Oklahoma Joe’s, a renowned name in the world of barbecue with locations in Oklahoma and Nebraska, faced significant challenges in the early days of its catering operations. Despite an impressive leap from zero to seven figures in catering during their first year, they grappled with an inefficient, manual system that stifled growth and productivity.
It was the discovery of CaterZen, an all-in-one catering software, that set them on the path to operational efficiency, customer management prowess, and an extraordinary return on investment. This is their success story.
Fanning the Flames: Oklahoma Joe's Initial Struggles
Before the adoption of CaterZen, Oklahoma Joe's catering business relied heavily on rudimentary tools. The team managed orders, invoices, and kitchen reports via scratch pads and Excel spreadsheets. This manual system was not only time-consuming but also failed to efficiently scale when the business boomed from zero to seven figures within the first year of opening.
A solution was urgently needed to streamline operations and allow the team to focus more on selling and delivering caterings, rather than logistics.
"The return on investment is tremendous. I wouldn't have stuck with this program for nearly a decade if I wasn't happy. So I can tell you 100% that CaterZen is a great program. It fulfills all our needs, and it probably will yours, too."
Joe Davidson, Founder, Oklahoma Joe's
Turning up the Heat: Finding CaterZen
Oklahoma Joe's discovered CaterZen completely by accident during a sponsored talk at the Oklahoma Restaurant Association, which the restaurant is a member of. Joe Davidson, the founder of Oklahoma Joe's, was instantly intrigued by CaterZen's offerings and decided to try it for his burgeoning catering business.
CaterZen proved to be an innovative, all-in-one catering software that significantly transformed Oklahoma Joe's operations. Two main features particularly stood out to Joe and his team:
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Logistical management: The software could automatically generate invoices, send them to customers for verification, and produce detailed kitchen reports. These reports played a pivotal role in managing food costs as they provided precise data on the quantity of product to be sent out with each order. The team could finally abandon guesswork and ensure 100% of dispatched product was sold.
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Customer management: CaterZen provided insights into customer behaviors, highlighting top customers and identifying those who hadn't placed orders within the last 30 days. This information served as a reminder to reach out and re-engage customers, sustaining a consistent stream of business.
From the Grill to the Till: Savoring the Success with CaterZen
Despite not fully leveraging all of CaterZen’s features, Oklahoma Joe's has experienced immense benefits from the software. It freed up the team from manually generating invoices, handwriting kitchen reports, and tracking customer orders, allowing them to focus on their primary goal: selling and delivering delicious food.
CaterZen's transformative impact on Oklahoma Joe's illustrates the software's potential for other food service businesses. With nearly a decade of successful use, Joe's endorsement speaks volumes about CaterZen's reliability, efficiency, and undeniable return on investment. The journey of Oklahoma Joe's serves as a compelling testament to CaterZen's capacity to propel a business forward, streamline operations, and make a remarkable difference in day-to-day productivity.
Grow Your Catering Sales with CaterZen
If you'd like to see similar results, take the software for a spin by signing up for a free 30-day trial, or schedule a free "Non-Demo" Demo with our team, who can help you to uncover how our software can benefit your specific business' needs.
Also, check out more client testimonials and case studies to hear directly from clients about how CaterZen has changed the trajectory of their restaurants and catering businesses.
