Client Etiquette to Remember When Hiring a Caterer

By Catering Staff | August 29, 2016

Most of the time, clients only think about what the caterer can do for them. While this is just the right attitude, since you are actually paying for services, a good trick many tend to forget is that building a relationship with your vendor will also get you a long way.

Here’s the deal: it’s easy to find a caterer that is willing to do everything you ask. A lot of them will try to move heaven and earth just to provide what you need. However, at a professional level, they might not be doing so happily. While you’re not in any obligation to keep your vendor happy, especially since you’re doing a fair trade by paying for their services, wouldn’t it feel better to build a good relationship with a caterer that you can subsequently rely on for future events as well?

Especially if your work involves handling activities for your company or you’re often tasked to arrange family get togethers, having a caterer on your phone book wouldn’t hurt. They can be your go-to supplier in time of need, although, you don’t have to exclusively do business with them all the time.

So, as a client, what are you supposed to do?

For one, be conscious in how you relate with your caterer and make sure to follow the golden rule even if you’re the client. While clients may feel entitled to be demanding to get more bang for their buck, you still have to remember that these people are running a business and that comes with a wide array of costs. Watch how you treat your vendor closely. While some may not be as receptive as you’d want them to be, you still have to be careful of how you treat them. Always ask yourself whether you’d want a client of yours to do the same thing to you. This way, you can be sure that you’re also being fair to your caterer and you’re not asking for too much from them.

You don’t have to be friends with your caterer, but if you get to be in good professional terms with them, you’ll more likely get better treatment and find it easier to get the menu planning done. Remember that planning an event can be stressful, so don’t add extra stressors to it by not working things out with your caterer.

It doesn’t matter if you’re paying for an expensive catering company or working with Kroger’s catering team, having a good relationship with your caterer will guarantee you an easier time in planning your event. If all else fails, you can also opt to get a large order of Arby’s meat platters instead, especially if your gathering is more on the casual and laidback kind.