The Job Description of a Catering Sales Assistant

Catering companies provide services for weddings, funerals and other social events.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports food service openings to be abundant at least through the year 2018 and while traditional food service workers earn an average of $7 to $10 an hour, catering professionals can expect an average of $30,000 to $40,000 per year. Since catering deals with food service in a more personalized manner than restaurant food service, the catering sales assistant is responsible for orchestrating the majority of the personalized service offered to catering clients.

Finding Clients

The catering sales assistant makes calls and takes meeting to gain new business. business woman image by Kurhan from Fotolia.com

One of the most important tasks of a catering sales assistant is to find new clients. Catering tends to be a seasonal business serving gatherings, parties and events. Until a reputation is established and business comes in automatically, it is the job of the sales team to drive business in to the company. A sales assistant may make calls to event centers and hotels, meet with party planners and market the services of the catering company in an effort to gain new business.

Client Consultation

Initial client consultations are often spear-headed by the sales assistant. place setting image by robert lerich from Fotolia.com

At the start of every event, be it a wedding, holiday party or bar mitzvah, the clients will typically sit down with the caterer to discuss and plan an appropriate menu. While the head chef or owner of the catering company should be in attendance to discuss and notate the possibilities for food preparation, the catering sales assistant is typically required to be present as well. The sales assistant acts as the liaison between the client and the food preparation team throughout every stage of the event.

Sales Proposal

A proposal for the event will be presented to clients by the sales assistant. sales manager checking the sales image by Peter Baxter from Fotolia.com

Following an initial consultation with the client to determine what needs and desires the client has for the event, the sales assistant would be responsible for generating an event proposal. The sales assistant and the head chef or catering manager will discuss the menu options and determine the services which can be offered as well as an appropriate cost breakdown of food supplies, preparation and serving. The sales assistant will generate a proposal for the event and present it to the client in person or by phone, providing details of how the event will be catered and what the overall costs will be.

Billing

A sales assistant might maintain the billing and payments for each customer account. payslip image by Christopher Hall from Fotolia.com

Following acceptance of a proposal, the sales assistant will generally provide an event contract for a client's signature and collect a deposit to secure the catering company's services for the intended date. The catering sales assistant may work alone or with a bookkeeping representative of the catering company to maintain a record of all costs associated with an event as well as all payments received or outstanding.

Event Assistance

The sales assistant may be present to ensure the event runs smoothly. The blue dinner service with a candlestick image by Arkady Chubykin from Fotolia.com

The catering sales assistant may also be on hand at the event itself and may provide help and guidance as to where food items should be placed and when they are to be served. The sales assistant would check in with the client throughout the event to ensure all established terms are being met to the client's satisfaction.

References

• Silver Cloud Inns and Hotels: Job Descriptions
• Careers.org: Career Occupational Profile for: Catering Assistant
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Food and Beverage Serving and Related Workers
• Payscale: Salary Survey for Industry: Catering