Vmeals Daily Dish

Good Things for Great Houston Vmeals Customers

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:07:00 +0000

Vmeals is pleased to announce a great new catering partner in the Houston metro area: Abdallah's Bakery and Lebanese Restaurant.

Abdallah's bakery serves the most delicious,healthy,and truly authentic Lebanese food in Houston. They stay faithful to quality and superior service for their customers.

Be sure to check out the Abdallah's bakery menu for your next event.

But wait...there's more! We have another deal just for Houston Vmeals customers: Sushi King is offering a FREE Boxed Lunch for person who places the order! Hey, you deserve a little something too!

Tip Tuesday: Email-a-Menu,The Right Way to Multi-Task

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

From the archives: This is an encore presentation of our post on email-a-menu, another great, but often overlooked Vmeals feature.

One of the nice, but little known features of Vmeals ordering application is the email a menu feature. You might blow past it at first, but this path can be very helpful if you are planning a meeting for which you would like to invite guests, take their lunch order and track their RSVPs all from your desk top.

Here's how it works: When you begin an order, enter the location, date, and time of your event. Before you move on, be sure to select the "yes" button next to "Invite Guests via email?".

From here, you go on to the choose the menu and even the menu items from which you wish your guests to choose. You may present a menu in its entirety or limit selctions, making prices visible or not to your guests.

Once you have made your selections, you will be able to enter (and store for future use) the email addresses of your guests. Your guests will receive an email with a link to your customized menu. They will be able to either send their regrets or make their meal selection, adding their name and any special instructions, as needed.

As the event organizer, you will be able to keep track of who has responded, who needs a reminder, and when the order needs to be completed. (Yes, you may have to choose for someone - there's always somebody who can't get their order in on time.)

Our Customer Sevice team will help make sure your order is completed in time to meet the restaurant's lead time, and from there we will do all those things we do to assure your order is confirmed and arrives on time, just the way you expect it.

Monday Motivation Quote of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

"Work spares us from three evils: boredom, vice, and need." ~Voltaire

Yes, it's Monday again. Back to the grind.

Work can be fulfilling, satisfying, purposeful, and sometimes it can just be work. But consider the alternative: aimless days watching Real Housewives marathons, draining another box of wine, watching the unpaid bills pile up.

So show Monday morning some love and send up a little gratitude for work today.

Save or Toss? Taming the Paper Monster

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:02:00 +0000

From the archives: This article was originally posted 1.24.11.
January is often the trigger for fresh resolve to get organized. I spent most of New Year's day driving my new vacuum cleaner and diving into cluttered closets. Do I know how to celebrate or what?

My resolution? Not become a reality TV star featured on Cops, SuperNanny or Hoarders.

Clutter kills.

My biggest challenge (and I know I'm not alone) is managing the paper. No matter how much I try to digitize my life, paper continues to stream in and accumulate like snow drifts. I want to be responsible and prepared, so I find myself agonizing over what to save, file or toss - so I ignore and pile instead.

As W2s and other tax documents begin to appear in my mailbox, it's time to review my strategy for staying on top of paper clutter - just in time for tax season!

Paper management should be a routine task on a schedule appropriate to your situation. For example, most businesses have daily SOPs to deal with receivables, payables, and all other sorts of documentation. Personally, a weekly sorting of the contents of my purse and mailbox is usually sufficient to keep a handle on things.

Here are just a couple of tips for dealing with receipts (of which I now have scads from Christmas shopping).

My general rule of thumb: keep anything that you may reference on a tax return, receipts for items under warranty, anything to be reimbursed, and proof of payment.

