Technology Applied To Catering

I recently watched a short video about technology as it applies to the home remodeling industry. Interestingly enough, I saw some strong parallels to the catering industry. The three main points in this video about using technology were:

• Think of technology as an investment – not an expense.
• Think outside the box of technology just being “an accounting system”.
• Technology is making businesses much more transparent.

So let’s dig a little deeper into those points and talk some catering.

The technology (whether it is a software program to manage events, a device to track inventory, smart phones, etc.) should make us more efficient in our business activities. That is, the investment will provide a payoff. How great would it be to measure catering sales vs costs at the click of a button – and ultimately have more profitable pricing. Will having email access on your phone allow you to respond faster to a worried client’s question or concern? How time consuming now is it to manually manage your inventory? How valuable is having more time to spend with clients?

Think outside the software box. The first point looks at technology from the point of “managing the company”. These days it is so much more! How about bringing an iPad or other tablet device to your next client meeting – and loaded on the device is a slide show set to music with all your amazing event pictures. In catering sales, a picture is truly worth a thousand words!

They also mention business websites. Everybody has one, but is yours ALIVE and EXPLOSIVE with design and content? Like it or not, shoppers will judge you based on your website – without even tasting a bite of your food. A word of advice here. Hire a professional web design company to build and manage your website. Yes, it could be a significant investment, however, your professional image is priceless. Don’t let the shopper leave your website without calling because of your website.

Social media technology is here to stay. Yes, it is. What started as a college fad has grown into a massive communication tool used by any Fortune 500 company. You need to be aware of the conversations going on ABOUT you – and your competition. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkIn are absolutely a must-have these days. If you are not using them, start asap (yes, this is ANOTHER person telling you the same thing). There is so much information on the web to help you learn those tools – take some time to research. The point here is that it is time to start joining the conversation! Definitely don’t try to sell, sell, sell through social media. Help a Bride find a great event planner without trying to sell your company first. Who knows… she probably needs a great caterer too. And now you’ve already been introduced.

Do you have unique ways where technology helps your business? Share your comments with our community!