Sometimes, a plastic basket can teach you a business lesson.
This Monday, I was sitting in an office without a kitchen when a lady walked in carrying one. Inside were tea, mandazi and sausage. What looked like an ordinary office tea break got me thinking about event catering services in Kenya, outsourcing and the customer experience.
It Started With Tea
We don’t have a kitchen in this office. So, once in a while, we have tea, perhaps with a mandazi and sausage, courtesy of the manager.
On this particular day, the manager called a hotel and placed an order. Before long, a lady arrived wearing an apron and carrying a plastic basket. She delivered the tea and food, then left. Later, she would return for her items, while the manager settled the bill through M-Pesa.
It was a simple arrangement.
However, look at what had happened.
Nobody in our office had to go shopping. No one had to prepare the tea or organise the mandazi and sausage. Instead, another business handled that part of the job for us.
That is outsourcing.
And as I watched this simple arrangement, my mind moved from our office tea to weddings and other events.
From Calling the Village Mamas to Event Catering Services in Kenya
Think about how we used to organise food for events.
You needed people to cook?
Call the village mamas.
Perhaps you needed people to serve food as well. In that case, you asked relatives and friends.
What about someone to help in the kitchen? More phone calls followed.
And sometimes, it wasn’t even that simple.
You had to beg somebody to come and help.
After all, this was a family event. Surely your relatives and friends could contribute their time.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, one of the beautiful things about Kenyan celebrations is the community aspect. People come together, contribute money, cook, serve, decorate, clean and celebrate.
But then comes the balancing act.
You have asked Auntie A to help, but Auntie B is wondering:
“Hata hakuniita nimsaidie?”
She didn’t even call me to help?
Now you are not only organising an event. You are also managing family expectations.
You are trying to make sure everyone feels included. At the same time, you are dividing responsibilities, coordinating people and trying not to offend anyone.
Somewhere in all of this, you are also supposed to enjoy your own event.
That is a lot.
Do We Really Have to Do Everything Ourselves?
This is where outsourcing becomes interesting.
Imagine you are organising a wedding.
You need food for 300 people.
Do you want to spend the days before the wedding asking:
Who is going to cook?
Who will serve?
Who will supervise the kitchen?
Who will buy the ingredients?
Who will make sure there is enough food?
Who will wash the utensils?
Who will make sure everything is ready at the agreed time?
You could, of course.
But you could also say:
Here are my specifications. This is the number of guests. This is the menu. This is when I need everything ready.
Then you hand that responsibility to a professional catering company.
That is the beauty of event catering services in Kenya.
You are not necessarily paying someone simply to cook.
You are paying someone to take responsibility for a part of the event.
You Are Not Just Buying Food — You Are Buying Relief
This is where my customer-service brain kicks in.
When someone hires a professional caterer, they are not simply buying food.
They are buying relief.
They are buying convenience.
They are buying expertise.
They are buying time.
Most importantly, they are buying the confidence that someone else understands the assignment.
For example, a caterer may be responsible for menu planning, quantities, food preparation, staff, equipment, setup, serving and clearing up. Some Kenyan outside-catering providers already package several of these services together. Outside catering services in KenyaLikewise, some event companies combine catering with décor, tents, chairs, transport and other event services. AwayHome Events
That changes the experience for the person organising the event.
Instead of coordinating ten different people, they can give a professional a clear brief and allow them to handle their area of responsibility.
That is not just convenience. That is customer experience.
What the Bride Remembers
I have watched wedding shows where the bride or groom is interviewed after the wedding.
Their comments always make me think about customer experience.
“Oh, the food was enough.”
That sounds simple.
But think about what had to happen behind the scenes for the bride to say that.
The caterer had to understand the number of guests.
The quantities had to be right.
The food had to be prepared.
The guests had to be served.
The timing had to work.
And nobody had to stand at the back wondering whether the food would run out.
Now imagine hearing:
“The food was not enough.”
That is a completely different experience.
Then there is:
“The cake was not what we had agreed on.”
Maybe there is a beautiful cake sitting in front of them. Perhaps it even tastes wonderful.
But if it isn’t what the customer ordered, something has gone wrong.
The product was delivered.
The expectation was not.
And then you hear:
“The food was late.”
Again, the issue is not simply food.
It is timing.
The customer had an expectation, and the service did not meet it.