I tuck anything that I think may be relevant to my tax returns in a big brown envelope labeled: Tax 20XX. I have everything handy come tax time, and anything it turns out I don't need, I can discard.
For big (or medium) ticket items under warranty, I've found the easiest thing to do is attach the receipt to the product paperwork. Sometimes there's so much paper in the box, I just throw all of it - the owners manuals/assembly instructions/warranty info - in a zip lock bag with the receipt. It all goes in a "product info" file. Since we seem to accumulate more of these at Christmas time, I've even put a whole season's worth of new product info all in one bag, with a label on the bag listing the items referenced within.
Receipts for reimbursement usually go in my wallet until I request reimbursement. Makes sense, right? It always feels like found money when I get it back. (I know, completely irrational.)
Everything else just hangs around long enough to be validated against a bill or statement, then assuming there are no discrepancies, it's headed for the trash.
Go as paperless as possible. Obviously, the contents of my purse belie this maxim, but receipts are about all the paper I handle anymore, and for a very limited time. I get most of my bills and manage most of my accounts and banking online. Once I've seen a transaction posted, then I ditch the receipts. I know I can retrieve that info if I need it in the future, and I'm not moving piles of paper around for eternity (or until the statute of limitations runs out).

Vmeals keeps receipts for all your orders for all eternity. What restaurant is going to do that for you? When you need a receipt for your expense report, all you need to do is log in to your account, click on your order detail and print your receipt. No digging required. (Hey, you knew a Vmeals plug was coming.)

So what are some of your best tips for keeping the paper monster tamed? I'd love to hear them.

Tip Tuesday: 3 Steps to Improve Your Productivity

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

I fancy myself a woman who can get things done. (This may be delusion, but for the sake of this post, let's just go with it.) Sometimes I find it remarkable that I get things done because I am not naturally organized, but just like people with dyslexia can learn to read and excel academically, those of us who were born with, ahem, a free spirit, can learn to be productive and appear all orderly and disciplined-like.

Step 1- The List

The most common tactic for getting it together, keeping it together, and getting things done is the list. We looove making lists. I need constant reminders and visual cues. I don't know if this is a product of age, hormones, over-commitment or inhabiting a world of 24/7 plugged-in, connected, information overload. I'll go with the latter.

At any rate, the list is only step one. I start my day making lists, but more importantly, I keep a notebook handy at all times. Important to-do items often occur to me while I'm in the shower, walking the dog, or driving. I try to catch all those random thoughts so I can return to them later and get on with my life.

Step 2-Prioritize

If you don't give a little thought to what's most important, your list becomes a way to game your own productivity. You cross things off and feel faux accomplishment. I've even written down to-do list items I've already done, just so I can cross them off.

Some suggest you hit your high priority items first thing, other say knock out a few easy items for the quick win. I say, tackle your priorities when you are at your best. you know when that is. The key is to schedule the time and just do it. Starting is always the hardest part. So set aside some protected, uninterrupted time for the important stuff every day.

Step 3 - Put up Some Guardrails
Guardrails are designed to keep you from running off the road, so for me these look like deadlines and accountability. Write things down, schedule blocks of time for certain important but routine activities, and tell someone about that thing you want to get done. It's amazing what a little grown up peer pressure can do for you.

So what about you? How do you stay productive?

Monday Motivation Quote of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

"If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much." ~Jim Rohn

The idea here isn't simply about making your own way, but taking initiative. Have you ever blamed someone else for your own lack of knowledge, skills or direction? Well, whoever that someone is, you can bet they aren't thinking about you and your needs nearly as much as you are, so don't wait.

Be curious. Be ambitious. Be bold.

Tip Tuesday: Fast Gets Faster

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

There is a comedian I love who does a bit on Taco Bell Express - like how much faster does Taco Bell need to be? I want a taco - NOOOOOW!

Vmeals makes ordering quick and easy, so how much easier can we make it? In our most recent survey, a few frequent users left comments to this effect: I wish there was a way to remember what I ordered or where I ordered from last time.

Good news! This function is available, but maybe you just weren’t quite sure where to look or how it works.One of the advantages of using Vmeals is that you have access to you order history for eternity. (I don't know if that is true, strictly speaking, but it's there for the foreseeable future.)

Simply go to My Account and you will see all your Upcoming Orders. Below that you will see your Order History. If you have too many to see in this view, click on View All Order History to find the order you're looking for. Click on the order ID number to see the details of any order.

Notice next to each order you can either mark it as a favorite, making it easy to find and repeat a great meal, and you can duplicate an order.

When you click on duplicate, you will find yourself back in the order process with all your previous selections pre-populated. You only need to update event details. (Keep in mind that changing the date and time of an order may impact the availability of that particular menu.)

