Article written and provided by Chef Crusco Catering in Austin, Texas

Online forms, estimate requests and email is convenient, but phone calls always add that personal touch. Furthermore, being transparent with pricing is a good sign making sure inquiring customers understand up front what the costs will be.

In part 4 of our 6 part series on ways to secure a reputable catering company, this article explains why being transparent and offering that human touch is important. Large big box caterers may be able to provide lower pricing. But smaller caterers often outperform large operations in personal attention and transparency thus building trust with customers.

Why Phone Calls Matter

1. Accountability: Hearing someone’s voice instantly reduces uncertainty. You are no longer dealing with a faceless business but with a person who can be held responsible.
2. Tone: Listenting to their voice can help inquiring customers determine how certain, experienced and caring they truly are about your needs and event.
3. Efficiency: We may not always be the best fit for an inquiring customer. A 5-10 minute phone call will usually reveal this rather than 10 back and forth emails over several days.
4. Investment: Any caterer willing to get on a call to address cutomer questions is clearly showing that they care. They also want to make sure they are both the right fit and have the ability to execute your needs.

Why Transparency Matters

1. Removes hidden fees: Caterers providing online pricing have nothing to hide and are saying loud and clear here are our fees. This allows customers to be in control thus removing fears about what the caterer may not be communicating.
2. Signals honesty: Many caterers say “yes” to everything knowing full well they cannot see it through. If your caterer explains their limitations, abilities, staffing and reservation requirements as well as realistic timelines you can rest assure that they are trustworthy and dependable.
3. Sets accurate expectations: Mismatched expectations usually lead to forgettable experiences. Being transparent at the very beginning resolves this and ultimately aligns both sides before the event.
4. Reduces risks: Partnering with the right caterer is important as you only get one shot at executing the event. Being transparent can lower perceived risks by making outcomes more predictable.

The ultimate goal is to build trust with customers.

Can they trust the caterer?

Do they fully understand what they are paying for?

Can they be responsive and reliable?

Will the caterer provide a line item estimate?

If a caterer hesitates or pushes you toward forms-only communication, it usually is a red flag. However, when a caterer sets time aside for phone calls and is willing to be transparent, customers will have both of these emotional and logical questions answered thus empowering them to make a more informed decision about their catering partner.