Saturday, December 10, 2011

A Rulebook For Selecting A Food Caterer For Your Corporate Conference

Planning a large corporate event entails matching a great number of particulars. Both you and your staff will have to select a location that can cater to attendees even while reducing the price and travel needs for the greatest number of people. You will have to look into accommodations and ground transporting to make certain those that attend have easy access to the venue. And you will have to employ a catering company you can trust to deal with the difficulties posed by a big event.

Unless you’ve worked with dependable caterers and event planners in the past, this last undertaking can be challenging. Very few catering companies have access to the equipment and employees necessary to satisfy the needs of a big conference, seminar, or convention. Below, we will provide a quick guide to help simplify the procedure.

Start Your Search as Early as Possible

Depending on the kind of event you’re planning, you may not know how many people may ultimately attend. Ticket sales, along with a forecast determined by earlier events, may help, but there will be an element of doubt; this can make it hard to hire a catering service.

Despite this challenge, begin looking as quickly as possible. Expert, well-regarded catering companies that handle large affairs typically become reserved early on. Waiting very long will restrict your choices and given that many food caterers let you adjust your food items and beverage minimums up to a month prior to your event, you are best off booking early.

Check Whether the Venue Has a Preferred List

A lot of locations keep a small listing of caterering companies with whom they’ve worked well before. Unless of course you’ve a strong personal preference for an unlisted firm, begin here; the firms on the checklist may already be familiar with the location, including any specific instructions by the supervisor. They will be less likely to make mistakes in the course of and following the event.

Request Prior References Of H! igh-Scal e Clients

A lot of caterers will claim they could accommodate a large trade event or conference, but have little expertise handling these kinds of events. Ask for referrals. Check with clientele who’ve hired the firm for massive affairs similar to the one you’re planning.

The references may likely have good things to declare about the catering company. Try to uncover additional details that can help you to determine whether or not the company is a great fit for your function. As an example, ask the clients whether or not they would have preferred to see anything done differently at their events; ask if they’d hire the food caterer down the road. Ask about places by which the caterer company demonstrated a bad performance.

Make Certain What The Food Caterer Is Going To Provide

Each and every catering company operates just a little differently. A few provide little more than the food and table delivery. Others will work tightly with the venue’s staff to make certain a sufficient number of chairs, tables, and table covers can be found. Still others may offer to organize the event with other distributors which can be involved with the food (i.e. delivery service, bartending staff, etc.).

Make sure you’re conscious of the products which will be handled by the catering service, and those you’ll have to address by yourself.

Make Note The Degree Of Expertise Throughout The Preparations

If you’re working with a food caterer that’s unfamiliar to the venue’s supervisors, observe their dependability. Are they on time for group meetings (in person or on the phone)? Do they seem to be structured? Do they make themselves accessible to you, or return your calls and email messages in a timely manner?

If the caterer is professional all through the negotiation and planning stages, they’ll probably show the same degree of professionalism during your function. Lateness, rudeness, and other traits are furthermore indica! tive of long term overall performance.

Finalizing the Last Details

Before formally employing the catering service, it is essential to clarify several “small” particulars. First, ask whether they can accommodate minor changes in timeline. If a speaker runs longer than intended, may the staff quickly adapt? Second, can the company supply veggie dishes, in addition to those that meet specific dietary needs (e.g. no nuts) for participants? Third, identify the lead individual with whom you should communicate changes and ask questions during the event.

Employing a food caterer for a large convention, trade exhibition, or fundraiser is different than doing so for a smaller function. Reference the tutorial above to select one that can dependably handle the job.

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