Catering software is a tool that’s become a must-have for the success of a catering company. These businesses have unique needs that require data-driven and fast decisions when it comes to food processing and distribution, serving staff, venues, and orders. This is why, in today’s dynamic business environment, you just can’t rely on manual data processing.
The right catering software helps catering businesses of any size to manage orders, plan production, and deliver perfect service every time. Plus, they can also manage invoices without any delays, which provides constant cash flow. As a result, businesses are able to deliver quality services at the highest standards of quality tailored to the needs of each event.
But how do you choose the best catering software for your business? If you’re still looking for the best solution, we have a few tips on the features to follow and a few options to consider.
How to Choose the Best Catering Software
The right catering software can make the difference between having a few customers and a business booming. That’s because the job of such a software tool is to smooth out the ordering and invoicing process, keep customers’ satisfaction high, and organize internal business operations to keep everything running at a fast pace.
Plus, when using catering software, there will be fewer (if any) mistakes due to human error. If you also manage to integrate with other software tools in your business (such as accounting and management), it’s also a way to reduce costs with personnel.
Without further ado, here are some of the most important features the best catering companies are looking for when choosing such a software tool:
• The volume of operations it can handle (depending on your business size and planned growth);
• The possibility to create and update menus which can then be shared with the customers online for feedback;
• Orders and deliveries management;
• Customers should have the possibility to add special requests for their menus;
• Multiple payment options;
• Staff resource allocation for various events;
• Integration with third-party software in the company.
Which is the Best Catering Software?
Given that the market is so rich in offers, there is a lot to debate when deciding on the best catering software tools. However, if you know your priorities, you can trim down the list of offers and then make an informed decision from whichever tools are left.
For instance, if you are a small catering company with a budget that’s not too generous, Spoonfed may be the right choice. The software is affordable, cloud-based, and handles food order management solutions for meetings and conferences. It’s also easy to configure and can be integrated with standard reporting systems.
On the other hand, if you run several catering locations and often work on different events at once (conferences, weddings, parties, personal occasions, and so on), you may like a catering software like Curate. The software uses automation to keep customers happy and make sure everything is taken care of before the big day.
As a side note, if you have to handle a large number of employees (200+), you may also want to take a look at Deputy, which is a cloud-based human resource management system that helps you manage employees efficiently and schedule shifts without leaving any last-minute gaps.
Key Takeaways
The job of catering software is to help your business improve and grow. This is why it’s important to choose the tool that has the right features for your catering business’s unique needs (now and in the future).
Overall, the main features you should look out for are integration with the company’s native systems, organization of the internal business systems, staff management, and customer satisfaction.