You will also have the opportunity to make any other changes you wish. Don't worry, your credit card won't get charged until you have completed your order, selected and confirmed how you wish to pay.

See? It really is easy to order, eat and repeat!

Got questions or comments? Lay 'em on us!

Monday Motivation Quote of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

"All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence." ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

We honor the life of Dr. King today. Whether you are at work, enjoying a day off, or participating in a day of service, we can all emulate the dignity, passion and excellence of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s work.

Restaurant Review: Vocelli's Delivers to Vmeals

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:49:00 +0000

I'm pushing aside my planned post for the day to bring you a real live restaurant review. We had a meeting scheduled with some business associates today, and they treated us to lunch, ordering through Vmeals, of course!

The food came from a restaurant partner that I have never tried before: Vocelli's Pizza. I like pizza, but I don't get too worked up about it because a pizza's a pizza right? (OK, I know that's not true - you pizza afficianados just settle down out there.) So I usually stick to the same old same old.

The meeting organizer chose Vocelli's and used email-a-menu. He modified the menu so that we had only individual boxed lunches from which to choose. There were panini, stromboli, or salad options. Narrowing the menu made it easy for guests to make a choice and RSVP in a timely fashion.

I am happy to say that our delivery arrived right on time. About half of us ordered paninis and the other half ordered strombolis. I had the club panini. It had the usual line up of turkey, ham, bacon, lettuce tomato, and onions - like any good Italian offering, included creamy mozzarella cheese. It was all piled on a sub roll and presumably pressed on a hot panini press. My sandwich was still warm when it got to me, and it was delicious!

The talk of the room, however, was the stromboli. They were huge! Stuffed with various meats and more of that creamy mozzarella and pizza toppings, they were large enough to feed the family for dinner. The men at the table did an admirable job of consuming them. I didn't taste any, but they met with hearty approval all around.

Dramatic recreation of today's stromboli.

All the lunches included drinks, but the paninis came with a cannoli. No matter how full I am (and trust me, I was full) there's always a little dessert space. I don' think I've ever had a cannoli before, but I think I made a spectacle of myself as I mooned and fawned over mine. Everyone else at the table quietly slid their's in my direction. The flaky pastry, the delicious filling with chocolate chips, and the gentle infusion of cinnamon was perfection - and I am still a little overcome with my over-indulgence.

Suffice it to say, I would strongly recommend Vocelli's and I'm pretty sure the outcome of our meeting was dramatically improved by the accompaniment of good food.

Vocelli's has locations in Vmeals' Charlottesville and Northern Virginia markets. Try them for your next lunch meeting.

Want People to Like You? Keep it Simple. (aka My Email Unsubscibe Saga)

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:31:00 +0000

It won't surprise you to learn that Vmeals uses email as a marketing channel. We know you get a lot of email, and we know that you aren’t going to read every word that comes into your inbox. We try to provide our email recipients with useful information, the occasional coupon or promotion, and maybe a little something that will make you smile. We hope seeing the name Vmeals in your inbox will remind you that we're happy you're part of our community and maybe even serve as a cue when you need to place food orders for upcoming events.

What we don’t want is to pester, annoy, or harass you. That’s not very sociable, is it? So we abide by anti-SPAM regulations and email marketing best practices. If you don’t want to receive emails from us you simply click on the "unsubscribe" link found at the bottom of every email. It is instant and permanent (unless you choose to subscribe again). This is pretty standard practice – or at least I thought so.

Earlier this week we talked about triaging your email after returning from vacation. One tip I didn’t mention was what you can do in advance to help mitigate email overload – unsubscribe.

As I prepare to be out of the office and unable to access email for an extended period, I start by turning off notices and alerts that routinely come to my inbox every day. Next, I spend a few days unsubscribing to every marketing email or newsletter that comes into my inbox. Some I should have dropped long ago, but most I will subscribe to again when I am in daily contact with my inbox.

This exercise has been quite enlightening.

Go to the footer of any marketing email in your inbox and you should find an "unsubscribe" hyperlink. Ideally it will actually be the word “unsubscribe” that, when you click on it, takes you to a screen shot that says: Mary@bigcorp.com has been unsubscribed. End of story. What I’ve found has been quite varied.

