The pandemic has turned the hospitality sector as we know it upside down. In a matter of weeks, thousands of restaurants and catering businesses were forced to close their doors. Entrepreneurs across the world had to adapt their way of doing business and find new ways to level up their service.
Many restaurants could still offer their customers take-away or delivery service, however, many catering businesses were left to fend for themselves. Now that things are back to normal, it’s important to seize this moment and give your customers the service they desire.
Whether you are a newly established catering business or one that has many years of experience, it’s always great to find new ways to enhance your service. Here are six ways to level up your catering business…
Make Delicious and Appealing Food
Unless your food is delicious and appealing, it’s unlikely that you will be able to bring in any clients. If you’re feeling like you’re stuck in a bit of a runt, don’t hesitate to bring in some people for a tasting of your catering menu.
Get some relevant feedback, make some tweaks to the menu, and think about new elements that you can incorporate. It’s also important to adapt to customer behaviours and attitudes. For example, in recent years we’ve witnessed a growing trend in the number of vegans and vegetarians, so make sure your meals cater for this important segment.
Conduct Regular Quality Checks
If you produce high-quality food, every bite and serving should taste just as spectacular. It’s easy to mess up the recipe, especially when you’re catering for large volumes of people. So, make sure that the method you have developed is achievable for all types of events.
Making sure the quality of your food remains consistent is partly due to careful planning and preparation. However, it is also wise to do a few taste tests before you send food out, especially if you are making these meals from scratch. Don’t send out any meals that you wouldn’t be proud to eat yourself.
Equip Your Team with The Best Supplies
Part of delivering a phenomenal service means equipping your team with all the supplies they need. This ranges from the produce to the equipment, and even the packaging. Ask your team what they need to succeed and make sure to provide them with the supplies they ask for.
For example, your team may have the best ingredients to hand, as well as state of the art ovens and equipment, however, if they don’t have the correct catering supplies, such as heating fuel and plate warmers, the end product could be imparted and all your hard work will be for nothing.
Expand Your Services and Range
Sometimes you must think outside of the box in order to level up and survive in the catering business. Stick to what you know and what you’re good at, however, don’t be afraid to try new things and explore innovative streams of revenue.
This could be as simple as expanding your range, for example offering clients new and improved vegan options, or even expanding the types of events you cover. Don’t limit yourself to business conferences, see if you can take on festivals or political events too. You can also start creating gift baskets or selling your goods in local businesses.
Create a Comprehensive Marketing Plan
If you want your customers to know about all the amazing things that you are doing with your catering business, you’ll need to create a comprehensive marketing plan. Don’t just focus on traditional advertising methods, make sure to embrace digital marketing trends and establish yourself on social media. Having a social media presence is also a great way to increase your brand’s visibility and bring in new customers.
Provide Special COVID-19 Training
Another great way to level up your business and make yourself shine amongst competitors is by getting yourself a COVID-safety seal. This will help employers and customers feel safer about hiring your catering business, as it lets them know you are taking all the necessary precautions.
The best way to continuously improve your catering business is by thinking outside of the box. Don’t be afraid to try new things. If at first, you don’t succeed, try again. Avoid making expensive mistakes and stick to your gut feeling. If something’s telling you that your business decision isn’t the correct one to make, scrap it and try something else.
