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Apr 26 2013
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Catering Operations, Catering Strategy, Multi-Unit Restaurant Catering

Box Lunch Business? Think Volume

I’m just on my way home from a fantastic week on the road, working on MonkeyMedia Software and our Catering Institute!  I really enjoyed my time at the Restaurant Leadership Conference in Scottsdale and then a fantastic visit with a 500 unit restaurant chain where my team and I focused on helping them with their catering operations for both their corporate stores and their franchisees.

I was happy that my presentation at RLC was so well attended.  So many people gave me fantastic feedback.  This is what I love about my work.  Inspiring others to try something that they may not have tried before.  Helping them to think outside their box, and perhaps give them a little something to hold onto.  It’s even better when they apply the business strategy to their own restaurants and it works!

When I woke up this morning, there was a fantastic article published on my talk on www.monkeydish.com.  What a nice surprise.

Like any business, the strategy that you take to market is critical to your success.  Once you move forward, you become path dependent.  It’s tough to shift gears.  Not impossible, but tough.  This got me thinking about the box lunch business out of restaurant operations.

The box lunch business, in my opinion, is a “business within a business”.  It requires a manufacturing mentality, to really be successful.  Think volume!

As restaurateurs we have so many things to consider.  When it comes to catering out of our restaurants, we are not like other caterers.  We’ve got our own challenges.  Different than theirs.  Because we are layering catering on top of existing restaurant infrastructure, we have to consider our operations very carefully.

If you are going to be in the box lunch business, think about volume.  For all your other catering orders, try platters.  Your operations team will thank you for that strategic decision!

Enjoy your weekend.

 

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Apr 16 2013
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Catering Leadership, Catering Marketing - External, Catering Marketing - Internal, Catering Operations, Catering Sales, Catering Strategy, Multi-Unit Restaurant Catering, Multi-Unit Restaurant Operators

On the Cusp of Something Huge – Keepin’ on

ON the cusp

Last week was just a great week at MonkeyMedia Software!

There are days when I just don’t know how I am going to get to “the end” of this project.  Whatever that means.  All good things come to an end at some point!  Isn’t that part of the plan?

All successful entrepreneurs plan for an exit at some point and time.  Me?  Well it dawned on me that it’s wholly possible that I am 15 years into a 25 year process!  That would mean, that I’ve got at least 10 more years in front of me to do my part in building our organization, and developing the vision of catering in the restaurant community.

If that’s the case, then what do I do to keep myself going?  To keep it fresh?  To keep it exciting?  And mostly, to keep it real?

Real people, real companies, real revenues, real expenses.  The never ending pursuit of creating value for our customers, restaurant operators.

I have learned that it’s not just about doing the right things.  No.  It’s about doing the right things, at the right time!  Markets are moving, and so must we.

So, last week I received a wonderful note from one of our customers.  They have 170 restaurants in the QSR space.  We’ve been working through their catering opportunities and deploying our software right smack in the middle of their organization.  It’s a pleasure for us to work with such a committed, professional and great group of people.

I sent a thank you email and the note I received back really energized me, so I thought I’d share it with you. Apply it to your own business:

Our client said,

“We are on the cusp of something huge!”

Well, that’s all I needed last week.  I’m hanging onto those kind words and am going to do everything I can to make that dream come true.

Keepin’ on.  Let’s talk restaurant catering.

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Apr 09 2013
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Catering Leadership, Catering Marketing - External, Catering Marketing - Internal, Catering Operations, Catering Sales, Catering Strategy, Community, Fast Casual, Multi-Unit Restaurant Catering, Multi-Unit Restaurant Operators, Restaurant Leadership

Save The Date June 6,2013 – Chicago Restaurant Catering Workshop

  mms_ci_logo

Join the MMS Catering Institute TM Team for a one-day Catering Sales Management Certification (CSM) workshop on June 6th, 2013 in beautiful Downtown Chicago. This workshop is open to restaurant executives and management teams looking to develop their catering programs and drive real results through improved operations and increased sales.

The CSM course was developed to educate and engage your catering leadership team on managing successful catering operations. This workshop will outline key Catering Sales Management initiatives to realize maximum sales potential.

Curriculum will focus on:page1image11520

• Canvassing and Lead Generation • Consultative Selling Techniques
• Effective Cold Calling Tactics

• Buyer Types and Motives for Purchasing

• Sales Meetings that Make Sense
• A Day in the Life of a Catering Sales Manager

This workshop will be filled with representatives from many different restaurant brands and will offer a unique opportunity to learn, participate in real world practice scenarios and network with fellow industry members during our networking lunch.

Date: Thursday, June 6th, 2013
Place and Time: TBA, (Downtown Chicago)
Cost: $249.95* each for up to 3 attendees ($199.95* for 4 or more from the same company)

Register for this invaluable workshop, and send an email to workshops@monkeymediasoftware.com

letstalkrestaurantcatering

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact Tracy Avolio, Sr. Catering Analyst at the Catering Institute.
Phone: 1-877-6-MONKEY ext. 127 | Email: workshops@monkeymediasoftware.com

To learn more about the services, certification, workshops and resources offered by the Catering Institute, or to request a catering assessment for your restaurant, please contact us via phone or email.

Let’s talk catering.

* Course materials and a catered lunch will be provided. Travel expenses not included.

 

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