Sometimes the unsubscribe link is obfuscated by microscopic font size, barely readable font color (light gray on white background – really?), or use of some oblique term like “Manage my Preferences”. It is unsporting to make it so hard to find.

Then if you do find the correct link, it shouldn't take more than two clicks to complete the job. A confirmation of email address or intent is fine, but presenting me with a list of check boxes that default in one way only to make me carefully read the instructions so I know whether to check or uncheck them to achieve the desired result is frustrating. Requiring me to tell you why I’m unsubscribing is not cool, and pretty much guarantees I will not be back. I understand the desire for data, but give me a multiple choice list and a comment box and make it optional.

I did appreciate that after jumping through the unsubscribe hoops on a couple of sites, I was rewarded with a sad sack photo of a company employee presumably sad to see me go. Funny is good.

Then there was this:

Oh, for the love of all that is good and holy, why would I have to provide an account number, PIN number and deed to my house in order to unsubscribe? I have never used my Hilton Honors account, so I certainly don’t know what the account number is, much less the super-secret PIN number. This is one of many travel rewards programs, not my bank account. Why make it so difficult to access? And 10 days to “process” my request. You have got to be kidding me.

All of this illustrates the value of simplicity (a core Vmeals value, by the way). Simplicity equals ease of use, and we believe, garners good will. We don’t want to lose either just for the sake of email marketing.

Tip Tuesday: Email Triage

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:56:00 +0000

If you took any time off over the holidays, the most dreaded task upon returning to work is likely wading through your inbox. We get it! Here are a few quick tips for triaging your email.

I’m just not that into you.

If I have a big backlog of email, one of the first things I like to do is sort by sender. This is a quick, easy way to weed out the unimportant. Let’s face it, some senders are just more important than others. All those marketing emails, newsletters, and social networking site updates aren’t critical. Moreover, they clutter up your inbox increasing the odds you will miss something that is critical (like that note from your boss requiring a response). Even if you love getting your Pottery Barn sale notices and seeing who has updated their LinkedIn profile, there’s more where those came from. DELETE.

One day at a time. Outlook allows you to expand and collapse your inbox by day, week, and month. I collapse all but one day and focus on working my way through one day at a time. Quickly decide what needs action, and what needs to be archived, and mostly what needs to be deleted. These are your only choices. This should go faster as you go back in time. The shelf life of an actionable email is pretty short. (Anyone who really needs to hear back from you will email you again.) Visually removing the clutter from your inbox will lower your blood pressure and allow you to focus on tending to the most important items in a calmer, more disciplined way. To quote Merlin Mann: “Every email you read, re-read, and re-re-re-re-re-read as it sits in that big dumb pile is actually incurring mental debt on your behalf. The interest you pay on email you're reluctant to deal with is compounded every day and, in all likelihood, it's what's led you to feeling like such a useless slacker today."

Don’t look back.

It’s helpful to remember that just because you hit the DELETE button, that doesn’t means that precious email is really gone yet. It’s just gone to ~~a nice farm in the country~~ the trash bin. Have you ever dug through the trash for something you hastily or inadvertently threw away? Right. You have a grace period between DELETE and emptying your inbox trash folder (which you definitely need to do regularly). Does the thought of deleting with abandon still make you uncomfortable? I understand. That’s why they make archive folders. If you’ve determined you aren’t going to actually do anything with that email, but you’re too chicken to delete it, throw it in your ~~junk drawer~~ archive folder. And don’t spend a lot of time organizing a filing system for your junk. The search function works wonders if ever you decide you need to find something again, and the more complicated your system of filing, the more folders you have to search.

What tricks do you have for getting a handle on your post holiday/vacation email?

Monday Motivation Quote of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:10:00 +0000

"Be like a postage stamp. Stick to one thing until you get there.” ~Josh Billings (American Humorist, 1818-1885)

Want to do first class work? (Oh, how much longer will postal references hold up?) Stay focused on the task that leads to the target, stick with it all the way to completion.

Foodie Friday: Souper Starter

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:23:00 +0000

Trying to reel it in after a little too much holiday excess? Yeah, me too.

