to be avoided. Needless to say, this type of disaster can severely damage a catering company. Staff should always ahve food safety at the forefront of their minds and there should be regular reinforcement of the importance of this aspect of the catering trade.
  • Customer Care

It is essential to work alongside the client in setting a menu for a catering event. A top quality cater will exhibit courtesy, tact, consideration, sensitivity and diplomacy in all client discussions. Caterers need to be excellent communicators who should always bear in mind that word of mouth recommendations are among the most important marketing tools that an event caterer has in its armoury.
  • Flexibility and Adaptability

Caterers are likely to deal with clients who have a wide range of culinary requirements and dietary needs. It is essential to be able to respond to these imaginatively and to create menus that are not only tasteful and safe but also varied, imaginative and nutritious.
  • Leadership

The manager or owner of a catering company must lead the team of cooks, servers and cleaners by example and should always ensure that the staff team is fully up to date with safety procedures and any special requirements of particular clients. 
  • Enthusiasm

Catering can be a demanding occupation, especially at times when things are busy, such as Christmas and the summer barbecue months. Caterers need ot meet these demands with enthusiasm if they expect their employees to do the same. Clients are also likely to enjoy an even more of they see that their caterers are enthusistic on their handling of the event. 
  • Financial Acumen

Running a catering company is the same as running any business and it is necessary, if the business is to survive, to exercise sensible financial planning, especially to cover times of the year when business is quieter. 
  • Management

As in the case of finance, effective business planning is essential to a catering business, where issues such as accounting, business administration, employee affairs and compliance with city, state and national legislation and regulations will all have to be regularly addressed by the owner. 
  • Marketing

For a business to make a profit it needs to have customers and for those customers to come through the door of a catering company requires effective marketing. This can take many forms, including networking with associated trades such as florists and limousine hire companies.
  • Attention to Detail

A caterer who is able to see the "big picture" is the one who is likely to go the extra mile for his clients.  Looking at the wider frame and identifying those small touches that might make all the difference between having a satisfied customer or a delighted one will also mark the difference between a good caterer and a great one!