Author: Mary Evans

Picnic hampers Sydney will include smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers & dill in their menu. The wedding reception is one of the most important and meticulous parts of the wedding planning since it involves many people to negotiate with. The reception venue and the caterer are the most crucial sub-parts of the entire wedding because you need two parties to negotiate and coordinate with in order to make the reception party a success.

The venue manager can help you with the place by sprucing it up and providing tables and chairs if he/she has a contact or as a package with the venue. Once that’s settled, you only need the florist to style and decorate the area to make it more pleasing. In contrast to the caterer, you will need to look for a company that commits 101% from their planning to execution and in providing excellent service.

With that said, here are the 7 crucial steps you need to take when selecting the best caterer:

(1) If the caterer is recommended by someone you know, you should still ask around for references aside from your contact/connection

This is crucial because you’ll never know if the caterer and the person you know are friends for a long time. It may be unfair to think that the person who recommended the caterer is biased since they know each other, but you need to know the real deal with this caterer even before you talk to the manager.

Ask around for references from other people who know the catering manager and the company. If they are reputable and has a good background, it might be worth the try.

(2) Check the caterer’s reputation

There are ways to find out the reputation of caterers aside from word-of-mouth recommendations and background checks. If the caterer has a website, you should check it and look for testimonials from previous clients. Or you may look for wedding planners’ websites and check their list of recommended caterers as well as feedbacks from their own clients. Bridal forums are also helpful and you’ll get more unbiased feedbacks from other couples and/or brides.

(3) What was your first impression when you contacted the catering manager/officer? Gauge their customer service from the day you contacted them

It may not always be true that first impressions last, but businesses must know their obligations to their clients and would-be clients from the time they are contacted. It’s not good customer service if the person you talked to did not spend time and effort in explaining briefly the scope of their service, pricing and thanking you for showing interest in their business.

Another good gesture from a reputable caterer is to invite you to their office to have a look at their services in fine print, their menu and possibly a taste test of their menu if they schedule you on a preparation day.

(4) Food tasting at the caterer’s office/kitchen

This is crucial especially if you are looking for a caterer who is known for their menu. You need to taste to believe, so to speak. A good caterer may not always have available food samples, but a great caterer will schedule you to have a taste test when they are preparing for an upcoming event. So it’s best to come back at the caterer’s office/kitchen when you are invited for a taste test.

(5) Review the caterer’s terms and conditions [contract]

It’s best to ask questions regarding the contract while you are still at the caterer’s place because there might be some items that are written in fine print. Ask about add-on fees such as the cutting and serving of the wedding cake to guests, special requests to the wait staff from guests [e.g. getting additional chairs, serving them when there’s a buffet, etc.]. It’s best to ask now instead of facing a bill that is way beyond the negotiated amount.

(6) Ask about the wait staff and catering crew

A reputable caterer will always have an experienced staff and crew especially if they are commissioned to cater a huge occasion and venue. Typically, this will cost more, but you’ll definitely get the best service.

(7) Always observe the caterer’s response to your questions and see if you are connecting and on the same page

The best caterer will always give a pleasant and welcoming response to his/her would-be client. Not only because it is sure money when a client is warm and agreeable, but a reputable caterer will go an extra mile to give the client his/her best impression and business proposition from day one.

Many couples have the trouble of choosing the best caterer for their wedding reception especially when there’s no one their connections who know a reputable one. It’s almost always a guessing game for those who do not have the internet to rely to, but trusting your instincts when you call and meet the caterer to gauge his/her offerings might help. Negotiate, ask questions and ask around to get information, and take it from there.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3723419

Catering company Sydney takes pride in creating exceptional food during company event. Have you ever dreamed of having a home based catering business? If you have a love of cooking this would be a great career.

In many homes nowadays both parents are working. Economic pressures require a double income. Schedules are hectic and it is very difficult to prepare wholesome, nutritious meals.

A catering business can be very lucrative in providing daily meals for these families (singles or couples). You would not only be preparing delicious meals but eliminating the stress that these people feel when they under the pressure of shopping and cooking. They would have more time to enjoy each other and do the things they enjoy most.