I think the perfect answer is soup. Even more perfect is a soup that is easy to make, healthy and hearty. I'm going to share with you a recipe that sounds a little odd, but all you have to do is open 4 cans, heat and enjoy - so what have you got to lose?

This pumpkin bean soup is packed with fiber, protein, and anti-oxidants - all good stuff. Combine the following in a pot and bring to a near boil, then turn the heat down and simmer as desired.

1 can of pumpkin (not the pie filling)
1 can of lite coconut milk
1 can of white beans (navy, northern, cannelini)
1 can of chicken broth (vegetable broth will makes this completely vegetarian - vegan, even!)

I like to spice mine up with a teaspoon or two of curry powder, and if you are feeling ambitious, you can saute some onion and garlic in a little oil in the pot before you add the rest of the ingredients.

I like to serve this with a hunk of good bread slathered in butter, but you may decide a salad is a more sensible option.

Do you have a simple, go-to soup recipe to share?

How to Get What You Really Want

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:10:00 +0000

The New Year is a popular time to reflect, review and plan for the year ahead.

There is a saying that what gets measured matters. Businesses determine key metrics that tell the story of the year’s performance. Revenue, profitability, web traffic, new customers, and new contracts are a few indicators of whether a business is on the right track. The number on the scale or the paystub or the credit card statement might be more personal indicators of performance, but numbers only tell part of the story.

Metrics measure performance to target, but first you have to have targets. How do you decide what those should be? Well, there are typical measures of success like sales growth, a promotion or a raise, but there are also more individual visions of success - a wish list or bucket list of sorts.

What do you want?
Do you long for something that isn't just more (money, stuff, vacations) or less (weight, commitments, debt) of what you have now? Things you want to do or have or experience that might take you beyond where you are now?

Two years ago I made a list (really it was more of a vision board, but that sounds kind of dorky). On a big piece of paper, I wrote down 50 Things I Want – this included everything from getting a pedicure to buying a kayak to taking a trip to Africa. I just brainstormed a bunch of things I thought would make me happy, wrote all over the page so they weren't listed in any particular order, and hung it in my office. This is one of the most useful exercises I’ve ever done.

Small victories are still victories.
Some things I crossed off quickly. A few quick wins is a good way to gain some momentum.

Start by showing up.
Some things simply required some deliberate attention. For example, I love the theater, but I rarely make time to even see what’s playing, much less make plans to go to a show. That summer, I was diligent about watching the local theater schedules, picking a show I wanted to see and making plans for a baby sitter, dinner and drinks. This kind of goal isn't hard – not like running a marathon or losing 30 pounds, it just required a little attention. The visual reminder kept it up front, and crossing another item off my list was satisfying.

Now get to work.
Some goals were big, like running a half-marathon or digitizing generations of family photos. I kept chipping away at them with some successes. There were other goals to which I failed to rise or were too heavy to even get off the ground that year, but the dreaming was instructive. It's always good to have a few stretch goals to help push you beyond your comfort zone (and keep you humble).

It's becoming clear now.
Then there were the things that just fell off the list because I realized I didn't really want them after all (like the kayak). Sometimes we need to sit with a perceived "need" or "want" for a while to realize they are not at all the things that will make us happy. Let these discoveries lead you to a deeper understanding of what will make you happy.

Everyday I looked at this collection of my desires and it had the effect of helping me remember, focus on or rethink my priorities. This helped me clearly see my goals, as well as design specific steps for achieving them and measuring my progress.

Jot down 50 things you think you really want right now - what you want to do, what you want to have, what you want to accomplish, and how you want to feel. You may be surprised to find it's hard to think of 50 things or you may be surprised by what appears on your list. Give it a try!

How do you (or do you) set goals for the new year?

Tuesday Tip: Small Ways to Get Organized

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:59:00 +0000

Getting organized is always a top New Year resolution, but it’s also one that can overwhelm. Where to start?

Well, in the spirit of just begin, let’s start with just a few small things.

When in doubt, read the directions.

