Bharat SainiLast Updated on September 4, 2014 by Bharat Saini
A lot of us aspire to earn money profitably in an industry that we love and really interested in. And of course, when it comes to highly lucrative professions, being a caterer is always among in the list. While they say that food businesses can never go wrong because of our constant demand for food, a lot of start-up entrepreneurs still fail. Why? There can be a lot of reasons, really. It can be a good idea but at the wrong time or location, a marketing promotion gone wrong, lack of culinary talent or skill to manage a business, and so on. Enough about those, though. What we will be looking at right now are the primary qualities that seem very common for many successful caterers. Check them out below:
Excellent customer service
No matter what you are trying to sell or promote, running a business will always involve dealing with clients – from the planning, designing menus, getting their approval, and so much more. In this line of work, providing excellent customer service is crucial and highly necessary. Interpersonal communication skills will be tested, and one should always aim to keep the customers happy. Remember, happy customers are not just repeat clients, they are also a great source of possible new leads for future business.
Great leadership
Sure, getting started on your first venture may require only you to do all the work. However, as you go along, your business would surely increase its demand for human resources. Even if your business is small right now, practicing great leadership skills is important. Each of your personnel may have different responsibilities, but as the owner of the business, you are the person primarily responsible for your staff.
Attention to details
Did you know that it’s not usually the big things that make or break an event, but rather the small stuff and not-easily-noticed details? Keen attention to details is highly necessary for every successful caterer, because everything – from the quality and presentation of the food you prepare, the table arrangements you made, to the attitude of the staff – will be rated by your guests. This is why you should always treat every event as if it’s your last. You’ve got to give your best all the time, as every function you cater to will showcase your competence as a caterer.
Good business sense
Catering is not just all about cooking and food; this is a full-operation business, so any aspiring caterer must also have a good business sense to manage all aspects of the business effectively. Having a financial plan is crucial, as well as being able to plan strategies that can further improve the catering service. And of course, it’s crucial that you are always smart in allocating your resources, whether it is for the new commercial bar fridges or other catering equipment, or putting your money in a new promotional campaign for your venture.
Creativity
Recipes are probably among the few things that you can’t really put a copyright to. No idea is 100% original, and it’s up to the caterer how he’ll be able to put his own touch and culinary expertise to “own” the recipe. Apart from planning new recipes, one also have to be creative and flexible in altering recipes to accommodate the palate requirements or limitations of the guests involved.