Before you jump into your apron, here are some things you want to consider:

1. What will be the name of your business?

2. Are you doing this by yourself or will you have a partner? If you have a partner will you both be responsible for the cooking, or will one take care of the administrative duties? In the future you may find the need to hire a cook. Dependability is a required.

3. Create a business plan that you can use if you need to get financing.

4. Check with your local food administration authorities about the laws governing your type of business. Find out the appropriate licenses and permits you will need. Check into these details first so you will not have problems in the future.

5. Decide on what types of meals you are going to provide. You will want to include two or three choices daily. Once you establish your clientele you can give them an order form of the various meals available on certain days. You can establish the time frame you want to maintain. A week or two ahead have the forms returned to you. You can come up with a computerized form that you can email your clients and they can email you their choices. Do whatever you can to automate your business and eliminate unnecessary legwork. You will have to decide what works best for you. You will want a week’s notice for shopping and preparation purposes.

If you want to specialize utilizing your specific cooking/baking talents, your catering service could be for special soups, desserts or birthday cakes. This is your choice.

6. Pricing your meals will be more of a challenge. You will want to keep your costs as low as possible in order to have a desirable profit. Call other catering businesses to get an idea of what your completion is charging. You do not want to price your meals so high that you will price yourself out of the market. Allow for a fluctuation margin in market prices.

7. You will want to buy in bulk. Get a membership at your local wholesale club. This will save you quite a bit. You still want to be a savvy shopper as there are times when your local supermarket’s prices are lower than the wholesale club.

8. Bulk shopping will necessitate your knowledge of the shelf life of the foods you are storing. When in doubt of how to, and how long to store food items, the internet holds a wealth of information at your fingertips.

9. How are you going to advertise your business? Of course, word of mouth continues to be one of the best forms of advertisement. You should consider flyers, or posters that you can leave at various businesses in your area. You will be able to create and print these on your computer. This will cut printing costs. Newspapers and mail coupon services can get the word out to many, but will be more costly.

You may want to consider designing a web page so that you can create an internet presence. Print up business cards including your web address. Get permission to leave this in places such as the doctor’s office, dentist, or hairdresser. Design your website so you have your weekly choices listed and your contact information.

10. If you go this route, you will want to find a web hosting company that also provides you internet marketing tools. I know of one company that has a bulk emailing program, with an auto responder where you can set up various campaigns. It also provides a video producer with templates that you can create for your specific business. The best part of this company is that they have training by professionals in the industry. If you are a cook, more than likely, you are not overly versed in computers!

11. How are you going to get the meals to your customers? They can pick them up from your home or you could deliver to their place for a set fee. You will need to put great thought into planning your cooking and delivery schedule. As a suggestion, allow yourself about one hour to an hour and a half.

12. What type of containers are you going to use to pack your meals? As there is a possibility that the food may need to be reheated, you will have to take this into consideration when purchasing containers. Look into microwavable items. A wholesale club usually has great prices on food containers.

13. Be a good planner. The internet will provide you with an endless supply of recipes and ideas for different meals. If you are cooking for a family with children, take this into consideration. Spicy does not always work with little ones!

14. When you purchase your fresh produce make sure it is cleaned properly and when possible cut and ready for use.

15. Keep a cautious eye on your costs.

16. You want to develop a good relationship with your clients. When possible, satisfy special requests. Always be the type of person that you would want to work with.

17. As suppliers are an important element in your business you want to develop a good relationship in this area. This will go a long way in getting better service.

It is up to you to decide on how large of a business you want to create. A small business will be easier to handle. Once it grows it will necessitate hiring additional staff members. But then again this would translate into greater revenue.

As an added suggestion, be sure to keep your recipes either on the computer or in a binder in protective sheets. Who know, someday you can add to your business profits by publishing a cookbook of your catering recipes.