Got lots of new toys, electronics, small appliances this holiday season? Get a 3 ring binder and fill it with plastic sheet protectors. Insert owner’s manuals/instruction booklets (with the sales receipt, if you have it) for all your stuff into a sleeve. One central location, neatly organized, makes finding like items a snap.

I saw this great recipe somewhere...

Another great use for a binder with plastic sleeves: recipes. Whenever I cut a recipe from a magazine, I slip it into a sheet protector. When I find a recipe I want to try on the web, I’ll print it and slide it in a sleeve. If you really want to go crazy, make yourself a weekly meal template, slide it in a sleeve, and use a dry erase marker to plan your menus for the week.

Tangled up, run down.

Another frequent source of frustration for me was keeping up with all my gadgets and chargers. I’ve started using a zippered pouch to corral all my cords. I keep chargers for my phone, my iPod, my Kindle, as well as adapters, ear buds and maybe a spare flash drive and memory card all together in one pouch. I have also designated a spot that I put my phone and my pouch each evening at home so I can make sure everything is charged up as needed.

I could have had a free cup of coffee by now.

Just about every grocery store, sporting goods store and coffee shop has a loyalty card of some sort. I look forward to these all living in my smartphone somehow, but until then the easiest way to keep up with them (and actually have them when you need them) is to keep them on a ring. Many already have key ring versions, but if not, punch a hole in it yourself and put them all together on a single ring which you can attach to your key ring (or not if you prefer to travel light). Just pay attention and don’t do like I do and try to swipe your Hair Cuttery card at the gym.

Get in a routine.

The single best piece of advice I have for any organizing is to actually have a place designated for everything, and make putting things in their place part of your daily routine. This simple step will solve lots of your organizational issues. (Now if I could just get my husband to understand this.)

I know Daily Dish readers are some of the most efficient and organized people on the planet, so tell us: What are your top tips for keeping things organized?

Monday Motivation Quote of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:59:00 +0000

"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible." ~Francis of Assisi

Got big dreams for 2012? Maybe some New Year's resolutions? If nothing else, the new year gives us a chance for a fresh start, a clean slate, the optimism of starting over.

So if making big changes seems too pie in the sky for you, how about we just start where we are? Do what must be done, then a little bit more. And keep at it.

Before you know it, you will likely accomplish something you can really be proud of. All you have to do is begin.

The 2011 Annual Review

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 20:51:00 +0000

Does the term “annual review” make you a little uncomfortable? Often these canned assessments are completed on some kind of corporate form and warehoused in HR. Too often they are a big chore for the reviewer and unsatisfying to the reviewee. And what is the point after all? To document progress, or lack thereof? To justify raises or the path towards termination? Don’t we really just want to celebrate our successes and learn from our experiences, to find opportunities for improvement?

I have always loved those year-in-review things they do on the news programs, though. I find it a fascinating way to experience time – you know how some of those stories seem like they happened waaay more than a few months ago? I find that to be true as I look back on the year at Vmeals. So on this last business day of 2011, let’s take a moment to review.

Vmeals grew this year – not crazy Groupon-esque growth, but a solid, steady increase in business year over year. We continued to streamline our operation, increasing efficiency and customer satisfaction (according to our most recent survey, you think we’re doing a pretty good job), lowering expenses, keeping the company on solid financial ground.

We’ve added dozens of new restaurant and catering partners in cities all around the U.S. (I’m looking forward to opening our Bermuda market one day.) We’ve added thousands of new customers, new fans, friends and followers. We’ve facilitated hundreds of thousands of meals for meetings, trainings, sales presentations, office parties, and corporate events of all types.

Being in the business of serving business, our fortunes tend to rise and fall not only with the economic tide, but in predictable patterns. We are busiest on weekdays and quiet on weekends and holidays, but this year we did have one order on Christmas day. While everyone else was home with family, one of our customers used Vmeals to send a first-class feast to the Central Union Mission in Washington DC. We were delighted to be able to help make this happen – both for the customer who wanted to share his faith and good fortune, as well as for those who need to rely on the kindness of strangers this holiday season.

