Selecting a Chocolate Fountain company
Members
of the Chocolate Fountain Association adhere to a common
standard of procedure, behaviour and conduct. As the industry
is relatively 'new', the standards, services and facilities
vary from (non-Association) companies.
MANY,
many organizers (brides, grooms, corporate event organizers
and the like) come to grief when their expectations and
assumptions are not met by the Chocolate Fountain company.
Here is a very 'basic' list of questions to ask a Chocolate
Fountain company. This list of questions is NOT exhaustive.
Each Chocolate Fountain function or event has similarities,
but are generally not the same.
Please
create questions that YOU need to be answered of each Chocolate
Fountain company you contact PLEASE take nothing for granted:
Questions
to ask:
Credentials
-
What
Associations and organizations do you belong to?
-
How
long have you been operating your Chocolate Fountain business?
-
Do
you have testimonials I can see or read?
- Does
your website (if you have one) provide information about
yourself and your offering?
- Are
you the preferred supplier to any hotels, venues or corporates?
If so, which?
- Does
your company have Liability Insurance?
-
Do
you charge VAT?
-
Is
VAT included in your price?
- How
much is your deposit?
- Is
the deposit refundable or non-refundable?
-
Are
there any financial penalties if I cancel your sevices?
- How
much notice do you require for me to cancel without penalties?
-
What
compensation do I get if YOU cancel or cannot make the
agreed function date?
- What
is your cancellation policy?
-
How
do you charge for a function?
- Do
you charge for overnight accommodation?
- Do
you charge for and if so, how much if my event / function
over-runs (time wise)?
Health
and Hygiene issues
- Do
you and your staff have The Basic Foundation Health Certificate?
[NOTE: ALL CFA members will and do have current BFH or higher
certificates]
- How
do you look after the health and safety issues for me and
my guests?
- Do
you and your staff wear latex catering gloves during a function?
Presentation
- Do
you and your staff wear a uniform? If so, what is it like?
- How
do you present the Chocolate Fountain?
- How
do you present the dips?
- Presentation
wise, what do you require from me? (table, table linen etc.,)
Chocolate
- What
Chocolate do you use?
- Do
I get a choice in the type of Chocolate I wish to have (plain,
milk or white)?
- Can
you provide any specialty Chocolate (coloured or flavoured)
- How
much Chocolate will you supply in total for my function/event
for the price you are quoting?
- If
we require more chocolate to be used, do you charge for
this and if so, how much?
- If
more chocolate is required, will you inform me prior to
filling the machine-up with more chocolate?
- What
do you do with the chocolate that is left over?
- Do
you re-use the Chocolate?
Timings
- For
your fee, how long will you be at the function?
- How
long have people got to dip into the fountain?
- How
much time prior to the function do you need to set-up all
your equipment?
- Do
you set-up prior to the event or during the event?
- How
long will it take for you to 'break-down' your equipment
at the end?
Space
and equipment
- How
much space will you require for your Chocolate Fountain?
- What
equipment do you provide?
- What
equipment must I provide for you? For example,
- Table
- Table
linen
- Lights
- Bins
with disposable garbage bags
- How
many power points will you need?
- Do
you require the services of the venue's kitchen?
- Is
your equipment PAT tested? (note: this is not required by
all venues)
The
Chocolate Fountain
- What
is the size of the Chocolate Fountain you will be providing?
- Will
the fountain be manned (attended to) thoughout the function
or will you assemble the Chocolate Fountain and leave me
and my guests to enjoy it by ourselves?
- What
materials do you supply for me and my guests to dip into
the Fountain (skewers, napkins etc.,)? How many of each
do you supply?
- Do
you light-up the Chocolate Fountain? If so, how?
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