I hope that your love of cooking will be the first step to initiating a profitable home based catering business. I wish you all the best and a kitchen filled with aromas of happiness and success! Go here to start for a catering business.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3711238

The purpose of opti coat interior protection is to enhance the beauty and extend the life of automotive surfaces to maximize value and driving pleasure.Have your own time to judge a car. After all you are going to spend your hard earned money. It should not go wasted on a futile product. You must spend enough time with plenty of daylight to test each car. Taking a friend while going for a test drive will help you to select the right car. Never bring kids and pets.

Judging a used car may become difficult. You may come across to different problems while selecting for a used car. Try to consider the following steps:

Inspecting a car during the darkness may hide all its faults. It is a healthy choice to inspect a vehicle during daytime. Daylight helps your visual examination. Choose to delay if the day you have decided to go for inspecting a car turns to be a rainy day. Rain makes thin, worn paint look shiny and bright. It also shields the prior paint work.

Tires keep a vehicle on the road. If it is not good in condition then how can you think of going further? You may check the conditions of all the tires and engine before starting the vehicle. You may examine the tires for their inflation, exposed belts, cracks, and bald spots. In case a car does have bald spots then it indicates that the dealer has not taken its proper care.

Sometimes when an interested buyer gets into the car, he complains about foul odors like smell of cigarettes, cigars, pet’s urine. If this happens with you too, then never go for the same product. Go on to the next one.

See if the car is providing you every feature that is necessary for the safe drive like comfortably getting in and out of the car and are you able to sit comfortably to reach to the pedals? Speedometer should be visible through the steering wheel, steering should be adjustable.

Your selected vehicle should ensure your comfort level in case of long drives. Its seat should be adjustable. You can examine your seat according to an airbag clearance. An airbag clearance is the distance from the centre of the steering wheel to your chin. You may opt for a power steering and power adjustable seat too. Such seats are great companion and comfortable too on a long trip as it provides great visibility and control.

Ensure that the brakes, clutch and accelerator are not a hindrance in your careful and comfortable driving. Many people never concentrate on the driver’s armrest. You must see that your right hand armrest should not interfere with the gearshift. It can happen with the expensive cars too.

Ensuring about entertainment feature is also must. You may check that all radio and CD operations work well. There should not be a problem for you to reach the sound system controls while driving.

Driver’s safety is ensured if the car guarantees you for good visibility. Personal blind spots include rearview mirrors, your personal height and the position of the driver’s seat. You may check for the blind spots. You may do this by looking through the windows and mirrors.

Check for the back seats for comfort. If you love to play golf on weekends then you may check that your golf clubs fit nicely into the trunk.

Check for the horns buzzing too if you could listen to any distortion. There are many stereos that can not be repaired and if replaced then cost over $1400. Try to operate each switch and system.

You may lower and raise every window. Your car must have manual, good spare tire, jack and tire tool.

A car engine is responsible for the smooth running of the car. You may check that its engine should start easily without giving you the jerks and should accelerate without hitches. It is better to examine the 4WD in case of the four wheels drive vehicles. It ensures you that the engine gets operated easily followed by examining its gearshift. They should operate smoothly too. If it is vibrating under your seat, then leave that vehicle and switch on to the next. You may feel the vibrations in some inexpensive models as they have automatic transmissions that keep on vibrating all the time. No one can stay with such disturbances. You need to change the motor and transaxle mounts if you hear a disturbing sound while putting the car in gear.

You may busy the handbrakes and then try to accelerate to see if it is working properly or not. Hand brakes can cost over $500 if they do not work properly. You may check working of the heater as well as working of an AC by turning them on high. If it is a 4- and 6- cylinder models then its air conditioning can create a problem for smooth working of the engine and acceleration. As soon as you will turn on the AC, you could listen to the difference in the engine noise. If you want to test the AC for its heating, then you may do that by turning on the rear defogger grid and may touch the glass.

If you are examining the windshield for chips and cracks then do examine the wiper blades too. If its blades are good in condition then you can have a cool breath. The car you are going for has well kept by its dealer. You may check the rear wipers and washers on SUVs, station wagons and hatchbacks.

If the car stops in between when you are taking a test derive in it, then the dealer may complaint you to have violated the equipments of the vehicle. You can escape this by prior checking that the sales person is carrying a copy of the dealer’s insurance card with him.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1422379