We gave away a lot of stuff this year. We offer lots of free lunches in conjunction with group presentations on the benefits of using Vmeals (just give us a shout if you’d like to know more about setting up a free, no-obligation lunch and learn), but we also gave away a lot of Keep Your New Year’s Resolution goodies. (Maybe we should check back and see how everyone did with those resolutions.) We gave one lucky person an iPad for St Paddy’s Day, we gave away Back to School Bucks, and celebrated the holidays with 12 Days of Giveaways.

Oh, and VCAP! I can’t even tell you how many Target gift cards, AMEX gift cards, and Vmeals credits we awarded to our loyal customers.

We traveled to Orlando, Cape Cod, Nashville, Hampton and points in between to support and sponsor the ALA, IAAP, SHRM and APC. (We gave away some swag everywhere we went as well.) We value the relationships we have developed with these professional organizations whose members understand the value of efficiency, simplicity, and convenience.

We welcomed new CS reps, new babies and a new CEO, and we said good bye to some old friends. The circle of life, business-style.

So it’s been a pretty great year, but if we’re honest, it isn’t all cupcakes and rainbows. We had some disappointments along the way, some frustrations, some flubs, but that will have to be a post for another day. For now, just like you, we hope to learn, grow, get better and keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Have you done your own annual review? What were your highlights of 2011? What lessons did you learn?

Happy Holidays from Vmeals!

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 17:59:00 +0000

No way Santa can miss this house.

It is mighty quiet around the office this week. In a business that requires so much collaboration and interaction, it's hard to be very productive when no else is around. It does give one opportunity to do a little housekeeping - maybe clear some piles off the desk, clean up the email inbox, catch up on some reading (all work related, of course). It's a chance to reboot.

The call center will be closing early today (2pm) and closed on Monday in observance of Christmas. There is, however, always someone on call should you have a business related food emergency - but that's not very likely, is it? You should be home with your family, kicking back, and enjoying all the festivities you've worked so hard to prepare. Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, you can enjoy a national day of peace, love and joy (that is, if you resolve not to turn on the news).

From all of us at Vmeals, we wish you a wonderful holiday weekend!

Vmeals Holiday Party Highlights

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:08:00 +0000

If there's one thing we know how to do at Vmeals, it is how to throw a party. We had our holiday party last Friday, and here are a few of our tips for making any event festive:

Start with a great venue.

We had the privilege of holding our party at the University of Virginia's McCormick Observatory. High on a hill, this was the perfect place to view both the starry sky above and the city lights below, and made for a festive gathering spot. Inside the observatory was a ginormous telescope through which we were able to view Jupiter and get a detailed look at the full moon.

Attached to the observatory is museum and classroom space filled with light boxes of celestial images. Our host had set up on the big screen(which would later be used for karaoke) a projection of the night sky. It was the perfect back drop for the bar. Dawn, our business manager, and Susan, one of our fabulous CSRs, did a beautiful job decorating with lots of lights and greenery.

Make sure there's plenty to eat and drink.

We went with beer and wine to keep costs reasonable, and heavy hors d'oeuvres to make eating and mingling easier to manage. We felt like we took a bit of you all with us by filling the dessert table goodies made with your favorite cookie recipes.

Create special traditions.

The thing I look forward to the very most is Jon's Christmas sweater. It has become our special holiday tradition. Each year he sews on a new applique or adds some extra bling. We await its arrival (and Jon's) each year on pins and needles. It is not coincidence that he is pictured here next to the fire extinguisher - HOT!

Have some ice breakers.

Party games aren't just for children. A few low pressure activities can help ease that socially awkward ramp up time before the cocktails kick in. We started with Who Am I? Everyone had the name of a celebrity on their back and had to try to guess who they were by asking only yes/no questions. (I tried this with 8 year olds - not the same - at all.)

The big fun was when we played Pass the Present. This is kind of like musical chairs, but with a wrapped present. When the music stops, the person holding the gift gets to open it - with oven mitts on. There were many layers of ribbon, paper, and tissue that kept this interesting and hilarious.

It was a great evening with some awesome people and lots of effort by many to make it a beautiful night. We spend so much time with this work family, but it is really a treat to get away from the office and just enjoy good food, good spirits and good company.

Did your company have a holiday party? Tell us about it!

