The recent addition of Chicago-based Boar’s Head Café to MonkeyMedia Software’s long list of clientele is a clear reflection of how technological innovation is redefining the catering services market. A rapidly evolving business vertical, suppliers of catering services are looking beyond ‘quality food’ to broaden their customer base through the use of catering software. With the education and healthcare sectors emerging as major buyers, suppliers are looking for innovative ways in which they can seamlessly reach out to consumers.
Technological Innovations in the Catering Services Market
From style of cooking, to design and layout of the equipment used, to maintaining organic relationships with buyers, the catering services market has come a long way. Advancements in technology have also enhanced the way in which this industry functions. Some of the latest technological innovations, as identified by category managers, include:
- Smart appliances
Just like our watches and mobile phones, kitchen appliances have also become ‘smart.’ Manufacturers of kitchen equipment are integrating technology with appliances to facilitate energy and cost savings. For instance: the LG Smart ThinQ cooker reduces the time taken to cook food with the help of pre-set temperatures and time frames.
- LED alert systems
LED alert systems ensure the safety of employees at the workplace by keeping track of the temperature of deep fryer oils and spilled liquids in food preparation areas. Already used by Sodexo, Sysco, and Compass Group, these systems also generate alerts for cooking different items.
- Online catering
Online catering has recently gained a lot of popularity among catering services suppliers. It provides food services for corporate events or formal gatherings through a web page or an app. Often web-based food service providers use food distribution software applications to partner with food distribution vendors for delivery service.
Procurement specialists believe that increased adoption of technological innovations will bring in more competition in the catering services market. Emerging economies like India and China, where the catering services industry is just evolving, have also adopted the technology to stay in the competition and provide better services for customers. As the governments of these nations have established stringent regulations, technological innovations make compliance far easier.
How Does Catering Software Help?
Catering software enables caterers to organize their everyday business in a systematic and efficient manner. By bringing together functionalities like invoicing, catering management, booking options, budget planning, and delivery methods. this software provides better distribution of accurate information. For instance: the MONKEY platform is a comprehensive web-based solution for takeout, delivery, and catering channels. It also provides suppliers with:
- Online/ Mobile-web/ Phone-in Ordering for Catering, Delivery, and Takeout
- Advanced Delivery Management Tools
- Integrated Accounting – House Accounts, Manage A/R, Deposits, Credits, etc.
- Enterprise Order Management – Load balancing of orders
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
The software also provides a loyalty partnership interface and analytics dashboard for better strategy building and branding purposes.
3 Leading Catering Software Companies to Watch in 2019
Catering is a critical part of organizing events, and to make sure it goes smoothly you need catering software that integrates well with event management software, payment processing systems, and accounting software. You would also need the software to allow users to create and update menus and share it on the web and through social media channels. Here are 3 catering software companies leading the way in 2019.
1. CaterTrax is an industry-leading catering management software company. Primarily serving the non-commercial foodservice industry, CaterTrax provides flexible solutions to multi-unit contractors across the United States and Canada, streamlining enterprise management for the largest managed hospitality providers in the country. Over 20,000 operators, across multiple lines of business, use CaterTrax’s TRAX Platform to manage their business.
2. Amadeus Sales & Event Management helps hospitality teams of all sizes and service levels increase group business by efficiently selling, organizing, and managing events.
3. Total Party Planner is a catering and banquet management software that helps streamline your catering operations for organized events, easy staffing, recipe scaling, and communication tracking.
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