Establish a User-Friendly Postponement Policy

In the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, it might be wise to "sell" a user-friendly postponement policy to your prospective buyers. A postponement is different than a cancellation. If you develop a fair postponement policy that clients understand, you’re likely to see fewer outright cancellations and lose less money. Clients never think that a postponement is permissible from a caterer until the caterer tells them it’s an option.

Postponements permit the client not to lose their deposit, which they tend to like. They must, however, confer with the caterer to set a new event date the caterer agrees to. When it comes to postponements, the caterer is in the driver’s seat.

Some caterers actually sell “postponement assurance” at the time of the original sale, giving the client the right to postpone the event with at least 48 hours notice. The fee charged is either a flat rate or per person. Many corporations booking for an outdoor picnic would be happy to pay an additional fee for the right to postpone if necessary.

Yes, this concept may seem negative for some caterers. So, think of it carefully before using it. My point is simply that  this is a method that has some usefulness. You can expect buyers to be concerned with this issue for a long time in the aftermath of Irene.