When the Customer Says, “The Décor Was Top Notch”
Thankfully, there are also those wonderful moments.
“The décor was top notch!”
Now we are talking about a successful customer experience.
Perhaps the decorator listened carefully.
Maybe the colours were exactly what the customer requested. The setup could have been completed on time, and the finished space looked even better than the customer imagined.
Then comes:
“The MC did a marvelous job.”
“The entertainment was fantastic.”
Look at what is happening.
The customer is evaluating the entire experience.
Not just one product.
Not just one service.
The caterer, decorator, MC, DJ, photographer, tent provider, transport provider, venue, makeup artist and florist all contribute to the experience of that wedding.
Every one of them has a customer.
Therefore, every one of them has an opportunity to make that customer’s day easier—or more stressful.
Outsourcing Does Not Remove Customer Expectations
Now, here is the part businesses need to understand.
When you outsource a service, the customer does not outsource their expectations.
They still expect what was promised.
So, if a caterer says food will be ready at 1 p.m., the customer expects food at 1 p.m.
If a baker agrees to a particular design, the customer expects that design.
When a decorator agrees on certain colours and a particular setup, that is what the customer expects to see.
Outsourcing moves responsibility for delivery to another person or company. It does not remove accountability.
That is why communication matters so much.
Before the event, both sides need to be clear about what is being provided, when it will be delivered, how much it will cost and what happens if something changes.
In fact, the customer’s experience often begins long before the actual event.
It begins with the first phone call.
How quickly did you respond?
Did you listen?
Did you understand what the customer wanted?
Was your quotation clear?
Did you explain what was included?
Did you keep your word?
These things matter.
I explored a similar idea in my post on Social Media Customer Service
, because customer experience does not stop at the physical counter. It follows us into our phones, social media pages and every other place where customers interact with a business.
What I Like About Outsourcing
Personally, I find this whole idea of outsourcing such a relief.
Imagine being the bride.
Your wedding day has finally arrived.
The guests are there.
The MC is doing his job.
The music is playing.
The décor looks beautiful.
Then it is time for lunch.
Instead of running to the kitchen, you sit with your guests.
The caterers know what they are doing.
The food is enough.
It is what you ordered.
It arrives on time.
The servers are professional.
You don’t have to call your cousin.
You don’t have to look for your aunt.
You don’t have to beg someone to come and help.
You can actually enjoy your own wedding.
That, to me, is the real value of outsourcing.
There Is Still a Place for Family and Friends
Of course, I am not suggesting that every event should become completely professionalised.
There is something special about family and friends showing up for one another.
Sometimes Auntie makes the best chapatis.
Someone’s cousin is an amazing MC.
Your neighbour knows exactly how to decorate.
Your friends may be the best people to help you welcome guests.
Community still matters.
However, perhaps we don’t have to put every responsibility on the people we love.
There are some things we can outsource while allowing family and friends to simply be guests and celebrate with us.
After all, Auntie might actually prefer eating the food to spending six hours in the kitchen preparing it!
And maybe that cousin who was worried, “Hata hakuniita nimsaidie?”, can finally attend the wedding without being assigned a task.
My Monday Field Note 6
So this week, a plastic basket of tea has made me think about something much bigger.
We live in a time when many things can be outsourced.
A simple office tea order can be outsourced.
Event catering can be outsourced.
Décor can be outsourced.
Entertainment can be outsourced.
Transport can be outsourced.
And when done well, outsourcing can save customers time, reduce stress and bring professional expertise into an event.
For businesses, however, there is a bigger lesson.
When someone entrusts you with part of their event, they are also entrusting you with part of their customer experience.
Don’t just deliver the food.
Deliver it on time.
Don’t just make the cake.
Make the cake that was ordered.
Don’t just decorate.
Listen to the customer’s vision.
Don’t just show up as the MC.
Help make the occasion memorable.
Don’t just provide entertainment.
Remember that you are part of someone’s special day.
Because behind every service is a customer with expectations.
And sometimes, behind something as ordinary as a basket of tea, there is an entire lesson in business.
That is my Monday Field Note 6.
Your turn
What have you outsourced in your business, event or everyday life that has made things easier?
And if you run an event-services business, what do you think customers value most: the product, convenience, reliability or professionalism?
Tell me in the comments. I’d love to hear from you.