Wolfgang Puck Catering perfects catering processes with Dropbox for Business

Wolfgang Puck is more than just a renowned chef — he has built a culinary empire. After successfully launching Spago, Chinois, and Postrio restaurants, he launched Wolfgang Puck Catering, aiming to provide a restaurant-like experience at major events, venues, awards ceremonies, presidential galas, and fundraisers around the world.

But for the Wolfgang Puck Catering team, food preparation is only part of the job. In fact, before food service even begins, a number of things happen behind the scenes: the catering group has to meet with clients, coordinate menus, and exchange multiple rounds of information with both current and prospective customers. Initially, the Wolfgang Puck Catering team used email to share information with clients; however, they soon discovered that venue and food photographs were often too large to send over email.

Without a compelling alternative, the team had to direct clients to existing images on the Wolfgang Puck website. The team also had trouble accessing the information they needed, because most company files were stored exclusively on computers in the company’s main office — leaving them unavailable when team members were off-site with clients.

Because a number of Wolfgang Puck’s chefs were already using Dropbox to share recipes, transitioning to a company-wide file sharing solution seemed like a natural fit. “Moving to Dropbox for Business was a no-brainer for us,” said Pamela Brunson, Senior Vice Present of Marketing and Development at Wolfgang Puck. “It was very intuitive and easy to set up.”

"Now everyone has access to everything, and no one is stuck waiting on other people to provide updated information. Dropbox for Business really­ helps us move our projects — and our business — forward at a faster pace." - Pamela Brunson, Senior Vice Present of Marketing and Development at Wolfgang Puck

Now, Wolfgang Puck Catering uses Dropbox for Business every step of the way, from menu and event planning to client sales — and they've seen a boost in productivity throughout the company. The operations team, for example, uses Dropbox to store status updates, so everyone can easily access project information during weekly conference calls. “Dropbox for Business has completely improved our internal communication,” said Brunson. “It lets us easily distribute information and it helps keep everyone accountable for their ends of business.”

Dropbox for Business has also helped the sales team operate more efficiently. As Brunson attests, “If we are working with a client who does business in multiple markets, and they want to talk about one event in Atlanta and another in San Francisco, the planner can show them venues in both places, because everything they need is in Dropbox for Business. It really allows us to provide a higher level of service and help clients find solutions faster.” And when it comes to Wolfgang Puck’s on-the-go catering team, the Dropbox mobile application has revolutionized the way the team works.

Now, when the catering planners are on site with clients, they can quickly pull up information and sample photos for clients in a matter of seconds. “Our planners aren’t necessarily sitting at a desk with customers,” explained Brunson. “We might be at a museum or presentation room or in the middle of a parking lot where we’re going to set up a tent. Dropbox for Business lets us take our files with us wherever we go and provide visual cues as needed.” Whether it’s for determining food presentation and menu details, drafting new business proposals, or distributing information on new location openings, Dropbox for Business is a critical part of the decision-making and idea execution process at Wolfgang Puck Catering.

“Now everyone has access to everything, and no one is stuck waiting on other people to provide updated information," said Brunson. "Dropbox for Business really­ helps us move our projects — and our business — forward at a faster pace.”

To see how Dropbox for Business can help your team move faster, try it free.