From the Vmeals family to yours, happy holidays!

Monday Motivation Quote of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:02:00 +0000

"Maybe Christmas, he thought... doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps... means a little bit more!"

I went to the mall this weekend - didn't I see you there?

In the all the shopping, wrapping, cooking and decorating, it can be easy to forget what it all means. The holidays, no matter which ones you observe, serve a very important purpose. They take us out of the everyday grind and give us the opportunity to think about what and who is important to us - to give thanks, to appreciate, to celebrate the blessings and, particularly, the people in our lives.

The whole Vmeals staff is happy to have you in our world - all our customers, restaurant and catering partners, business associates, friends, and supporters. That's why we are giving gifts this season, and we have a few more to go.

Identify the quote this week in the comments on our Facebook page or here (but you'll need to email mfulton@vmeals.com so we can contact the winner) for a chance to win a Spa Finders gift card! Don't you need a little pampering after all that shopping? You've got until 5pm Tuesday to enter.

Vmeals, where food and business connect.

Holiday Cheer!

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:26:00 +0000

"The best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear."~Buddy the Elf

My son recently got his first iPod for his birthday. Now, like the rest of the family, he goes around the house with his ear buds firmly in place, singing loudly for all to hear. (It's usually Katy Perry or LMFAO instead of Christmas music, however.)

I often have to remind my children that having a head full of music to which you energetically sing along sounds quite different to you than it does to those who just hear the singing along part.

What gets you in the holiday mood? Post your favorite holiday song on our Facebook page or in the comments below and be sure to email mfulton@vmeals.com so we can send one of you a $25 iTunes card as part of our 12 Days of Giveaways!

Vmeals, where food and business connect.

Tell us What You Think

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:02:00 +0000

I was listening to a story on NPR this morning about a woman who hopes to be the first woman to ski across Antarctica alone. There were at least 25 fascinating things about this story, but one thing she said really jumped out at me.

Inevitably the interviewer asked her why she wanted to ski across Antarctica (it's really hard!), and she said, " 'Why' is a quick question to ask, but it can take a long time to answer."

So true.

But we've tried to make it easy for you to answer the question of why you like using Vmeals (or why you think there's room for improvement). We have a short little survey we'd like you to take and tell us what you think. Many of our features and improvements have been the direct result of customer feedback - so let us have it!

View the survey here. It will only take a few minutes. Thank you!

The Winning Cookie Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 21:06:00 +0000

Selection of cookies served at the Vmeals holiday party.

We had our Vmeals holiday party last Friday evening, and it was so much fun to have a little bit of customer love with us. We made all the cookie recipes submitted in our virtual cookie exchange and the staff voted on their favorite.

And the winner is...the mint sandwich cookie submitted by Laura. (I must also mention this one was the most labor intensive as well as it required mixing, chilling, rolling, cutting, baking, cooling, frosting, and so on.) They were worth the effort. The butter cookie was, well, buttery and delicious, but not too sweet. The filling was minty butter cream. Next time, I might add a little more peppermint extract. Be sure to check out all the recipes. Any of them will make a nice addition to your holiday baking.

Thanks to all who participated! I like a recipe smack down. What should our next contest be?

Vmeals, where food and business connect.

Monday Motivation Quote of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:21:00 +0000

"I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It's not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love."

In a culture that always craves bigger, better, faster, shinier, we often fail to appreciate some things that are entirely worthy of a little attention, including those unsung heroes in our daily lives.

Surely you know where this quote came from. Email your answer to mfulton@vmeals.com by the end of the day on Tuesday, 12/13/11, for a chance to win a $15 Starbucks gift card!

Vmeals - where food and business connect.

Monday Motivation Quote of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (Molly) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:26:00 +0000

"Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?"

You matter. The job you do, the people in your life are all impacted in some way by your presence. Sometimes it's the small, seemingly insignificant moments that make the biggest difference - a difference you may never even know about. Your actions and your words often have a life beyond you. Doesn't that make you want to make the most of every moment?

I didn't attribute this quote because I think you'll be able to figure it out. Tell us where it came from to be entered in our first 12 Days of Giveaways drawing on Thursday!

Vmeals, where food and business connect.