As I had mentioned previously, you can always pinpoint your busiest January day ahead of time by simply looking at the calendar. One year, on our busiest holiday party day—January 3rd—it decided to snow 12 inches.
Quick recovery
In Boston, we are used to snow and even if it snows a foot overnight, the plows will be out and streets will be somewhat passable the next morning. This time, however, the snow started at 4:00 a.m. and was peaking at 11:00 a.m., just when we had to get all of the food out.
I had let my staff know that even though bad weather was on the way, our customers would still want their food—and I was right, as we received four or five calls confirming that not only was our food still needed, it was expected to be delivered on time. We were fine in the kitchen, we were able to start our four GMC Suburbans, we were able to load up, but it took four of us to push the loaded trucks through two-foot snowdrifts and get them on their way.
A different business
If ever we wished that we were office workers in a nice warm building it was on that day. And yes, we got the food out, the customers were happy and we got paid. Not delivering the food was absolutely not an option, so we fought through the adverse conditions.
Amazingly, a major snowstorm on our busiest January day has happened only once in 15 years but that hasn’t stop me from paying close attention to the weather again however, beginning on the first of every year.
Cold
This year it looks like there are still major cold temperatures coming to a great portion of the country. If you need help with strategies to get your orders out during stressful times like these, feel free to contact us at The Corporate Caterer. As you can see, we’ve been there and are here to help you!
Editor’s note: Michael Rosman and Michael Attias will be conducting an interactive half-day seminar, “All Things Corporate Drop-off Catering” on March 15, 2017 at Catersource in New Orleans. The session is included in the purchase of a Catersource all access pass, or can be purchased separately as a one-off. For more information, visit http://schedule.catersource.com/track/all-things-corporate-drop-off-catering
If you would like to contact Michael Rosman directly about his consulting and coaching services, you may call him at 781-641-3303, email him at [email protected] and visit his membership website www.TheCorporateCaterer.com. Michael is a regular contributor to the Catersource.com website, and also has published two books which are available for purchase at www.catersource.com/catersource-store
