The after-event follow-up call: how to get reviews and repeat bookings

Call the client 1–3 days after the event and ask five short questions: you'll get honest feedback, a review and a reason for the next booking. Repeat clients and their referrals are a caterer's cheapest source of work, and almost all of them start with this five-minute call.

When should you call after the event?

Call 1–3 days afterwards. On the first day the client is still recovering; after two weeks the details are gone and the call feels like a formality.

If the booking came through a partner, talk to them first. See working with agencies and venues.

What to ask: a follow-up call script

The call takes 5–7 minutes and follows a five-step script. Write the answers straight into the event record.

1. Thank them. "Hello Anna, it's Maris from the bar. I wanted to say thank you for Saturday — we really enjoyed working at your wedding."
2. Open question. "How did it go for you? What did the guests like most?" Let them talk; don't interrupt.
3. What to improve. "Was there anything we could have done better?" This is the most important question. If they say "no, it was perfect", prompt: "Maybe the queue at the bar, timing of service, the cocktail choice?"
4. Review. "Reviews really help us. If you don't mind, I'll send you a link — it takes a minute."
5. Next time. "If you're planning an anniversary or a party for friends, we'd love to help. May I get in touch closer to the date?"

If the third question brings a complaint, don't argue or make excuses on the phone. Say: "Thank you for telling me. I'll look into it and get back to you by Friday." Then do.

How to collect reviews on Google and Facebook

Reviews happen when you ask personally and send a direct link straight away. "Leave us a review somewhere" almost never works.

How to do it:

• Direct link. Google Business Profile has an "Ask for reviews" button with a short link — save it in your template. For Facebook, link to the recommendations section of your page.
• Message straight after the call, while the conversation is fresh.
• One channel. Don't ask for a review on both Google and Facebook. Pick the one where people find you most — for most caterers that's Google.
• One reminder. If there's no review after 5–7 days, remind once and then leave it.
• Reply to every review within 1–2 days, and to negative ones calmly and to the point.

Message template after the call:

Hello Anna, thank you for the chat and the kind words. Here's the review link if you have a minute: [link]. I've also attached some photos our team took at your evening.

What to do with event photos

Photos are both a gift to the client and sales material. Ask the bartender or shift lead to take 10–15 photos of the bar and service before guests arrive and 5–10 during service, without close-ups of guests.

• Send the client the best 5–10 photos with your review message.
• Ask the client or their photographer for 3–5 professional photos, with permission to use them on your website and social media.
• Ask for consent before posting photos of guests. If in doubt, post the bar, drinks and décor without faces.

How to get repeat catering bookings

A repeat booking starts with noting the reason for the next event. During the call, write in the client record what might happen again and when.

Template for an annual company event:

Hello Ilze, last December we ran the bar at your Christmas party for 120 guests. December dates are starting to go — we're holding 12 and 19 December for you until the end of the month. Shall I send a quote based on last year's format?

Satisfied corporate clients often rebook year after year, as long as you remind them in good time and with a specific date.

Final invoice and incidents: what to settle on the same call

Settle every financial or disputed point within a week of the event, while everyone remembers the details. Leave it a month and any question turns into an argument.

• Final invoice. If the event ran an hour over or there were more guests than quoted, say so on the call and send the final invoice the same day. A surprise extra charge spoils the memory of a good evening.
• Breakages and losses. If guests broke 20 glasses or venue equipment went missing, report it with photos and an amount, not a single line on the invoice. For tracking returns, see pick lists and inventory.
• Incidents. Late arrival, running out of ice, a run-in with a guest — mention it yourself before the client asks, and say what you've changed.

How this works in Garnify

In Garnify each event has a timeline where the team posts photo reports from the shift, and after the return check you can see whether everything came back. Notes from the call and the reason for the next booking sit on the client record, where the whole team can see them. More at garnify.com/en.