How do I keep my catering clients when my daughter takes over?
Introduce her to your key clients early and let them see her lead real events while you are still there. Pass relationships over one at a time, write down what each client expects, and give clients a reason to trust her judgement. Clients stay with someone they have watched deliver.
Clients book catering because of trust, and trust moves slowly. Make a list of your best repeat clients, and note what each values: a favourite dish, a punctual crew, a calm approach to last-minute changes. Share that list with your daughter and talk through the history behind each one, including past problems. She should know the story before she walks in.
Next, hand over relationships in stages. Begin by bringing her to meetings, then let her lead tastings and planning calls while you stay in the background. Let her run an event from start to finish with you watching. Tell clients in your own words that she is taking over, and say what will stay the same. Avoid changing menus or prices for the first stretch.
Also plan your own role. Decide how long you will be available and for what. Keep an eye on the clients who are most attached to you personally, and visit them yourself. Get a good record of contracts, dates and deposits. Your lawyer and accountant can help set out the ownership arrangements, so the family plan is clear to everyone, including the clients who ask. Be patient; a client’s first event under new leadership matters most.
Key takeaways
- Share each key client’s history and preferences with her before introductions.
- Hand over in stages: meetings, then tastings, then full events.
- Visit the clients most attached to you yourself, and keep records tidy.
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat is succession planning?
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentAdvice for succession planning - Articles and tools
- 03Canadian Federation of Independent BusinessResearch dataSuccession Tsunami: Preparing for a decade of small business transitions
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