Microsoft



“I use Microsoft products to run Selfish Box because they help us to be more efficient—16 times faster in some cases—so we can spend time creating great food, not learning new technologies.”

Thanh Hua, Owner, Selfish Box

Employees at Selfish Box, a specialty catering company, are just as passionate about being environmentally friendly as they are about making beautiful, delicious food. Fulfilling these core company values requires time and attention to detail, so Owner Thanh Hua and her team use the 2007 Microsoft® Office system, the Windows Vista® operating system, and other Microsoft solutions to simplify tasks, work more efficiently, and manage costs more effectively.

Business Needs

In 2006, Thanh Hua turned her passion for delicious food into a gourmet boxed-lunch company called Selfish Box. “Our highest goal is to create cuisine so good you won’t want to share it,” Hua says. Selfish Box uses fresh, organic ingredients to create sophisticated, prepackaged lunches for local business clients. “We like to make food that people really enjoy, and include international ingredients to make our lunches delicious and unique,” says Lead Culinary Artist Julie Calligaro. “Presentation is also important─the way something looks is going to affect the way it tastes so we put a lot of care into our final product.” Aside from providing robust flavors, Selfish Box is the only catering company to publish nutrition facts on its Web site. “Delicious and healthy go hand in hand when we create our dishes,” Hua says.

This level of attention to detail requires significant time. “The biggest challenge for a small business owner is having enough time in the day,” Hua says. “I’m working almost 80 hours per week, so I need to be very conscious about my schedule. I want to spend time with my family, too.”

Cost is another important consideration for Selfish Box because profit margins in the food industry are traditionally low. “Controlling cost is critical,” says Hua, “especially when we’re trying to make environmentally friendly choices. I keep a close eye on the grocery bill, employee labor costs, and packaging costs.”

Hua began looking for a solution to help her minimize lost time and reduce wasted resources. “Quality is very important to us so we use only the freshest ingredients,” says Calligaro. “In order to keep the quality of our products high, we have to be as efficient as possible so that we don’t waste a thing. That’s a big challenge.” Selfish Box needed time-saving solutions that were affordable and easy to use.

Solution

Hua looked at the 2007 Microsoft® Office system and saw an opportunity to increase business efficiency. “With Microsoft Office 2007, I can buy one product and get all the tools I need,” says Hua. “I don’t have to buy separate software for each task or invest in a custom solution. Microsoft Office 2007 includes everything I need in one place, which makes it very easy to manage.

“I also chose the 2007 Office system because these products are familiar to me and to the people that I employ,” Hua continues. “I don’t have to spend time training them on the technology.”

Selfish Box primarily uses Microsoft Office Excel® 2007 spreadsheet software to track company expenses, employee time, and financial summaries; Microsoft Office Word 2007 to create recipes, training and marketing materials, and labels for the company’s packaging; and the Microsoft Office Outlook® 2007 messaging and collaboration client to stay connected with customers and employees.

Hua also found a way to reconnect with her family by using the company’s Tablet PC. She installed the Windows Vista® operating system with Windows® Tablet and Touch Technology, which enhances pen functionality, touch-screen support, and handwriting recognition. “I realized I couldn’t spend this many hours running Selfish Box and still be happy with my home life,” Hua says. “The mobility of the Tablet PC saves me so much time. It’s been a real lifesaver.”

Benefits

Hua and her employees are using Microsoft products to help them save time on administrative tasks so they can spend more time fulfilling the company’s main objective—to create innovative food in environmentally friendly ways. By increasing efficiency and limiting waste, the company can afford to choose recycled materials, purchase compost bins, and invest in energy-efficient appliances. “At Selfish Box we believe in keeping the earth clean for our kids,” Hua says.

Increased Efficiency

Selfish Box uses Office Excel 2007 to track company financials, employee time, and customer orders. “We also use a spreadsheet we call our Count Sheet,” says Hua. “Every morning employees look at this sheet to see exactly how much of each ingredient they need for the day. They make one trip to the refrigerator and then start working. The Count Sheet helps us be more efficient and ensure consistent quality. We actually create our meals 16 times faster than we did before.”

Greater Mobility

Selfish Box employs people who are passionate about food, many of whom are full-time mothers. Maintaining a balance between work and family is essential for Hua and her employees. “I am able to spend more time with my family by using the Tablet PC,” says Hua. “I can go to a doctor’s appointment with my son and still be able to get work done while I’m sitting in the waiting room.” Hua adds that the Windows Vista operating system with Windows Tablet and Touch Technology has been extremely reliable. “Windows Vista is completely dependable. I never have to reboot my computer.”

Enhanced Communication

Selfish Box uses Office Outlook 2007 to receive orders, send receipts, and e-mail order confirmations to customers. “I also stay connected with my employees via e-mail to make sure we’re prepared for the next day’s orders,” Hua explains. “I can go on vacation and still answer questions and respond to customers, even when I’m miles and miles away.”

Improved Security

When Hua heard about Windows Live™ OneCare™ computer protection and maintenance software and services from Microsoft, she decided to subscribe. “I have more peace of mind because of Windows Live OneCare,” Hua says. “I know that my machines will stay virus-free and that I’m not passing on unsafe files or e-mail to my clients.”

Supports Future Growth

As Selfish Box grows, Hua knows that she can continue to rely on Microsoft products. “Using Microsoft products helps me feel confident that the growth of my business is supported. For example, now that we’re handling more orders we need to back up our data more frequently, so we’ll be upgrading to Windows Home Server.

“Our client base is growing, too,” Hua continues, “so we’ll begin using Microsoft Office Accounting 2008. We’ll be able to track all of our invoices and expenses much more easily.”

Hua concludes, “I use Microsoft products to run Selfish Box because they help us to be more efficient─16 times faster in some cases—so we can spend time creating great food, not learning new technologies.”

Microsoft Small Business

Microsoft provides simple, complete and connected solutions to help Small Business start, grow, and thrive.

For more information on how Microsoft Small Business Solutions can help maximize your business potential visit:

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To locate a Microsoft Small Business Specialist in your area visit: smallbusinessspecialist

For more information about Selfish Box, call (425) 882-7353 or visit the Web site at:



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For more information about other Microsoft customer successes, please visit: %&stjk9:XY‘šp…bt¹Ð/!A!ëçãßãçãçãÛãÐãÐãçëÌÈÄÈãÀãÀ¼ÀãÀã¸ã´¸°¸´°´°´¼ã¬ãÐãÐãÐãÐãÐãÈã¤ã¤ã¤ã¤hßBHhßBH5?h¯h™fÍh÷z[hñCºhI„hUR"h'Yh¬iÝh¼L©hßBHh HYPERLINK "" casestudies

Customer: Selfish Box

Web Site:

Customer Size: 5

Country or Region: United States

Industry: Food service—Specialty catering

Customer Profile

Selfish Box is a gourmet catering company based in Redmond, Washington. Employees use fresh, organic, international ingredients to create high-quality boxed lunches, snacks, and buffets for local business clients.

Software and Services

2007 Microsoft® Office system

Microsoft Office Excel® 2007

Microsoft Office Outlook® 2007

Microsoft Office Visio® 2007

Microsoft Office Word 2007

Microsoft Office FrontPage® 2003

Windows Live™ OneCare™

Windows Vista® Home Premium with Windows® Tablet and Touch Technology

Windows Home Server

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