Elegant Events Catering
Scaling from 20 to 150+ Events Per Year
Revenue Increase
Saved Per Week
Growth in 2 Years
About Elegant Events
Founded in 2015, Elegant Events Catering quickly established itself as one of San Francisco's premier catering companies, specializing in high-end weddings and corporate events. Known for their attention to detail and exceptional service, they built a reputation for excellence but struggled with operational efficiency as they scaled.
By 2021, the company was handling 20-25 events per month but found themselves spending more time on administrative tasks than on what they loved—creating memorable culinary experiences.
The Challenge
Growing Pains
As Elegant Events grew, their manual processes became bottlenecks. The team was using spreadsheets, email threads, and paper checklists to manage events, inventory, and staff assignments.
- Quote generation took 2-3 hours per event, manually calculating costs and pricing
- Inventory tracking was error-prone, leading to last-minute purchases and waste
- Staff scheduling conflicts occurred frequently, requiring constant manual coordination
- Financial tracking was fragmented, making it difficult to understand profitability per event
- Client communication was scattered across email threads, leading to missed details
"We were drowning in spreadsheets and email threads. Something had to change."
— Sarah Chen, Owner
"We were spending more time on paperwork than on creating amazing events."
— Michael Rodriguez, Operations Manager
The Solution
Implementing CaterOne
In early 2022, Elegant Events implemented CaterOne's Operations plan. The transition was smooth, with their team fully onboarded within two weeks. They immediately began using the platform for quote generation, event management, and inventory tracking.
Smart Quote Builder
Quote generation time reduced from 2-3 hours to 30 minutes. Templates and packages accelerated the process significantly.
Inventory Management
Real-time inventory tracking eliminated stockouts. Auto-reorder alerts prevented last-minute rushes and reduced waste by 35%.
Staff Scheduling
Smart staff recommendations and availability tracking eliminated scheduling conflicts. Labor costs optimized by 20%.
Key Features Used
- Smart Quote Builder
- Recurring events for regular corporate clients
- Financial dashboard for profit tracking
- Calendar views for event planning
- CSV export for accounting integration
The Results
Quantifiable Impact
From $1.2M to $1.68M annually. Faster quote turnaround and better client management led to more bookings.
Time previously spent on manual tasks now dedicated to business development and client relationships.
From 20 events per month to 150+ events per year. Scalable operations enabled sustainable growth.
Better inventory planning and tracking eliminated over-ordering and reduced food waste significantly.
Operational Improvements
Quote Time Reduced by 75%
From 2-3 hours to 30 minutes per quote
Zero Scheduling Conflicts
Smart recommendations eliminated double-bookings
Real-Time Profit Tracking
Know profitability of every event instantly
Improved Client Satisfaction
Faster responses and better communication
Before & After Comparison
| Metric | Before | After | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quote Generation Time | 2-3 hours | 30 minutes | 75% faster |
| Events Per Year | 240 | 150+ | 7x growth |
| Inventory Waste | 15% | 9.75% | 35% reduction |
| Staff Scheduling Conflicts | 3-5 per month | 0 | 100% eliminated |
| Time on Admin Tasks | 25 hrs/week | 10 hrs/week | 15 hrs saved |
| Average Profit Margin | 18% | 24% | +6 percentage points |
"CaterOne transformed our business. We went from struggling to keep up with 20 events a month to confidently handling 150+ events per year. The time savings alone paid for the platform in the first month."
Sarah Chen
Owner, Elegant Events Catering
CaterOne in Action
Smart Quote Builder
Reduced quote time from 2-3 hours to 30 minutes
Calendar View
Visual planning for 150+ events per year
Financial Dashboard
Real-time profit tracking and analytics
Staff Scheduling
Zero conflicts with smart recommendations
Ready to Transform Your Business?
Join Elegant Events and hundreds of other catering businesses using CaterOne to scale their operations.