A Special Interview With Emily’s Catering Group

Have you ever tried to write a bio or an article for yourself? It’s hard, isn’t it? It’s hard to write about yourself and all your accomplishments.

That’s why we like to let our clients (we think of them as partners, really) tell their own stories about their passion for catering and how Total Party Planner catering software has helped them focus on their passion—not the paperwork.

Our client partners really tell their own stories the best. That’s why we recently reached out to Rick Kerzner, owner and chef of Emily’s Catering Group, and asked him to share what drives him as a caterer and how TPP has helped him win the applause.

TPP:  What got you into catering?

Rick:  I worked for a very large caterer and worked my way from entry level dishwasher to the number two guy. I wanted to be number one!

Why do you cater today?

It’s all I know how to do well. I struck out on my own, as I was tired of someone else making (bad) decisions that would ultimately affect my livelihood, my family life and my overall satisfaction. I enjoy the controlled chaos, pulling together all of the logistics and ultimately making the greatest day in someone’s life truly spectacular.

What attracted you to Total Party Planner?

At first, the cost of entry. I was originally only concerned with keeping a common calendar up-to-date and in order.

What is one of your favorite moments using Total Party Planner–maybe your favorite ah-ha moment?

Several years ago, I had switched from the desktop to the web-based solution. The program was still in its infancy when I was putting together one of the largest proposals I had done to date. The party was a very important wedding, 300 guests, very specific details and menu. As I would format the menu online, the new menu items would be imported in no specific fashion, and to change the position in the menu would literally take 20 seconds or more for each line. You couldn’t imagine my frustration!

I called John Cohen personally to share my frustration, and he point blank asked me, “What do you suggest?” I asked about drag and drop. John proceeded to tell me how it was cutting edge technology, and he wasn’t sure about how to integrate it.

Three or four days later, he called me and told me to open a specific link. He then introduced me to “The Kerzner Drag and Drop.” At that point I was sold! Any business owner who cares that much about his customer and that relationship is someone I want to do business with.

What is one of your favorite features or tips for using the software?

The one tip I always give new users is not to worry about getting all of the information into the program at once. Every time you book an event, put it into the software, and over time most everything you do will be there.

Finish this sentence:  Total Party Planner Catering Software is better than … any other catering package I’ve seen.

Thanks to the great suggestions that fantastic, hard working partners like Rick and countless others have given to us over the years, TPP has grown, getting smarter and sharper along the way.

That’s why we’re so grateful to our client partners—not just for your business but for the great ideas you’ve shared that have helped make TPP the top catering software on the market.

Do you have a catering success story that TPP played a role in? We would love to hear about it, so we can feature you and your business in a future blog post. Just shoot us an email (along with some pictures) at info@totalpartyplanner.com.

Drop us a note—we want to hear about your applause!